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British passenger paddle steamer Princess Alice sinks in a collision on the River Thames with the collier Bywell Castle,

British passenger paddle steamer Princess Alice sinks in a collision on the River Thames with the collier Bywell Castle, killing 645 people

SS Princess Alice, formerly PS Bute, was a British passenger paddle steamer that sank on 3 September 1878 after a collision with the collier SS Bywell Castle on the River Thames. Between 600 and 700 people died, all from Princess Alice, the greatest loss of life of any British inland waterway shipping accident. No passenger list or headcount was made, so the exact figure of deaths has never been known.

Built in Greenock, Scotland, in 1865, Princess Alice was employed for two years in Scotland before being purchased by the Waterman's Steam Packet Co to carry passengers on the Thames. By 1878 she was owned by the London Steamboat Co and was captained by William R. H.

Historical Significance

SS Princess Alice, formerly PS Bute, was a British passenger paddle steamer that sank on 3 September 1878 after a collision with the collier SS Bywell Castle on the River Thames.

Events Before

  1. American Chester Greenwood patents earmuffs after inventing them at age 15

    American Chester Greenwood patents earmuffs after inventing them at age 15

  2. Test cricket debut of feared Australian fast bowler Fred "The Demon" Spofforth; Australia loses the second Test by four

    Test cricket debut of feared Australian fast bowler Fred "The Demon" Spofforth; Australia loses the second Test by four wickets to England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

  3. World's first home telephone is installed in Somerville, Massachusetts at the house of Charles Williams Jr. [1]

    The Charles Williams Jr. House, built in 1858, is a historic house in Somerville, Massachusetts. Charles Williams Jr.

  4. Russo-Turkish War: Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire

    Russo-Turkish War: Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire

  5. First Wimbledon tennis championship - first official lawn tennis tournament - begins featuring men's singles only

    The 1877 Wimbledon Championship was a men's tennis tournament held at the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (AEC & LTC) in Wimbledon, London.

Events After

  1. E. M. Forster is born

    E. M. Forster, English novelist and writer, known for english novelist and writer, was born on 1879-01-01. Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970) was an English author.

  2. Dutch King William II marries Emma von Waldeck-Pyrmont

    William III (Dutch: Willem III, French: Guillaume III; 19 February 1817 – 23 November 1890) was King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1849 until his death in 1890, and was also...

  3. Anglo-Zulu War begins as British Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford invades Zululand in South Africa

    Anglo-Zulu War begins as British Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford invades Zululand in South Africa

  4. Battle of Rorke's Drift: A British garrison of about 150 holds off 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. Eleven Victoria Crosses

    Battle of Rorke's Drift: A British garrison of about 150 holds off 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. Eleven Victoria Crosses and several other decorations are awarded to the defenders.

  5. Chile declares war on Bolivia and Peru, starting the War of the Pacific

    The War of the Pacific (Spanish: Guerra del Pacífico), also known by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884.

More from the 1870s

Belgium disbands its salt tax

Belgium disbands its salt tax

The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that tim

The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that time

Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar

Japanese calendar types have included a range of official and unofficial systems. At present, Japan uses the Gregorian calendar together with year designations stating the year of the reign of the…

New York City annexes the West Bronx

The boroughs of New York City are the five major governmental districts that compose New York City. They are the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 3, 1878?
SS Princess Alice, formerly PS Bute, was a British passenger paddle steamer that sank on 3 September 1878 after a collision with the collier SS Bywell Castle on the River Thames. Between 600 and 700 people died, all from Princess Alice, the greatest loss of life of any British inland waterway shipping accident. No passenger list or headcount was made, so the exact figure of deaths has never been known.
Why is British passenger paddle steamer Princess Alice sinks in a collision on the R... significant?
SS Princess Alice, formerly PS Bute, was a British passenger paddle steamer that sank on 3 September 1878 after a collision with the collier SS Bywell Castle on the River Thames.

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September 3 in HistoryYear 1878