What Was The Name Of The Policeman Killed By The First Traffic Light?

[AB Editor]

I'm trying to find the name of the policeman who operated the first traffic light in the UK, in 1868.

It was outside Parliament.

What would the best way of finding out his name be?

Here's an article about the first traffic light, where it says he was killed by the traffic light exploding (being gas powered at the time).

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/when-was-the-first-traffic-light-installed-google-doodle-honours-101st-anniversary-10438642.html

Any help appreciated.

[Barmaid]

Seemed to have narrowed down a date though - 2 January 1869.

[Barmaid]

There are 13 reports of the accident on FMP. Unfortunately it keeps falling over so I cant read them.

I can say it was reported in the Times on 6 January 1869 under the heading The Street Semaphore, Westminster. I cant access that either.

[jno]

The Times digital archive seems to have fallen over too; I'm supposed to be able to access it from home and I can't.

[Barmaid]

The common denominator appears to be me, jno. I broke the historical bits of the interweb..............

[jno]

I had some crumbs fall down the keyboard this monring, Barmaid, that may have been it.

[jno]

I can see enough of an Illustrated Weekly News report on January 9 to say that it was the second explosion there in ten days.

[AB Editor]

Wow, thank you all. I'll try my own digging - although I suppose we might have lost his name to time.

It was for something I was writing up/editing in which his death was mentioned, and I suppose it was out of some idea of respect (if indeed, he did die) that I asked for his name.

[Lie-in King]

I spent a while yesterday on the Times Archive, but didn't look far enough ahead. Thanks to Barmaid & the heading "Westminster Street Semaphore Signals.-Gas.", I've just found this from Wednesday, 6th Jan, 1869 -

http://media6000.dropshots.com/photos/1334135/20161013/104927.jpg

Still no name though, sorry.

[MTbowels]

The list of deceased officers on the following link looks pretty comprehensive. (See the section called "National Police Officers Role of Honour and Rememberance").

https://www.geni.com/projects/British-Policemen-19th-Century/2662

However, there's no mention of any officer dying around 2 January 1869. Oddly though, the list tell us that the Metropolitan Police Commisioner himself was found dead in his office between the date the lights were erected and the date the police officer was injured or is said to have died.