Events in
Local
History
The
'Albion'
Disaster
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The |
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1898 The Launch. Thames Ironworks had built ships in Canning Town since the mid 19th century at their yard along both sides of Bow Creek adjacent to the Thames. The Ironworks built some of the largest vessels of their time. Because the width of the river at Bow Creek was relatively narrow, the larger vessels were built parallel to the shore and launched 'sideways' into the river. On the occasion of the launch of the Royal Navy cruiser - HMS Albion - this was also to be the case. However up to 200 people keen to get a good view of the launch had made their way to a temporary slipway 'bridge' beside a nearly completed vessel also being built in the yard for the Japanese navy, to get a better view of the occasion. The 'bridge was not designed to hold so many, and in fact, was signposted as 'dangerous', but despite this a large crowd had gathered and those on the bridge felt they had the perfect viewpoint to see the ship launched by the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George V and Queen Mary). The champagne bottle to be used to launch the vessel did not in fact break despite three attempts by the Duchess to crack it open on the ship's hull, and she cut the ribbon without the traditional 'good luck' deed having been done. Local schools were given the day off and thousands were standing watching when the 390 foot long, 74 foot wide, 6,000 ton ship slid side-on into the water. The momentum of the vessel's launch created a large 'tidal wave' which raced along and crossriver and engulfed the 'bridge', smashing it to pieces and plunging shocked onlookers into the river, where they were also smashed by the broken bridge and the inevitable debris of the launch itself. Their cries of panic were drowned out by the cheers of the main crowd applauding the launch. 38 people perished in the incident, which happened at 2.50 pm, on the 21st of June 1898, one of the worst disasters in our area in peacetime. The Royal Humane Society later awarded 26 of its Bronze Medals to those men that had risked their lives by jumping into the river and rescuing many of those that were in danger of drowning. Although there is a memorial to Thames Ironworks itself (at Canning Town Station), there is no memorial to those that died in that day's disaster. Various sources, including 'With Disastrous
Consequences' published by Hisarlik. first © Lal Cook, 1998. |
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