Jim Martin Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 On Platform 1 of Liverpool Lime Street station is a commemorative plaque reading: Erected by their workmates at this depot to Commemorate Driver J Ball & Fireman C Higgins who sacrificed their lives in their devotion to duty 20th May 1937 Immediately below that, there’s another plaque which reads “This memorial, removed at the closure of Edge Hill MPD, was rededicated by BR management and staff, 1986†Does anyone know what the story behind this memorial is? I’ve tried googling various combinations of “railwayâ€, “accidentâ€, “driverâ€, “ballâ€, “higgins†and various years in the mid 30s, but not had any success. Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 I have read or someone has told me about this in the past, I just cant remember at the moment. I think its mentioned in one of the books Ive got, will have a flick through Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 im sure its mentioned in shedside on merseyside book, havent got mine to hand at the moment it may have been mentioned I think in an issue of steam world or backtrack... Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free At Last Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Quoted from Shedside On Merseyside, by Kenn Pearce. "The marble memorial plaque which, for many years, hung in the lobby at Edge Hill shed, honouring 8A Driver Joseph Ball and Fireman Cormack Higgins. The pair were in charge of the 1315hrs Liverpool-Euston express on 20th May 1937 when a collapsed smokebox deflector plate in their Princess class engine caused a blowback that turned their footplate into a furnace.The incident occured as the crew were nearing the end of their journey at Primrose Hill tunnel on the approach to Euston. Ball and Higgins stayed at their controls and brought the train safely to a stand outside the tunnel. Unfortunately the crewmen were so extensively burnt that they both died in hospital" 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 thanks Pete Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 were they awarded the george cross or similar?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomag Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 In 1937 it would have been the Albert medal (Gold/Bronze) or the CGM. A quick google does not produce anything obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Martin Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 Thanks to everyone who replied. It seems surprising that the engine crew didn't receive some sort of official recognition. More research needed, perhaps. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70022Tornado Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Was it possible to award the AM or CGM posthumusly in 1937 ? 70022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 (edited) Sounds very similar to the story of Wallace Oaks GC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Oakes He was awarded the GC so why not these guys? There are 3 class 86 named after railwaymen who were awarded the GC - all are on my list to do because of the stories behind them Cheers Jim Edited January 13, 2013 by jim s-w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Jim - Wikepedia suggests the GC wasn't created until after this had happenned http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Martin Posted June 5, 2010 Author Share Posted June 5, 2010 After saying that more research might be needed, I did a (tiny) bit. I couldn't find a list of recipients of the AM online, but I searched the Times website archive for references to the Albert Medal in 1937. There are five instances of the AM appearing in the Court section (which is, I assume, where awards would have been noted). One of these was 21 May, which is obviously too soon after the event. The others were in the editions of 11 June, 14 October, 19 November and 24 December. You have to pay for the Times archive, so I'm going to have a look next time I'm in Liverpool Central Library. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locutus Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I found this post whilst researching the family tree of my wife whose grandfather was Cormack Higgins.. I am interested in finding out more about Cormack, as both his son and my son both carry this fanily name. We have always known about the incident which had a traumatic effect on his family, but would appreciate any information as to why no record seems to occur anywhere of the accident. We are also not even sure where and when Cormack actually died. As to the idea that any medal was awarded, I am completely in the dark ,as no record of one exists. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracklet Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I too have a Cormack Higgins in my tree - I think he may be my great uncle. I found this article that takes us a little further forward - Eric Treacy dedicated the plaque and the article says a service was held at St Mary's http://www.pendragonpublishing.co.uk/Photographs_of_Eric_Treacy.pdf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Fisher Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I will try and get a few images of the plaques around Lime Street, I only work next door and pass through virtually daily in the week. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Try:- www.london-gazette.co.uk. to see if there is any record of there being any medals awarded. I believe it has a more complete record of such things than even the Times. Another place to look might be in the Liverpool Post's archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 8, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 8, 2012 Try:- www.london-gazette.co.uk. to see if there is any record of there being any medals awarded. I believe it has a more complete record of such things than even the Times. Another place to look might be in the Liverpool Post's archives. All official awards of medals & decorations etc should be gazetted in the London Gazette so it would undoubtedly be the best source - but beware of the time lag between incident and award although that was usually, of necessity, much longer in wartime. You need to consider also that in many instances there can be a far wider range of factors than might be disclosed at the time to the press and public and this can influence the way in which a decision is made between someone doing their job as expected of them in such circumstances and someone doing something truly exceptional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyHiggins Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm so glad I found this. Cormack Higgins was my grandfather, but I never met him. My mom was very young when he died, and I've only heard stories from family about the incident. He was recognized with the plaque, but the family suffered a lot as a result. It's nice to know there is still some interest in the origins of the plaque and that it's still in place. I hope to visit one day and see it in person if I can. Thank you to those those of you who found information and posted it! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracklet Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Ian, Thank you, much appreciated. And to everyone who has posted offering advice and encouragement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Martin Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 Since this thread has got a bit of a second wind, I'll post something that I wrote in a PM to Locutus (above) a while back. I searched the "London Gazette" archive and found only two references to awards of the Albert Medal between 20 May 1937 and 31 December 1939: one is to a naval officer who rescued several members of the crew of a Royal Navy ship which suffered an accidental explosion while on patrol off the Spanish coast (presumably one of the notorious "non-intervention" patrols associated with the civil war) and the other is to a member of the Royal Australian Air Force, for his attempts to rescue the pilot of a crashed aircraft. I don't think that either of these was posthumous: I don't know whether it could be awarded posthumously or not. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted February 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 2, 2012 from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Medal_(lifesaving) which also mentions the Edward Medal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Medal which was given specifically for those in the mines or industry. following a link to the national archive gives this page: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/medals-civilian-gallantry.htm which mentions that the Edward Medal was "for miners, quarrymen and later dock workers, railwaymen, etc." , though when 'later' was, i don't know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracklet Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Thank you, much appreciated! I've been trying to see if I could identify exactly which train it was. So far,I think it was a Princess class and that the risk of blowback was known at the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Railwaysarchive.co.uk has a large number of accident reports. It doesn't have this particular one, which either means it wasn't the subject of an Inspectorate report and they haven't got any other documentation for it. However there are quite a number of accidents involving blowbacks, including if I recall one to one of the LMS Pacifc classes, and these often caused severe injuries on the footplate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ball Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I am delighted to have come across this forum, albeit a little late. Driver Joseph Ball was my Grandfather. I have a number of press cuttings from the day of the accident and from the days on which Joseph & Cormack died and a number of press cutting extolling them both as heroes. I also have the telegram sent to my grandmother from LMS informing her of the accident. I recently found a reference to the accident in the book ‘Derail’ 1998 by Nicholas Faith, of which I have since found a copy. Thank you all for your interest in the plaque and the story behind it. I am very proud of my grandfather Joseph & his mate Cormack. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracklet Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Michael, Great to hear from you, and thank you. Cormack was my Great Uncle - my Gran was his sister. Thank you so much for the posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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