This is a Raphael Tuck “Sapphire” postcard printed in Austria around 1903, it shows the view looking roughly southeast towards the Clarence Bridge and the cupolas of Sussex Place. It is a tranquil scene but some 36 years before it was a very different story. On Tuesday 15th January 1867 forty people were drowned when the ice covering the lake gave way after hundreds of people had been enjoying skating on the Lake. All forty persons were boys and young men, the youngest was eight years old. The following report was published in the Times newspaper the next day, even though 150 years have passed it still makes harrowing reading. After the tragedy the Lake was drained and the depth was reduced from 12 feet to 4 feet.
FEARFUL ACCIDENT IN REGENT’S PARK.
Yesterday afternoon a fearful accident took place on that part of the Ornamental Water in the Regent's Park immediately opposite Sussex-terrace, by which a large number of persons have lost their lives. On this part of the lake, which is the broadest, several thousand persons had been skating during the forenoon without any accident taking place, although the ice was looked upon by the experienced icemen on duty as very unsafe, from its being principally snow ice. About half-past 3 o'clock in the afternoon there were, near the same spot about 500 skaters, among whom were many ladies, there being at the same time on the banks from 2,000 to 3,000 spectators. Suddenly, and without any warning, the ice at the sides of the bank became loosened, and was drawn from the edge. Within a minute the whole sheet of the ice over the full width of the lake gave way, and split up into fragments of a few yards square. The consternation and alarm of the skaters and other persons on the ice may be well imagined, and a general rush was made for the banks. Unfortunately this broke up the soft ice into still smaller pieces. Numbers of persons fell through the crevices into the water, which is at least 12ft. deep, and several appeared at once to be sucked under the ice. At least 200 persons were struggling in the water, and screaming for help. A few, with great presence of mind, threw themselves flat upon the surface of the pieces of ice, and were thus not only instrumental in saving the lives of many of those in the water, but preserved their own until assistance came to them. The screams of those struggling and sinking in the water, and the shouts of the people on the banks, added to the horror of the scene. The icemen, of whom the full number were on duty, did all that it was possible to do under the circumstances, and three of them narrowly escaped from drowning, having when in the water, helping the people out, been seized by others drowning and pulled under the ice. Several of the park-keepers and spectators rendered all possible aid, and more than 100 persons within a few minutes of the accident were got on shore, the great number of whom were so much exhausted that they had to be taken to the Humane Society tent and placed under medical treatment. While this was going on several persons who were in the water in the middle of the lake, and whom it was impossible for the ice-men to reach, the ladders and boats being rendered almost useless owing to the state of the ice, were seen to sink back exhausted, evidently benumbed with cold, after vainly endeavouring to support themselves by clutching at the rotten ice, which crumbled away in their grasp. What made the scene the more dreadful was that the female relatives of many of those who fell into the water saw their struggles from the bank without the possibility of saving them. One lady saw her husband sink and lose his life, while two sisters were sending forth piercing screams and calling on the people to save their brother. He was drowned, and the two ladies were taken away in the most pitiable state, and sent to their home in a cab. Shortly after 4 o ‘clock a strong body of the D division of police, and an additional number of icemen from Hyde Park, arrived but too late to render any aid to render any aid except in getting out the bodies of those drowned, all the persons alive having by this time been rescued and taken to the tent. Some had suffered simply from the immersion and fright, but 40 were lying more or less exhausted. Several of the medical men in the neighbourhood had hastened to the scene of the accident on hearing the news, and by unremitting attention on their part, under the direction of Dr. Obré, of Melcombe Place, Dorset-square, the surgeon of the district for the Humane Society, had sufficiently recovered by 5 o'clock to be taken away in cabs, some to their own homes, some to the hospital, and others to the workhouse. The inhabitants of Sussex-terrace vied with each other in sending over to the tent all the necessaries required by the medical men. The most mournful part of the accident has now to be recorded. As soon as the ice was cleared, a body of icemen and labourers with great difficulty got out the boats to that portion of the water where it was known several persons, had sunk. Before dusk seven bodies had been recovered but it was known that there were many more under the ice. These will not be dragged for until this morning, as it is quite certain life must be extinct. It is the opinion of the icemen who witnessed the accident that there are at least 20 persons drowned. The bodies, as they were brought one by one to the shore, were taken to the tent, and their pockets searched for the means of identification, but in no case was this successful. One body was that of a gentleman aged 30. The others were those of young men, apparently in the middle class of life, from 18 to 20 years of age. All the bodies when recovered had skates upon their feet. At 7 o'clock the bodies were removed on stretchers to the Marylebone Workhouse, where they will lie for identification. A hat was picked up in the water supposed to have belonged to one of those whose bodies have not yet been recovered - the maker's name “T. Ashton, London.” Inside the hat was a letter without an envelope, dated “High Ford Mill, Burnley,” and signed “T. Grimshaw," beginning “Dear Richard.” Inquiries were being hourly made at the workhouse and the police station by persons who had relatives missing. At 10 o'clock last night it was reported that some more bodies had been taken from the water, making 10 in all. The officials of the Humane Society loudly complain that they do not have the aid of the police in keeping people off the ice when it is in a dangerous state, and say that if police aid is given after an accident has taken place, it ought also to be given to prevent accidents taking place.