More Dead End tracks…

Dead Drunk

“Spirits served here” was the message above the cemetery stations of the London Necropolis Company (LNC), the sign was to show the mourners that they could have alcoholic beverages. I’d suggest it was also a good bit of comedy for permanent residents of Brookwood.

Drunken behaviour was reported but not specific to the stations, on one occasion in the 1850’s a caretaker refused to allow two mourners to board as they were too intoxicated. On another a ticket collector found a group of passengers were so drunk they were dancing around their carriage on the return journey.

12th January 1867 a Necropolis train driver had a liquid lunch at the local whilst waiting and when he returned was clearly incapable of driving. The fireman took over until they reached Waterloo and the driver was handed his notice.

The company said that they would supply all future train crews with a ploughman’s and beer for lunch. I think that’s a lunch many of us could agree too.

Other London funeral Trains

There were rival trains that ran between King’s Cross and the Great Northern Cemetery at New Southgate, started in 1861 that carried on for at least six years. The service ran from Rufford Street, N1 which is not demolished. It had the advantage of being only a fifteen minute journey.

Just like the LNC the King’s Cross terminus had it’s own mortuary facilities. The funeral trains there ended some time between the years of 1867 – 1873. The station at the cemetery end was then demolished In 1904.

South Station Chapel

The station chapel has been carefully restored by St Edward Brotherhood, who are an orthodox order of monks. They worship at the chapel and maintain a shrine there containing the bones of St Edward the Martyr.

Charles Horsfield

Transporting the dead has been one of those things that has to be organised. Alongside the dedicate funeral line in London and other places, there were other options even if they were less grandiose.

Sometimes passenger rail services would carry the coffins in their brake vans. It unfortunately led to one grisly report that happened 21st June 1912. The train from Manchester to Leeds was derailed near Hebden Bridge. A coffin containing Mr Horsfield’s remains was thrown from the brake van and spilt out on to the track.  The 55 year old’s coffin was shattered so he was kept in the signal box until a new one was available.

Halifax Courier’s reporter had this comment: The coffin was found all splintered and the corpse, though unmarked, was pinned under the debris and partly exposed. There was also an untrue rumour at the time that his body was one of those recovered from the Titanic just ten weeks earlier.

It wasn’t until 1988 that British Rail announced it would no longer allow coffins to be transported.

Moving Coffins…

The Chase Vault is located 7 miles from Bridgetown in Barbados, the reason the family vault has become famous is down an incredible tale about the coffins moving. The vault has half above ground and the other half below, this was to protect the vault from natural elements. Due to the story of the moving coffin and over a number of years the vault was eventually left abandoned.

Whilst there has been a few versions the most elemental parts remain the same. The vault was constructed for James Elliott in 1724 but he was never buried there. Instead it’s first occupant was Thomasina Goddard in 1807. Sometime a year later the vault came into the hands of the Chase Family, a wealthy Barbados family. Rumours are that the head of the family, Thomas Chase, was not well liked and he was cruel to his slaves.

On Feb 22nd 1808 the body of his infant daughter, Mary Ann Maria Chase was taken to the vault. Goddard’s wooden casket sat in the corner as expected. In 1812 it was then opened again to bury his other daughter, Dorcas. Again nothing unusual was reported, the two girls lay at rest. One month later it was Thomas Chase himself that was to be placed in the vault. One of the girls caskets was found displaced, reports around the time say Mary’s coffin was thrown from the north-east corner to the opposite corner with such force it was standing on its end. It was assumed to be the work of vandals, the caskets were placed back in place and the marble slab covering the entrance was put back in place.

1816 – another infant Samuel Brewster Ames was to be placed in the vault. This time all of the coffin’s bar Goddard’s were moved. To replace Thomas Chase’s casket took eight men to move it, due to the weight. Once more they ordered the caskets into place and left. Samuel Brewster the elder was then placed there in Nov 1816, again the coffins were moved and the vault had to be sorted again.

By this time the local legend had found more than one interested party, 1819 they buried Thomasina Clark and again the coffins had been moved. The governor, Lord Combermere was at the burial. A search showed there was not sign of movement in the sand, no secret entrances but sadly due to the constant disturbances Goddard’s wooden coffin was showing signs of decay and was slowly falling to pieces. The governor and the officials there placed their seals in the cement as a proof it was remaining sealed up.

In 1820, eight months later, they opened the vault. The seals remained in tact and the slab was in place but the coffins had once again moved. With the exception of Goddard’s casket they were all strewn around again. This time however a rather grim report came from the People’s Almanac that Dorcas’  bony arm was sticking out of the side of her coffin. After this the coffins were placed elsewhere and the Chase Vault was abandoned. Christ Church Parish Church is there the vault is still located today, and whilst there are no reports in the papers about the event it would appear that the originator of the story Thomas H Orderson, the Rector of the time, did provide his accounts to interest parties.

The Williams Vault, nearby was supposedly affected with some similar story. Speculation states they were hoaxes by Freemason’s or other such ideas.

Below are two pictures I found on a google search. The first is an older depiction and the second the most recent.