Unlocking the Treasures: Explosion of the Union Steam Packet

On a beautiful morning in June 1837, the steam packet Union was lying in the Humber Dock Basin. She was due to leave for Gainsborough just after six o'clock in the morning. On board, a great many passengers were assembled. However, it would not be long before the excitement and cheers turned in to screams and cries of horror. Described at the time as Hull's worse disaster, this is the story of explosion of the Union.

Hull's advantageous position at the mouth of the River Hull, on the Humber Estuary saw it thrive as a port. It connected Hull to the river systems of much of central and northern England. These river systems allowed raw materials to reach the industrial towns, while manufactured goods flowed along the river systems to Hull and beyond to the rest of the world. Steamship development in the early 19th century allowed for the increased frequency of the movement of goods and people.

View of the Humber Basin with the Humber Dock (now the Marina) behind, by Whittock & Leng, c.1854

An hour before the Union was to leave, the steam packet the Albatross, arrived at Hull. On board was Thomas Jackson. Thomas had returned aboard the Albatross with his family from Yarmouth. The family were due to board the steam packet, Don for Doncaster. The family had their luggage transferred to the Don which was berthed by the east pier with the Union. Thomas recalled how preparations were being made for the Union's sailing. As the bell rang, cheerful voices could be heard. He and his family boarded the Don. Soon after, an unusual noise could be heard coming from the Union. No sooner had the noise roused suspicions when the Union's boiler burst with a tremendous explosion. A huge plume of steam, smoke and dust rose in to the air. The explosion caused the sides of the steamer to be blown out. The Union’s chimney was sent spinning high into the air, before landing in front of Minerva Terrace. Goods aboard were propelled with such force that they ended in the ship yard of Mr. Webster, these included sacks of flour and barrels. One man's body was found was sixty yards away on the roof of Mr. Westerdale's property. Numerous properties suffered damage with debris blown far as Humber Street. The scene was one of carnage.

Luckily for Thomas, he and his family were unhurt. However, many of the dead littered the water. The body of Mr. Chatterton, a brewer from the Groves area of Hull was found on the forecastle of the Albatross. The majority of deaths were Hull residents, but also included individuals from Manchester, Newark and Whitton with one young girl said to have come from abroad.

Soon after the explosion the Union slipped below the Humber's surface. Those that had survived the explosion struggled in the water. A great many vessels sought to bring much needed assistance by picking up the survivors. Soon the police had arrived and boarded the Don. Thomas praised the conduct of the police in the face of such horrors. Alice Dinsdale, who was aboard the Don, was horribly mutilated, as too was Jane Woodhouse. Several passengers were severely scalded.

Rumours, and no doubt the explosion, brought a great many to the area. Onshore, those that witnessed the devastation were running around in every direction, screaming, praying and calling for loved ones and friends. In a short time thousands had gathered. Broken furniture, books, boxes, hats and bonnets were strewn in the Humber Basin. Many of the injured were conveyed to the inns and public houses. Those severely injured were taken to the local infirmary, while the dead were taken to the station-house to be identified. That day husbands, wives, sons and daughters had perished in the explosion.

Only once the tide had receded could a thorough search be done. It was reported that upwards of thirty to forty persons were present in the cabin at the time of the explosion. However, only two or three bodies were found with a number of persons still missing. It was hoped that some never boarded the Union, but for some, like Mr Hutchinson, a builder of George Yard, it was later discovered both of his sons had perished, one shortly after arriving at the infirmary, the other was lying at the station-house.

Many however escaped. One gentleman managed to escape through a window of the Union as water rushed in. Mr. and Miss Stewart of Story Street were thrown into the water and rescued largely uninjured. Overall there were around 100 passengers on board, with the majority fortunate to escape.

Account of the explosion of the Union Steam Packet, by Thomas Jackson, 1837 [Ref. L.920 JAC]

An inquest into the explosion was held. Naturally, the Union's engineer, Joseph Gamble, was held on suspicion of being responsible for the explosion. He and others, including the Union's master, engineers and experts familiar with steam engines, all gave evidence. Various explanations were put forward as to the cause of the explosion. The inquest ended with the jury finding the Union's engineer, Joseph Gamble guilty of manslaughter.

Today the explosion of the Union is largely forgotten. There is no plaque to commemorate those that lost their lives in the explosion. However, it remains one of Hull's most tragic incidents.