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Yesterday one of the most awful calamities ever known in the metropolis took place in the Regent's Park, where, by the simultaneous giving way of the whole of the ice on the lake, at least 200 people were thrown into the water at once and from 20 to 40 persons drowned. The scenes were most startling and harrowing. Women rushed about on the banks screaming out that their children, or husbands, or brothers were drowning, and imploring the bystanders to save them. Boys and girls stood hysterically crying and wringing their hands, and between their sobs exclaiming, “Oh, look at father! Oh, father, father!” and giving expression to other heartrending exclamations; and strong men convulsively appealed to those who had no means of help, and pointed out friends and relations struggling in the agonies of death. Only those who, like the Writer, were on the spot, and saw with their own eyes what took place, can form an adequate idea of the calamity which in an instant placed 200 persons at the very gates of death, almost within arms’ reach of those who were related to them by the closest ties, but who were yet in most cases obliged to stand helplessly by and see them fighting desperately for life, and gradually succumbing or waiting passively, clinging to pieces of ice till they became insensible and lost their hold. While sympathy and regret moves all who hear of the sudden and painful death of so many human beings, it must be recorded that the death they met with was the result of their own excessive foolhardiness in remaining upon the ice to steal a few extra moment’s enjoyment at a fearful risk, when thousands of persons saw and appreciated the fearfully unsafe condition of the ice, and congregated on the banks with the certain expectation of seeing large numbers immersed in the water. By half-past 3 o’clock the ice showed unmistakeable signs of breaking up. It was cracked to such an extent that there was not a sound piece of more than a foot or so broad, and the cracks were clearly marked by the water which rose through them. These alarming symptoms were noticed by everybody, and many who had sense enough made the best of their way off, expressing their opinion as they did so that the ice would not last many minutes longer. Even these in many instances got a wetting in getting out of danger, for with hardly an exception the ice had parted from the shore right round the lake. Notwithstanding the warning signs, more than 200 persons still remained on the ice skating and sliding. Shortly before 4 o'clock three children and two men went through the ice together at about a dozen feet from the south-western shore. A gentleman immediately plunged in and brought to the shore the three children, who clung round so as almost to drown him. Here one of the Royal Humane Society men excited a great deal of indignation. He went a foot or so into the water, and there waited till the children were brought to him, and then, with another, claimed to have rescued them. One of the men who had fallen in scrambled out, and the other was taken from a boat by a Royal Humane Society man. Immediately after this several other people fell in, but they were soon got out. Somewhat awakened to their position by these incidents and the shouts of the people on the banks, a few other persons left the ice, not, however, without in most cases falling through when near the shore. At this time a dozen people on the north-eastern side, near the boathouse, who were standing close together watching the misfortunes of the others, next fell in together. This was witnessed from all parts, and created a panic among all who remained on the ice, and they all with one accord rushed towards the opposite shore. Before this movement commenced numbers were seen dropping through the ice in all parts. As the frightened groups made for the banks the whole field of ice gave two or three heaves, and then simultaneously broke up over the whole of the broad part of the lake. In an instant 200 men and children were thrown into the water. A fearful cry of dismay proceeded from them as they fell, which was mingled with a loud shout of horror from the thousands who lined the banks. Then all was confusion and distraction. For several minutes nothing effectual was even thought of, and there in the water could be seen children of from eight to 12 years of age clinging to the edges of the broken ice, crying every moment in frantic voices for the assistance which those who witnessed their sufferings were powerless to render them, and in a brief time giving up their short lease of life with a few last faint waves of the hands above the water. Those who witnessed these scenes cried and shrieked with even greater exhibition of feeling than the sufferers themselves. The first shock over, men rushed wildly about, seizing upon everything in the shape of a rope or spar to throw to the struggling and drowning; but by this time all direct communication with them was cut off by the general breaking up of the ice, and very few were reached for a long time. A cry was raised of “The boats, the boats!” and hundreds of willing workers ran off to return with the boats on their shoulders, but when they got them into the water the greatest difficulty was experienced in forcing them through the ice. Ropes were rapidly joined, and then one end of each being carried across the bridge they were stretched from shore to shore and dragged along. A few persons managed to grasp them, but they could not be dragged ashore and had to remain holding on to them till the boats picked them up. Some of them failed to hold on long enough, and the spectators were horrified to see every now and then, a man thoroughly exhausted gradually relax his hold and sink. Many instances of individual gallantry took place. One man, at the most imminent risk, plunged in and brought several children