Richard Harrison

Rank:Captain Fire Loco Works
Age:64
How Died:Accidental
Incident Date:31/10/1939
Incident Address.Hindley Railway Station Tracks
Died Address:Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan
Cemetery or Memorial:St. Nicholas' Churchyard
Town Memorial:Not Listed
Extra Information:
Born during the June quarter 1875 in the Wigan
R.D. - ref: 8c/13, the son of Thomas & Mary A.
Harrison.

1881 Census - 6 Bridge Croft Street, Hindley,
Wigan, Lancashire.   Son - aged: 5 - Scholar -
born: Hindley, Lancashire.    Head of household -
Thomas Harrison - Married - aged: 41 - occ:
General Labourer - b orn: Hindley, Lancashire.  
Also - Mary A. Harrison - Wife - aged: 37 - born:
Preston, Lancashire.   Plus 2 half siblings, 2
full siblings and 1 cousin.

1891 Census - 25 Bridgecroft Street, Hindley,
Wigan.   Son - aged: 15 - occ: General Labourer -
born: Hindley.    Head of household - Thomas
Harrison - Married - aged: 58 - occ: Carter -
born: Hindley, Lancashire.   Also - Mary A.
Harrison - Wife - aged: 47 - born: Preston,
Lancashire.   Plus 4 siblings.

Married - Sarah Elizabeth Hooper during the
December quarter 1900 in the Wigan R.D. - ref:
8c/67.

1901 Census - 294 Ince Green Lane, Ince in
Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire.   Son in Law -
Married - aged: 25 - occ: Railway Engine Stoker -
born: Hindley.  Head of household - William Hooper
- Married - aged:56 - occ: Ironworker and his wife
Pheobe Hooper - agd: 55.   Also - Richard's wife -
Sarah Harrison (nee Hooper) - aged: 21 - born:
Ince, Lancashire.

In 1902 Richard joined the Amalgamated Society of
Railway Servants.  He was then aged: 26.

1911 Census - 294 Green Lane Lower Ince in
Makerfield, Lancashire.    Head of household -
Richard Harrison - Married - aged: 35 - occ: Loco
Foreman - born: Hindley, Lancashire.   Also Sarah
Harrison - Wife - aged: 31 - born: Ince.   Plus
their two sons and his brother in Law.

1939 National Registration - Horwich Loc Works,
Horwich, Lancashire.    Richard Harrison - Married
- born on the 6th December 1874 - occ: Fire
Brigade Captain.   Sarah E. Harrison - Married -
born on the 26th October 1898 - occ: Unpaid
Domestic Duties.

Later residing at 79 Waterdale Crescent, Sutton. 
He was a regular at the Glassmakers Arms P.H.

Death registered during the December quarter 1939
in the Wigan R.D. - ref: 8c/9 - aged: 64.

Portsmouth Evening News Dated the 31st October
1939.
Birmingham Mail dated the 31st October 1939 and
the 1st November 1939.
Coventry Evening Telegraph dated the 31st October
1939.
Western Daily Press dated the 8th November 1939.
Manchester Evening News dated the 1st November
1939 and the 7th November 1939..
Prescot Reporter & St. Helen's Advertiser dated
the 15th December 1939.
Liverpool Echo dated the 31st October 1939 and the
7th November 1939.

Nine Railwaymen from the Horwich Locomotive Works
were injured when a L.M.S. fire-fighting van which
they were travelling in crashed into a stop block
at Hindley Railway Station early on the morning of
the 31st October 1939.   Three of them were
detained in Wigan Infirmary.   The team had been
fighting a tip fire at Ince Moss, Wigan, the van
was being shunted backwards by a locomotive.   The
three that were hospitalised were trapped in the
wreckage for about two hours.   The accident
occurred at 05.00 hrs near the entrance to a
tunnel and traffic had to be diverted.   A local
resident thought that there was an air raid with
the crash sounding like a bomb exploding.

John Young, the driver of the fire-loco stated
that he thought that he was in the 'slow' lane,
afer passing a signal he realised his mistake, he
shut off the steam and applied the brakes - he was
travelling at 15 m.p.h.   Together with George
Lillyman, aged: 44 (fractured rib and shock),
Eddie Walsh, aged: 42 (fractured leg), and Richard
Harrison, aged: 64 (fractured leg), were trapped
for about two hours before being rescued and
transported to hospital.  The rescue was hampered
by the Blackout.

Probate granted at London to Richard's widow -
Sarah Elizabeth Harrison on the 7th March 1940. 
His address was given as The Cottage Locomotive
Works, Horwich, Lancashire.  Estate valued at
£776. 4. 0d.   He died at the Royal Albert Edward
Infirmary, Wigan on the 1st November 1939.

His widow - Sarah  Elizabeth. Harrison married
John K. Campbell during the September quarter 1945
in the Horwich R.D. - ref: 8c/1161.

NOT COMMEMORATED BY THE CWGC
District:
Wigan (Wigan MBC)
Memorials found on:
Similar Names