Radcliffe Infirmary staff treated nearly seventy injured after a serious train wreck near Kidlington in 1874.
The Oxford-Birkenhead train crashed on December 24, 1874. A wheel broke on the first train car, causing the accident.
Dean Liddall wrote a letter to The Times newspaper praising the nurses’ work at the Infirmary. They quickly prepared beds, provided warm drinks, and offered blankets for the injured.
Liddall observed as the sufferers were brought inside the hospital. The staff undressed them and put them to bed, awaiting the arrival of surgeons. Everything was calm and well-organized.
John Amor included the letter in his book. Andrew Moss sent the letter to him, noting the hospital had only 150 beds yet still helped many people. Forty-seven severely injured people received treatment.
The Great Western Railway donated £250 to the hospital. This was in recognition of the hospital’s efforts. Up to 500 passengers were on the crowded train.
The train added coach number 845 in Oxford, a quite old carriage. A passenger waved his hat near Kidlington. Then the train travelled a bit further.
Soon after that, the crew noticed an issue. It was unfortunately too late to respond. Coach 845 derailed, and other cars followed. The carriages fell into the Oxford Canal.
Villagers rushed to help following the crash. Staff from Blenheim Palace also assisted. The Hampton Gay paper mill became a temporary morgue for bodies.
Survivors sought shelter from the cold at the village church. A train eventually transported them back to Oxford. The crash was deemed an accident due to weather, and the jury recommended improved safety measures.