safely out. A gentleman, who broke through near the south-western shore, fell so that his head and chest rested on a large block of ice, while his feet were in the water. There he lay smoking his pipe for a long time while the boats were farther out picking up as fast as possible those in a worse position. He began to realise his position, and, removing his pipe from his mouth, he called out, “£50! to anyone who will fetch me out!” Several abortive attempts were made to reach him with ropes, poles, and ladders. A man with the aid of a ladder reached a small piece of sound ice, and endeavoured to throw a rope to him, but it fell short. He then managed to push the ladder on to a piece of ice further out, and standing on the former he again threw the rope. In doing so he fell, and in clinging to the ladder he hurt himself, and was drawn ashore. A gentleman then got into an escape fitted up with barrels at the end, when pushed out as far as possible he got into the water and endeavoured to push the escape along, but he did not succeed. Eventually a man stripped to his shirt and trousers, and a rope having been fixed to his waist, he desperately fought his way through the ice, and seizing the skater round the body, they were both dragged to land amid tremendous cheers. A man named Moore, who received a medal two years ago for saving people under similar circumstances, was very active, and saved several persons. Just as one of the boats approached a sufferer he sank, but a young man in the boat plunged after him into the water, and brought him up. They were both got into the boat. Mr. Wenzell, the proprietor of the boat, was most energetic in his efforts, and many persons are indebted to him for their lives. A young man stood on a solitary piece of ice in the centre of the lake for an hour and a half, and was at last fetched off by a man who reached him in a boat. Within about half an hour of the breaking of the ice large bodies of police began to arrive, and rendered great assistance in dragging ropes that had been caught by some of those in the water, in fetching and launching boats, and keeping idlers back. All this time the excitement was kept up by the frequent sinking of those who had lost all power to support themselves. Up to 8 o’clock eight bodies, which had been recovered from under the ice, were deposited in the dead house of Marylebone Workhouse, while there were 14 inmates of the infirmary, under the care of Drs. Randall and Fuller, the surgeons of the institution. Among the visitors about this period was Dr. Hardwicke, the deputy coroner for Central Middlesex, one of whose pupils, known to have gone to the Park for the purpose of skating, was missing, but he was not among those lying in the dead house, and was subsequently identified at St. Mary’s Hospital, to which it appears he had been conveyed. Mr. Inspector Burrows (acting superintendent of the D division of police), with Mr. Inspector Hines, attended to take descriptions of the eight deceased persons who lay in the dead house, but while in the performance of this labour five out of the eight were identified. They were: —
Thomas Harvey, jun., about 18, of 38, Springfield Place, Leeds, but staying with friends at 56, Torrington Square.
A young gentleman named Woodhouse, aged 17, of Bedford House, Tavistock Square.
Charles Jukes, aged 9 years, of 8, Dorset Buildings, New Street mews, Dorset Square.
Shortly after 9 o’c1ock, when the doors of the dead house were opened under direction of Mr. Douglas, the master of Marylebone Workhouse, to the public, the third body identified was that of a Mr. Macintyre, of 48, Highbury Crescent, Islington. He is stated to be a merchant in the city, and had a considerable amount of property on his person. He wore a gold signet ring with cameo stone engraved with the crest of a hand and dagger, surrounded by a garter, bearing the motto, “Perdura,” and on the inside an engraved inscription, “F. B. to J. D. M., 11th March, 1861.” His gold watch had stopped at precisely a quarter past 4, while a silver watch on another deceased person had stopped at 9 minutes past 4.
The fifth body was identified as that of Mr. James Crawley, of 28, Sherborne Street, Blandford Square.
The following are still lying at St. Marylebone Workhouse, not having been identified: -
A lad aged about 15, fresh complexion, dark brown hair, two scars on lips as if from cold; dress, short black jacket and vest, brown mixed trousers, and Balmoral boots, clumped.
A man about 26, 5ft. 10in. in height, fair complexion, scar on chin, light curly hair, blue eyes; dress, black overcoat, velvet collar, black under coat, black silk tie, black and white striped cloth trousers, white linen shirt, opal studs, thigh boots; on person, 3s. 6d. silver, 4d. copper, three keys, meerschaum pipe and case, and letter addressed “Mr. Luckman, Jan. 11, Addle Street, city, E.C."
A man aged about 32, height 5ft. 8in., fair, light whiskers and moustache, pilot jacket lined with quilted silk, mixed cloth vest and trousers, fine linen shirt, flannel ditto, skates on sidespring boots; on person, 1 sovereign, 7s. in silver, 11½d, in copper, and bunch of keys on split ring, two knives, ivory rule, silver watch, Albert chain, seal and key, pair of “dividers” (compasses), eye-glass, some papers, name on envelope:-"Mr. Smith, Margaret Street, Cavendish Square.” These are the whole of the bodies lying at St. Marylebone Workhouse.
It was stated that a large number of persons had been conveyed to St. Mary's, the Middlesex, and other hospitals but on inquiry it was ascertained that but three had been conveyed thither. One was a gentleman living in Elgin Crescent, Bayswater, who was recovered and enabled to be conveyed home. The other two were dead on their arrival, and have since been identified - the first by Dr. Hardwicke, the deputy coroner, as his missing pupil, W. Davis who resided with him at 70, Mornington Road; the second as John Broadbridge, about 10 years of age, of 15, Little Exeter Street, Lisson Grove.
The state of the ice prevented the attempt being continued today to search for more bodies after 3 o’clock, but it will be resumed early this morning. The greatest excitement prevails, and fears are entertained that the number of victims will reach from 30 to 40.
