The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-09-14 00:00:00

The Daily News publishes the following letter:—

Sir,—A few lines from one who has been In the midst of
the survivors and the bereaved from the first may not be un-
interesting to thousands eager to gather full and correct de-
tails of our melancholy calamity. On Tuesday night, about
a quarter-past nine o'clock, I had just taken off my boots
when there came an alarming knock at my neighbour's door,
and a loud call for the Rev. Mr. Turner. I jumped up startled ,
and ran to the door, when a cabman cried out, 'Come quick,
Sir, there has been a terrible accident In the cab, all
dripping with water and without a hat on his head, I saw my
brother Mr. H. A. Tatnell, of 120, Salisbury-square. He soon
told me what had happened, and that he believed not more
than 20 were saved out of more than 600 passengers. A
friend of the family was on board with him—Mrs. Fison,
' of Wymondham to whom he said, when the collision hap-
pened, "Now, Louie, the only chance for us is to swim for
it." They climbed the seat at the stern of the boat, and
plunged into the river. They became separated. Mr.
Tatnell, after swimming about some time, was picked
up by a boat, and was brought, after a bootless search for
his friend, by the Duke of Teck to Woolwich. After a
change of clothing we hastened to the pier to learn
further particulars and render any assistance within our
power. I stayed on the pier all night witnessing the
unloading of the dreadful cargo, and trying to com-
fort the mourners. By the first boat on Wednesday
morning we crossed the river to North Woolwich. A
thick veil of fog hung over the water, hiding every thing
on its bosom from our eager gaze. Along the bank of the
river we pursued our weary rilgrirnage in search of the
living and the dead. The first tidings we got of any one
in connection with the Princess Alice on the Essex side
we received at the police station. The officer was not
there who had the list, but it was believed that some dis-
tance away one or two bad been picked up alive. We
pursued our journey till we got to Lawe's Factory, where
we saw the sickening sight of twenty-three corpses—
nineteen women and four children. Eagerly did we look
into those faces, fearful to recognise that of my friend;
one was very similar, but there were unmistakeable signs
that it was not her. After leaving the factory, inquiring
in every direction, we were informed that in the houses
near there were a few survivors. The schoolmaster, an
intelligent and energetic man, who had evidently spared
no pains to do all he could to assist, read out the list
of the living. The name of my friend was not there. I
went from house to house, and saw all the survivors, but
found not the one for whom I was in search. The wife
of a policeman said, "Wait and see my husband, sir; he
has a list." When he appeared I said, "Is there a Mrs.
Fison amongst the survivors ? " "Yes," he said, but
could not say where she was. We returned to the
schoolmaster, and found the name on his list spelt
wrongly. I found her with one more, a Miss Kemp, at
the house of Mrs. Rodgers. They had received every at-
tention and kindness, which they desire publicly to
acknowledge. Whilst my friend was putting on the
things kindly lent her by these hospitable people, I went
again from house to house, collected the Lames, addresses,
and all particulars of the eighteen survivors there. which
I afterwards supplied to the police and Press. By this
means Miss Kemp and Miss Broad, then supposed to be
Mrs. Kemp, were speedily able to know that they were
both spared. My friend informed us that when she plunged
overboard she soon came up to the surface and was able to
turn on her back and keep her feet up, feeling that while she
could see them she would be safe, and, although she cannot
swim, and has a great horror of water, she floated in great
calmness some little time till she was picked up, but little
the worse for being in the water. I need not give you de-
tails of cases which have appeared in one or other of the re-
ports. Here is a specimen of numbers, and one that has not
yet appeared in print. A little bright, intelligent, but broken
hearted boy, about twelve years of age, came with his uncle
this afternoon to identify the bodies of his father and mother
and little sister. He saw the mother and at once identified.
her. The name is Mary rizabeth Swan, 214, Westmore-
land-road, Camberwell. The bodies of his father and sister
have not yet been brought in. With a surprising in-
telligence he gave a minute description of both. The
father's name is James Swan, aged 33, about 61t. On. high,
rather thin face, black hair, dark bushey whiskers, dressed
in a black twill coat, a diamond ring with a large stone, and
bill-heads of his employer in his pocket, Mr. J. Whitehork,
years
and
dopsix months,
sthhos, sartdfrreizzeydhianir,Pnc
wrihiteess,
20, Featherstone-buildings, Holborn. The little girl is three
ar
etsocwkinntkgs,tngsp-drriensg3!
aide boots. This poor boy is left with two others oi
the family without any provision. It would not be to

much to say that hundreds will be left in total desti-
tution unless a generous public come to their relief.
Very thankful are we that a fund has been opened at
the Mansion House, and it is to be hoped for the sake
of humanity that it will he very liberally !sup ported, end that
some local committee will also be formed to aid in the
collection and distribution of the fund. I cannot close
this long letter without just bearing my testimony to the
readiness and energy with which al the officials discharged
their painful and arduous duty. We, however, felt the want
of some central authority who could immediately order the
large provision needed for centralising the deposit of the
dead and to facilitate their immediate recognition by their
friends.—l am, Sir, yours, &c,,

. . _ . .
J. TURNER, Baptist Minister.
10, Campbell-terrace, Woolwich, Sept. 7.

BECOVItIir OF THE BODY OF CAPTAIN GRINSTEAD.
On Sunday night Thomas C. .Rands, a waterrnan, of Graves-
end, picked up off the T pier at Woolwich the body of Cap-
tain Grinstead, the commander of the Princess Alice. Tne
body, on being landed, was at once recognised by inspector
Phillips, the corpse having still on the uniform of a captain
of the Steamboat Company, the cap only being missing.
This was among the last bodies deposited at the dockyard on
Sunday, making a total for the day of about 150, and a grand
total of 103 received there up to the latest hour. There still
remain 283 bodies in the various sheds, of which 162 have not
been identified, 126 identified bodies now remaining to be
claimed by friends.

A sister of Mr. William Grinstead, captain of the Princess
Alice, Mrs, Elizabeth Ploffineister, relict of the late George
Bernard Hoffmeister, Commander Royal Navy, resides in
Shakespeare-road, Sittingbourne. Her brother, Mr. Charles
Thomas Grinstead, of Swale street, Poplar, and his wife had
been staying with her, and left on Tuesday, the 3rd, for
Sheerness, to proceed from thence in the ill-fated vessel,
with their brother, the captain. They are both drowned.
Mr. Charles Thomas Grinstead rendered very active assist-
ance on the previous Saturday in getting the passengers out
of the train which met with the accident at Sittingbourne,
helping to raise the overturn:A carriages by means of jacks.
Another brother, Mr. George Grinstead, of 10, North Kent-
terrace, Woolwich, wm captain of the Sea Swallow, but is
now on the sick list, having burst two blood-vessels. Mrs.
Hoffmeister fears that this sad news will retard his progress.
A third brother, Mr. Frank Grinstead, resides with Mrs.
Hoffmeister.