Title

The explosion of a gunpowder magazine near Erith: ruins of Rayner’s house, 1864. Creator: Unknown.

Caption

The explosion of a gunpowder magazine near Erith: ruins of Rayner's house, 1864. Illustration of '...what is left of the house of George Rayner, storekeeper to the magazine of Messrs. John Hall and Sons...[after] the destructive explosion at the Belvedere powder-magazines, near Erith, on Saturday morning, the 1st October...From the evidence...[given at the inquest,] it appeared that two barges, which had brought gunpowder from the mills at Faversham, were lying at the jetty belonging to their magazine at Belvedere when the explosion took place; and it is supposed that one of them was unloading at that moment...The jury [at the inquest] found a verdict declaring that the two persons who died at the hospital were killed by the explosion of gunpowder, but how that explosion had originated there was no evidence to show. The jury however, were of opinion "that the practice of allowing stoves or lights of any description on board the gunpowder barges should be discontinued".' From "Illustrated London News", 1864.

Credit line

Photo12/Heritage Images/The Print Collector

Reference

HRM24A15_011

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

License type

Rights managed

Available size

11,3Mb (659,4Kb) / 6,4in x 6,9in / 1917 x 2061 (300dpi)

Keywords

building buildings London England destruction house houses arts industry art British color death industrial accident damage damaged ruins ruin explosion debris rubble century Britain newspapers press print concept ruined incident B&W aftermath engraved engraving Colour 19th century black & white black and white B W deaths white and black gunpowder nineteenth century The Print Collector Bexley Illustrated London News industrial accident TGN ILN newspaper Erith Unknown débris 19th-century