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The explosion of gunpowder magazines at Erith: view…from Burrage-road, Plumstead…, 1864. Creator: Unknown
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The explosion of gunpowder magazines at Erith: view…from Burrage-road, Plumstead…, 1864. Creator: Unknown
The explosion of gunpowder magazines at Erith: view from Burrage-road, Plumstead, by Captain Pasley, R.A. 1864. View from the window of Pasley's house. The main drainage outfall works at Crossness are shown to the left hand...two gunpowder magazines... exploded with terrific violence, killing eight or nine persons, if not more, wounding others, and carrying consternation and alarm among the inhabitants for miles round...The explosion occurred in a gunpowder depot belonging to Messrs. John Hall and Sons, and almost simultaneously in a magazine of smaller size used by the Low Wood Gunpowder Company...both of them located in the Plumstead marshes...The quantity of gunpowder stored in Messrs. Hall's magazine at the time of the explosion, and in two of their barges which lay off the jetty, is estimated by themselves at about 750 barrels in the depot, and perhaps 200 more in the barges, each barrel containing 100lb...Immediately after the calamity an immense pillar of smoke rose from the spot high into the air - thick, black, and palpable, with a huge spreading top - and about a quarter of an hour elapsed before it died away'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864
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Media ID 38073405
© The Print Collector/Heritage Images
Accident Danger Dangerous Deaths Dramatic Explosion Gunpowder Incident Industrial Accident Loud Noise Peril Sound Blast Plumstead Marshes
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EDITORS COMMENTS
The print captures the devastating aftermath of the explosion of gunpowder magazines at Erith in 1864, as seen from Burrage-road, Plumstead. The scene is one of chaos and destruction, with smoke billowing into the sky and debris scattered across the landscape. In the distance, the main drainage outfall works at Crossness can be seen to the left.
The explosion, which occurred in two separate gunpowder depots belonging to Messrs. John Hall and Sons and the Low Wood Gunpowder Company, resulted in the tragic loss of eight or nine lives and numerous injuries. The sheer force of the blast carried consternation and alarm among residents for miles around.
As described in "Illustrated London News", a massive pillar of thick black smoke rose from the site immediately after the calamity, lingering in the air for about a quarter of an hour before dissipating. The scale of destruction is evident in this haunting image captured from Captain Pasley's house window.
This print serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with storing large quantities of gunpowder and highlights how quickly tragedy can strike. It stands as a testament to those who lost their lives that day and serves as a warning against complacency when handling explosive materials.
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