The Princess Alice Disaster

The sinking of Princess Alice in 1878was one of Britain's worst maritime incidents, resulting in thedeath of around 640 people. Historian Hannah Stockton uncovers this forgottentragedy through eyewitness accounts and rare relics, revealing its human toll,the social inequalities it exposed and its lasting impact.

InSeptember1878, a late summer day trip to the Kent coast ended in tragedy when the paddlesteamer Princess Alice collided with the coal ship Bywell Castleon the River Thames. Around 640 people died, making it one of the worstpeacetime maritime disasters in British history after the Titanic. Despite the scale of the loss the disaster is little knowntoday. A deeply personal relic in the National Maritime Museum's collection, aticket for a 'Moonlight Trip to Rosherville and Back', tells a story of onelife narrowly spared. A handwritten note reveals that 'Pa' decided not to go onthe excursion after buying the ticket, a choice that may have saved his life. Alongside it is a small piece of wood said to have been carved from the wreck. Historian Hannah Stockton recounts the events of that dayand its aftermath through objects, first-hand accounts and illustrations. Thetragedy exposed the inequalities of Victorian London and Stockton examineswhether the victims' largely working-class backgrounds contributed to the lackof public memorials. The disaster eventually led to improvements in Thames sewagetreatment, swimming lessons for girls and better safety standards for sailors. Yet this unused ticket remains a haunting and personal reminder of the liveslost and the fate one man narrowly escaped.