Last Updated:March 24, 2012

The History

A tragic part of London’s history is the Victoria Day Disaster, May 24, 1881. On that day, a local steamship named Victoria departed from downtown London towards Springbank Park, a popular local destination. The boat carried between 600 and 800 passengers despite its passenger capacity of 400.

     

As the boat headed towards Cove Bridge, it began to take on water. Captain Donald Rankin tried to divert disaster by banking the boat on a sandbank near what is now Greenway Park. As he did this, hundreds of passengers rushed to the right side of the boat after seeing two rowers, Harry Nichols and Michael Reidy, racing beside the boat.

 

The Victoria began to keel over. A boiler broke loose, taking out the main supports to the top deck, which then crashed down onto passengers below. The remaining passengers were flung into the water. Some survived, however, many perished. Many victims were women and children whose heavy dresses prevented them from easily swimming ashore.

 

According to Milner’s article, the “Sinking of the Victoria”, the estimated death toll of the disaster was between 180 and 200 people. Burials were delayed due to the lack of coffins available in London and “it is said that every Londoner lost a relative or friend in the disaster”.

This lithograph, printed in June 1881, illustrates the capsizing of the overloaded "Victoria" on Victoria Day May 24, 1881.

The Investigation

The Paranormal Knights investigated the original site of the Victoria Day Disaster on its 129th anniversary – May 24, 2010. Our Energy Reader who had never heard of the Victoria Day Disaster, obtained information confirmed by history. This included seeing a ship tipping to the right as it headed towards Cove Bridge and then sinking. She also saw the ship’s top deck collapsing and water running into the lower deck.

The energies of a handful of children were found present at the site, including 2 male cousins aged 13 and 8 years. The energy of a younger boy who had blonde curly hair and a sailor suit was also present. No names were obtained but it was felt that these children’s spirits had moved on. No other energies or spirits were sensed despite the breadth of the disaster that occurred here.

death record