Photo: C. Sanders
Photo: C. Sanders
Photo: C. Sanders
Photo: C. Sanders
Photo: C. Sanders
Sacred
to the memory of
Corporal
Lumley Stephenson,
who was killed on
a journey
to Shoeburyness Camp
August ?? 1881
aged 42 years
On base:
This stone was erected by the
Old Durham Batteries of the 2nd Durham Artillery
Volunteers and Friends.
Leeds Times 13/08/1881 reports: - Lumley Stephenson of the 2nd Vane-Londonderry Artillery Volunteers has been killed at Southend by falling out of the train whilst on his way to camp at Shoeburyness. Stephenson was one of a party of nine detachments of nine men each from the Seaham, Silksworth, Rainton and Old Durham which left Durham Station at 11.40pm on Friday to take part in the Shoeburyness competitions. Stephenson was a contractor and builder and until recently was superintendent to the branch post office on Gilesgate Moor a Durham suburb. He leaves a widow and a large family.
Shields Gazette 11/08/1881 reports: - The remains of the unfortunate man Corporal Lumley Stephenson who was killed by falling out of the express between Grantham and Peterborough on Saturday last were interred yesterday at Belmont near Durham, in the presence of a large crowd of friends and mourners. The members of the 2nd Durham Artillery Volunteers, to which corps deceased belonged, formed part of the funeral cortege, the band of the corps playing the Dead March. The deceased Lumley Stephenson was 42 years of age and leaves a widow and eight children the youngest of which is five months old.
Shields Gazette 05/12/1881 reports: - Among the large number of claims – upwards of 180- made during the present year on the funds of the Volunteer Service Accident Fund, has been that of the widow and family of Corporal Lumley Stephenson, 2nd Durham Artillery Volunteers, who was killed by falling from a railway carriage while on his way to Shoeburyness on August 6. After due inquiry the committee have decided that the claimants are entitled to the benefits of the society. The allowance in such cases is 200 degrees, the maximum value of a degree being £1.
Shields Gazette 19/12/1881 reports: - The monument erected in Belmont parish churchyard to the memory of Corporal Lumley Stephenson, who was killed on his journey to Shoeburyness Camp August 6th 1881 has just been unveiled and is a handsome piece of work. It has been erected by the Old Durham Batteries of the 2nd Durham Artillery Volunteers and friends and is in the form of a broken column. The cap above the pedestal is carved on four sides. On the front is an excellent representation of a muzzle-loading field gun with sponge, rammer, shot and cartridge case, and camp. On the opposite side is a crown, interwoven with oak leaves and on each side are neatly carved hands holding forget-me-nots with the inscription "Not lost but gone before." A leaf in moulding runs round the second base, the ground base being chamfered.
Hull Packet 20/07/1883 reports: - At the Durham Assizes, on Tuesday before Mr Justice cave the case of Stephenson v the North Eastern Railway Company was heard. On the 10th August 1881 deceased in company with several comrades of the local volunteer corps left Durham to take part in a course of gun practice at Shoeburyness. They travelled by the North Eastern Railway and in connection with it over the Great Northern Railway. On reaching Corby, which is a small place near Grantham, there were in the same compartment at that time five other men. The deceased at that time was asleep and his companions desiring to have a game of cards and knowing that the deceased to have a pack in his pocket, they wakened him up to get them. Deceased after being aroused, got up to "stretch" himself and while in the act of doing so, from some cause or other he stumbled against the door of the carriage which flew open and the unfortunate man fell out upon the line. His comrades endeavoured to attract the attention of those in charge of the train but did not succeed in doing so until they arrived at Peterborough when they at once gave information of the occurrence. A search was at once instituted and the unfortunate man was found dead on the line. The defence of the company was that deceased contributed by his own negligence to his death. They alleged that for some purpose or other he opened the door himself and fell out. The question was whether there was negligence on the part of the company or not. The jury returned a verdict for the defendants.
Chronicle 12/8/1881 has been transcribed by Christopher Hirst:
Fatal Accident to Durham Artillery Volunteer Funeral at Belmont
On Friday night last, nine detachments, totalling twenty-four members of the band (making a total of 105 members) of the Second Durham (Seaham) Artillery volunteers left Durham Railway Station by the midnight mail en route for Shoeburyness, to take part in the National Artillery Association’s escape held there. On the journey a melancholy accident occurred, whereby one of the men lost his life. It appears that while the train was travelling at a high rate of speed between Grantham in Lincolnshire and Peterborough in Northamptonshire, Corporal Lumley Stephenson, of the Old Durham Battery of the regiment, opened the door for some purpose. It seems that the door opened easier than he expected and he fell out and was killed. His comrades in the carriage endeavoured to get the train stopped getting the attention of the guard by means of the communicator, but in this they were unfortunately not successful, though they continued to pull till the communicator broke. However, when the train stopped at the next station - Peterborough, information of the accident was given by the men in the compartment out (unclear) which deceased had fallen to the commanding officer Major (unclear) and the railway officials. Major (unclear) at once telegraphed to Grantham details of the occurrence. The body of the unfortunate man was (unclear) retrieved by the railway company to Corby (a small station a few miles from Grantham) where an inquest was held on Tuesday. Naturally enough, on the arrival of the artillery detachment in camp the extent of the sad event cast a gloom over the proceedings and was especially painful to the comrades of the deceased. On Saturday morning, a similar telegram was received by Drill instructor Sergeant Murdock of the Old Durham Battery, requesting him to acquaint the friends of the deceased with the (unclear) occurrence. This was done, and he did his best to console the bereaved family and assist them in whatever possible way he could with regard to the matter.
