The Princess Alice Disaster

In September 1878, a late summer day trip to the Kent coast ended in tragedy when the paddle steamer Princess Alice collided with the coal ship Bywell Castle on the River Thames. Around 640 people died, making it one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in British history after the Titanic. Despite the scale of the loss the disaster is little known today. A deeply personal relic in the National Maritime Museum's collection, a ticket for a 'Moonlight Trip to Rosherville and Back', tells a story of one life narrowly spared. A handwritten note reveals that 'Pa' decided not to go on the excursion after buying the ticket, a choice that may have saved his life. Alongside it is a small piece of wood said to have been carved from the wreck. Historian Hannah Stockton recounts the events of that day and its aftermath through objects, first-hand accounts and illustrations. The tragedy exposed the inequalities of Victorian London and Stockton examines whether the victims' largely working-class backgrounds contributed to the lack of public memorials. The disaster eventually led to improvements in Thames sewage treatment, swimming lessons for girls and better safety standards for sailors. Yet this unused ticket remains a haunting and personal reminder of the lives lost and the fate one man narrowly escaped.