Railway mishap (1898)

Post date: Sep 17, 2012 1:31:47 PM

In the Church vestry is held a scrap book with newspaper cuttings marked "in Memory of Edgar Clarke-Smith". Some cuttings have a date handwritten beside them. Many are probably from the South Eastern Gazette. The following is marked as from 18.10.98.

RAILWAY MISHAP-On Friday afternoon an accident occurred on the South Eastern Railway close to Wateringbury Station. An engine with two goods carriages attached was crossing some point, when the signalman put the point over and the goods vans were overthrown. Traffic was carried on a single line, till a breakdown gang from Ashford cleared away the obstruction.

ACCIDENT-A lad named Fred. Merrall was accidentally shot on Wednesday morning by his brother. The two lads were playing with a toy air gun, which unknown to them was loaded. The elder lad discharged the weapon at his brother, and the shot entered his brother's head behind the ear. The lad was attended by Dr. Houghton Brown, who advised his removal to the West Kent Hospital. He is not yet quite out of danger.