A former station in St Helens was the spot where the first person was killed by a train in Britain.
Liverpool MP William Huskisson was hit by the famous Rocket train on September 15, 1830, during a procession to mark the opening of the Liverpool-Manchester line.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
Parkside 1st station in St Helens was one of the original passenger stations of the famous Liverpool and Manchester Railway and an inquest heard that the disaster "was a mere accident." Historically in Lancashire, the area now encompasses Merseyside.
Mr Huskisson's death is generally held to be the first fatality of the railway age, and a memorial was placed at the site of the accident the following year.
He is among some of the famous names buried in St James Cemetery in the grounds of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. His remains were laid to rest in a mausoleum in 1830.
Here's a brief history of what happened that fateful day.
On Saturday, September 18, 1830, the London Evening Standard reported the inquest into Mr Huskisson's death.
The report, in part, reads: "On the Earl of Wilton's arrival at one o'clock, his deposition was taken by the coroner.
"He stated that Mr. Huskisson, with several other gentleman, were standing outside the royal car, of which the door was open.
"On the alarm being given that the Rocket engine was advancing upon them, he endeavoured to move round the edge of the door, and in doing so became by some means entangled with it.
"His movements then became confused and whilst in that state the Rocket passed him and knocked him down, and the consequence was that his left leg and thigh fell on the off rail of the way on which the Rocket was moving.
"His lordship stated that the disaster was mere accident - that no blame could attach to either the directors, engineers, or machinery."
According to Historic England, William Huskisson was born in 1770 at Birtsmorton Court, Worcestershire and although well-known "generally held" to be the first fatality of the railway age, an earlier death was recorded three years prior to his death.
On their website, Historic England said: "It was on September 15, 1830, at the opening ceremony of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, a project he had done much to promote, that Huskisson met his end, falling into the path of Stevenson’s oncoming ‘Rocket’ engine during a stop at Parkside.
"Generally held to be the first fatality of the railway age, an earlier death on the Stockton and Darlington railway, in 1827, has been recorded. A memorial was placed on the site of Huskisson’s accident in 1831."
Join our St Helens news, community and Facebook group here.
In November 2020, the ECHO reported that Liverpool Council was set to once again consider proposals to put up a statue of a prominent Black Liverpudlian on a plinth once occupied by a defender of slavery.
A motion proposing the commissioning of a statue for the William Huskisson plinth on Princes Boulevard was first submitted at a full council meeting earlier this year before being deferred to the culture and tourism select committee.
The statue of Huskisson, who as an MP defended slavery in parliament and received funding from slave traders, has not stood on the plinth for decades, having been removed in the aftermath of the Toxteth Riots.
However, it was only during a revamp of the road earlier in 2020 that an inscription was added following increased engagement with the L8 community.
.jpg?w=600)
