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I had lunch at a pub called the Duke of Sussex near Waterloo Station today. The floor of the gents has a map of the area from about 100 years ago engraved on it, which was pretty amazing. Not only was there a leadworks, sawmill and brewery on the South Bank waterfront between Westminster and Waterloo Bridges, but there was a London Necropolis Station at the south end of Waterloo Station. Apparently a private company had a mortuary and chapel to receive dead bodies and send them on dedicated trains on the “London Necropolis Railway” straight to Brookwood cemetery and crematorium in Surrey, most famous passenger, Friedrich Engels. First, second and third class coffin tickets available.
I am 56 years old and hadn’t heard of it until I looked at the floor of a pub toilet!
It is a pretty amazing thing, can't remember when I first heard of it.
Of course these days if you got a train through South London and found yourself surrounded by thousands of stiffs it'd be because they've let the fans back into Selhurst Park.
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London Necropolis Station! on 23:32 - Apr 22 with 5188 views
All described at length in my book Cathedrals of Steam, the history of the London stations, available from Atlantic Books and which NorthernRs got for xmas this year. It operated right until the Second World War when a bomb blew up much of the station.
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London Necropolis Station! on 09:44 - Apr 23 with 4795 views
Fantastic bit of local history, thanks for sharing MrSheen!
My wife refers to the Duke of Sussex as the 'cheese pub'. Before it got refurbished a few years ago, the landlady would go around with a plate of cheese for the patrons.
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London Necropolis Station! on 11:22 - Apr 23 with 4691 views
Unfortunately - or fortunately for me - the hardback has done v well and therefore paperback might not be out until xmas. but email me via my website and i will sell you a hardback well discounted as a fellow R.
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London Necropolis Station! on 11:34 - Apr 23 with 4673 views
The cemetery is an amazing place, shocking to see so many war graves of teenagers from all races, colours and creeds. There is also a longer walk which takes in St Michaels Church in Pirbright where Stanley of Livingston and Stanley fame is buried.
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