You can read the account of the explosion of the Union Steam Packet by Thomas Jackson at the Hull History Centre. The account can be found within the Local Studies reference collections at L.920 JAC.

Neil Chadwick, Project Officer, Unlocking the Treasures

Unlocking the Treasures: The Horrors of Transportation by a Hull Man

In March of 1828 a young Hull man, George Benson, was convicted of robbery. His sentence was 14 years transportation. George served his time and returned to his native Kingston upon Hull to tell of his life as a convict. Here is George Benson’s story on the horrors of transportation.

Front page of  'The Horrors of Transportation' [L.920 BEN]

George was born around 1811. He had a virtuous upbringing and at around aged 14 he was apprenticed to a shopkeeper in Lowgate, of which he served three years. Unfortunately, George fell into bad company, which in his own words ‘commenced his ruin’. He became acquainted with lewd women and stayed out all night. His downfall came when George chose to help himself to his master’s till. George was possibly looked on favourably by his master, who decided not to prosecute. However, he was dismissed from his employment.

From this point George’s behaviour became more immoral and he was eventually reduced to poverty. Destitute, George along with four others resorted to housebreaking. All five were caught and committed to the Assizes. In the March of 1828 George and his accomplices were sentenced to 14 years transportation. For George, the initial impression was that transportation was not a severe form of punishment. In his own words, George believed transportation was 'not full of misery'. However, George was to be sadly mistaken.

The only insight to his voyage is the military type rule aboard the transportation ships, which George alludes too. However, like many of the convict ships, there is little reason to believe the voyage was not also one of misery. For example, in 1789 the Second Fleet was notorious for its poor conditions. Those onboard were said to have been riddled with lice upon their arrival, while many became ill due to the conditions. Time on deck would have been limited and most convicts would have been kept below deck. A quarter of those transported with the second fleet died during the voyage, and nearly half died within six months of their arrival. For George, such conditions would not have been too dissimilar and wrought with all the dangers of previous voyages, which may have taken up to six months. For more information about the voyage to Australia in the 19th century why not read the History Centre's blog about the Tranby and the settlement of the Swan River.

George arrived in New South Wales that same year. The four young men who were transported with George (quite possibly his accomplices in the robbery), were sent to Norfolk Island. Some 900 miles east of Australia, Norfolk Island had a reputation among convicts for its harsh and brutal conditions. Convicts were sent to work in the mercury mines for 18 hours a day on their knees and up to their waists in water. They saw day light only once a week. Such conditions brought much illness. It was here that George’s four accomplices met their end, said to have been massacred by the islands natives trying to escape.

Those sentenced to transportation were property of their masters. They worked from sunrise to sunset. Convicts earned no wages. Those in chain gangs were locked up in square boxes of 18 in a space less than two-feet each. George describes how convicts were regularly punished with lashes to the back. Some were placed in chains with heavy irons attached to their heels and made to work in the hot dust until flesh was burnt to a copper and hair scorched yellow in colour.

For others the Penal Settlement was a sentence worse than that of death. In 1836 one third of convicts sent to Botany Bay were undergoing one or more punishments. Many were transported for the duration of their life. Between 1836 and 1842, 402 criminals were executed, with many preferring this fate than that of Norfolk Island, declaring it [their execution] the happiest day since they left their native shore.

Women too were transported to Australia. However, for many it was not long until they went to the factory or house of correction and punished with hard labour or solitary confinement on bread and water.

The plight of convicts did not go unnoticed. One Norfolk Island convict was said to have brought the eyes of a judge to tears, when exclaiming 'let a man be what he will when he comes here, he is soon made bad as any, a man's heart is taken from him, and a beast's given him, in lieu of it'. In reality, a great many were at the mercy of their masters. According to George many were sent to the Penal Colonies simply because of tyranny and ignorance of bullies, who were afraid that anyone who has ability is likely to be promoted through good conduct. While those accused of offences during their transportation had no witnesses to speak in their favour.

George returned to Hull after 14 years. Transportation had such a profound effect on George that he wrote of its horrors. We do not know what happened to George after his return. From his account, however, he was determined to prevent others from suffering a fate he endured for 14 years.

A poem from 'The Horrors of Transportation' [L.920 BEN]

You can read the account of the Horrors of Transportation contained in the life and sufferings of George Benson at the Hull History Centre. The account can be found within the Local Studies reference collections at L.920 BEN.

Neil Chadwick, Project Officer, Unlocking the Treasures