It appears that there were five comrades in the compartment with the deceased, and that sometime before daybreak they were asleep, but after passing Grantham at 3.25 am they decided to amuse themselves by having a game of cards; and in order to get them they awoke Stephenson, who put his hand into his pocket and handed them over. While his companions, who were (unclear), were managing (unclear), he opened the carriage door and (unclear) so then he was jerked from that carriage, and to the horror and (unclear) of his fellow volunteers in the compartment (unclear) night in a moment. As stated above, they pulled the communicator without avail and had to (unclear) some considerable distance to Peterborough in (unclear) to what had really happened to the deceased, Upon inquiry it transpired that the particular place where the deceased fell there is a sharp curve and (the next few lines are completely missing because of a hole in the actual paper).
No blame can be attached to the railway company, as the door was opened by the deceased, and there was no pushing or recklessness on the part of his comrades, whose quiet, and orderly conduct was evident of a becoming and soldierly character.
Deceased had worked at Kepier Grange, Framwellgate Moor, and other places as a colliery mason, and prior to the closing of Old Durham Colliery, he acted as head mason at that place for Lord Londonderry, and (unclear) of the working of that mine he established himself in business as a builder of Gilesgate Moor, where he resided and acted as postmaster for the sub-district. He was a hard working man, (unclear) volunteer, and he was greatly respected by all who had business associations with him and those who were brought into contact with him socially or otherwise. Being well known at several collieries in the county, his sudden and untimely death is regretted by (unclear) circle of friends, and much sympathy is expressed for the widow, whom he leaves with eight children to mourn his loss.
The Inquest
On Saturday, at noon, an inquest was held by Mr Coroner Benjamin at the Railway (unclear) Corby. At that time, beyond the fact that the man’s name was Stephenson, nothing was known about him, in that locality. Indeed so little information was forthcoming that it became necessary to adjourn the inquiry to Tuesday, when it was re-opened at twelve o’clock. Some rumours had (unclear) on the spot to the effect that the men were “larking” or otherwise behaving in a disorderly manner in the carriages and that the deceased had been pushed. This caused the coroner to make a most (unclear) into the circumstances of the (unclear) enquiry left no suspicion whatever of wrongdoing on the part of anyone. The following evidence (unclear):-
William Handley of Corby deposed: I have been in the employment Northern Railway Company about six years (unclear) duty is to sign trains in and out of the (unclear) on duty in the station box on Friday past (unclear) and remained till 7am that morning (unclear) this morning, the Scotch (unclear) passed my signal box (unclear) of people standing in front of the (unclear.
At this point a section is missing) of the deceased, waiting to join in the procession of comrades, relatives and friends, who were there to pay their last respects to the deceased. Prior to the removal of the body (unclear) feelingly conveyed by the Marquis of Londonderry’s sympathy to the bereaved widow and family, and telegrams had also been received from the army at Shoeburyness. expressing the sympathy of the officers and men in camp.
At half past six the procession was formed in the following order: - The firing party, with arms reversed, the band, the corpse (borne by comrades), and pall bearers (comrades), mourners and friends, (unclear) and the staff sergeants of the North Durham Military. The following officers belonging to the Second Durham (Seaham) Artillery were in attendance: and according to military custom on such occasions, the junior officers were placed first in order, and marched two abreast, with swords reversed, thus: - Lieut. Sheridan (Seaham) and Lieut. Wetherall (Old Durham). Lieut. Young and Lieut. Abbott (Seaham), Lieut. Tavistock (unclear), Surgeon Beatty (Seaham), and Drill Instructors (unclear), Murdock (Old Durham) and Sergt. Brown (Belmont). Captain Forster (Seaham) was in command. The solemnity of the procession as it moved on to it’s destination, with the band playing “The Dead March (unclear)” is described by the following lines, taken from the “Soldier’s funeral” : -
“The muffled drum rolled on the air,
Warriors with stately step were there;
On every arm was the black crape bound,
And every carbine was turned to the ground.
Slowly with measured step they tread,
As silent and slow they follow the dead;
The sword and the helmet were laid on the pall
For it was a soldier’s funeral.”
It is calculated that several thousands of civilians from the city and surrounding districts followed the procession to the churchyard. In the church and at the grave the service was very solemnly and impressively read by the Rev. V. K. Kemp, curate. After the reading of the service three volleys were fired by the most intimate comrades of the deceased. Again this part of the proceedings is perhaps not inappropriately described in the following language by the same author: -
“The bugle ceased it’s wailing sound,
As the coffin was lowered into the ground,
A volley was fired a blessing said
One moment’s pause, and they left the dead.”
The deceased was aged 43 years, and was a member of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, M.U., and also the Order of Foresters. The coffin was of polished oak, and was provided by the Great Northern Railway Company.
