Accident at Dawdon, Seaham, County Durham

[alhambra]

I am researching Albert Edward Balmer who died on 18th August 1926 on the LNER railway line near the Green Drive viaduct at Dawdon, Seaham in County Durham.

The inquest was held on the 20th August 1926 and the cause of death on the death certificate is given as "Accidentally killed while trespassing on the railway line".

Where would the LNER records of such an event now be held?

[52D]

Hi i am researching Willington Viaduct accident i have no idea where LNER records relating to your fatality would be. ive checked 2 archive sites but think a Board of Trade report is only made when passengers are killed not when the fatality is none passenger related.
I would suggest Coroners reports or the local press as being the best source of information.
Hope this helps.
You could also send a PM to 52A on this site he is Knowledgeable on northern mishaps he is on holiday for a couple of weeks so dont expect an immediate reply.

George(52D)

[PinzaC55]

The Public Record Office at Kew, London may have some material on this.They have all the LNER Minute Books and I would guess they would have the accident reports as well.Also have you tried the local newspaper? I'm from Sunderland myself and I guess it would be the Sunderland Echo.

[52A]

I doubt if there will be any records from the railway point of view, it would probably only be recorded in the control log as a disruption to train services. Records, if any exist, will be in the local press or Coroners Court records.

[alhambra]

I am going to Sunderland next week to look through the archives of both the Sunderland Echo and the local Seaham paper. I take the points made and thank you for your responses.

At such a time distance it is bound to be a long shot using a forum, but you never know, something may yet come up.

[redtoon1892]

May also be worth trying the Northern Echo.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/search/?search=LNER

[PinzaC55]

Regarding whether Kew PRO would have records of accidents, when I did a search for Sunderland there was a record of a fatal accident at Burnfield Junction in Sunderland in about 1875. There used to be a small signalbox and level crossing there, and apparently a little girl climbed onto the gates.The signalman didn't see her and closed the gates and....you can guess the rest.So they DO have records of some accidents.

[redtoon1892]

The public records here may be worth investigating.

http://www.durhamrecordsonline.com/lite ... dawdon.php


You searched for:
First name = ALBERT Last name = BALMER in all districts in 1841 Census...1851 Census...1861 Census...1871 Census...1881 Census...1891 Census...1901 Census...Baptisms...Burials...Marriages...
Page 1: records 1 through 6 of 6 matches found.
Record Type District Forename Surname Birth Year Event Year Birthplace (census) or
Abode (parish recs)
Baptisms Houghton-le-Spring Albert Balmer 1896 1896 Robinson Street, Houghton
Marriages Easington Albert Balmer 1945
Cemetery Easington Albert Edward Balmer abt 1883 1926
Baptisms Easington Albert Edward Balmer 1927
1891 Census Houghton-le-Spring Albert H. Balmer abt 1891 1891 Houghton-le-Spring
Baptisms Houghton-le-Spring Albert Henry Balmer 1891 1891 Balmer's Buildings, Robinson Street

[alhambra]

Thanks for the help and advice. My visit to the Sunderland Library paid dividends as I found the newspaper report on the inquest and funeral, even down the the name of the train driver and the name of the person who found his body. So another chapter closed.

[Malcolm]

Excellent work. Well done.

Malcolm