The Princess Alice Disaster - Thames' Deadliest Day
Britain's worst inland waterways disaster killed 650 pleasure-cruise passengers when the Princess Alice was rammed and sank in sewage-contaminated Thames water; ghostly passengers and phantom screams haunt the river at Tripcock Point.
On September 3, 1878, the pleasure steamer Princess Alice, returning from a day trip to the Kent coast with over 700 working-class Londoners aboard, was struck by the collier ship Bywell Castle at Tripcock Point in the Thames. The Princess Alice broke apart and sank within four minutes in water heavily contaminated with raw sewage from London’s newly completed outfall systems. Of the approximately 700 passengers, at least 650 died - many from drowning but others from swallowing the toxic sewage-laden water. Bodies continued washing up along the Thames for weeks, and entire families were wiped out in what remains Britain’s worst inland waterway disaster. The stretch of the Thames where the disaster occurred, near North Woolwich, has been haunted ever since by the spirits of those who died in such horrific circumstances.
River workers, Thames boat operators, and residents along the embankment report seeing ghostly figures in Victorian summer clothing floating in the water or standing on the shore, their faces showing expressions of terror and confusion. The most commonly reported phenomena occur around sunset on September 3rd, when witnesses describe hearing the sounds of a large crowd, children laughing and playing, followed by screaming, the sound of a massive collision, and then desperate cries for help. Some witnesses report seeing a phantom steamer matching Princess Alice’s description appearing on the river, sailing normally before suddenly breaking apart and sinking in moments. The apparitions of women in Victorian dress, many clutching phantom children, have been seen standing on the river’s edge, staring at the water with expressions of unbearable grief.
The sheer scale of the tragedy and its impact on working-class London communities created a lasting psychological wound. Many victims were families enjoying one of the few leisure opportunities available to them, and the disaster left hundreds of children orphaned. Workers in the warehouses and industrial buildings along the Thames near the disaster site report hearing children crying, women screaming, and the sound of a ship’s whistle in distress during the night. Fishermen and river police have reported feeling sudden overwhelming panic attacks when passing through Tripcock Point, and some have seen multiple ghostly figures thrashing in the water, their arms raised in desperate pleas for rescue. Paranormal investigators have recorded numerous EVP phenomena including cries of “help me,” “where’s my baby,” and what sounds like a brass band playing - the Princess Alice had musicians aboard entertaining passengers. The disaster led to major improvements in river safety regulations and life-saving equipment requirements, but the spirits of those who died in the sewage-fouled waters appear to remain trapped, eternally reliving their final moments of a pleasure cruise turned into unspeakable tragedy.