Pimlico park, William Huskisson

 

Statue of William Huskisson
1770-1830
On Grovsnor road there is a small park on the bank of the river, Pimlico park it’s only a small green space but it is nice and peaceful, well as peaceful as it can be next to a main road. There is a sculpture but more note worthy is the statue of William Huskisson.

Popular culture would have you believe that he was the first fatality from a locomotive steam train having been killed by Stephensons Rocket on its inaugural run. However research would suggest this to be false and the first fatality from a locomotive steam train would have been 9 years earlier in Leeds, Yorkshire David Brook a carpenter was run over and killed by the steam locomotive of a coal train in a rain storm.

William Huskisson would have been the most widely reported fatality as he was a prominent political figure at the time and was killed at a prestigious event the opening of the Manchester to Liverpool railway.

He was a favoured political operator having numerous positions from his early thirties and indeed until his passing. He had such positions as : President of the board of trade, Treasurer of the Navy and Secretary for the colonies. While it was a slow start to his political career hardly taking part in many debates in parliament he was a prominent part in the Corn laws early in his office a tariff placed on imported corn and cereals. 

Not a well man by the time of his passing he had only just had surgery after a diagnosis of Strangury (inflammation of the kidneys) when he attended the opening of the Manchester to Liverpool railway. I can only surmise that the post surgery pain combined with the lack of warning whistle on Stephensons Rocket contributed to his demise.

Have fun stay safe 👍🏻

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