![](https://www.geni.com/images/external/x_com_black_16.png?1721673225)
![](https://www.geni.com/images/facebook_white_small_short.gif?1721673225)
The Tay Bridge Disaster occurred during a storm on Sunday 28 December 1879, when the first Tay Rail Bridge collapsed as a train from Burntisland to Dundee passed over it, killing all aboard. The bridge—designed by Sir Thomas Bouch—used lattice girders supported by iron piers, with cast iron columns and wrought iron cross-bracing. The piers were narrower and their cross-bracing was less extensive and robust than on previous similar designs by Bouch.
There are many webpages giving full accounts of the disaster and so the purpose of this project is not to re-write what can be read elsewhere, (see References below), but to try to build family trees for those known to have died in the disaster.
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say That ninety lives have been taken away On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
‘Twas about seven o’clock at night, And the wind it blew with all its might, And the rain came pouring down, And the dark clouds seem’d to frown, And the Demon of the air seem’d to say- “I’ll blow down the Bridge of Tay.”
When the train left Edinburgh The passengers’ hearts were light and felt no sorrow, But Boreas blew a terrific gale, Which made their hearts for to quail, And many of the passengers with fear did say- “I hope God will send us safe across the Bridge of Tay.”
But when the train came near to Wormit Bay, Boreas he did loud and angry bray, And shook the central girders of the Bridge of Tay On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
So the train sped on with all its might, And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sight, And the passengers’ hearts felt light, Thinking they would enjoy themselves on the New Year, With their friends at home they lov’d most dear, And wish them all a happy New Year.
So the train mov’d slowly along the Bridge of Tay, Until it was about midway, Then the central girders with a crash gave way, And down went the train and passengers into the Tay! The Storm Fiend did loudly bray, Because ninety lives had been taken away, On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
As soon as the catastrophe came to be known The alarm from mouth to mouth was blown, And the cry rang out all o’er the town, Good Heavens! the Tay Bridge is blown down, And a passenger train from Edinburgh, Which fill’d all the peoples hearts with sorrow, And made them for to turn pale, Because none of the passengers were sav’d to tell the tale How the disaster happen’d on the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
It must have been an awful sight, To witness in the dusky moonlight, While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray, Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay, Oh! ill-fated Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay, I must now conclude my lay By telling the world fearlessly without the least dismay, That your central girders would not have given way, At least many sensible men do say, Had they been supported on each side with buttresses, At least many sensible men confesses, For the stronger we our houses do build, The less chance we have of being killed.
Erected in December 2013, this memorial alongside the Fife Coastal Path gives a brief description of the tragic Tay Bridge accident of December 1879 and lists the names of all those known to have died in it.
Images above and below © Copyright James Allan and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
... of the Tay Bridge Disaster, Sunday, 28th December, 1879
Bold Links are to Geni profiles; others are to external webpages.
Scotland's People reference - St Mary District
Compositor 13, South Ellen Street
ANDERSON JOSEPH 20 1880 282/2 308
ANNAN THOMAS ROSS 21 1880 282/2 270
26 Farmer Mains of Balgay
BAIN ARCHIBALD 27 1880 282/2 62
22 sister of above Mains of Balgay
BAIN JESSIE 22 1880 282/2 147
n/a Photographer Cheltenham
BEYNON WILLIAM HENRY 40 1880 282/2 119
BROWN ELIZABETH HENDR 14 1880 282/2 373
Possibly (only one Cheape registered) CHEAPE EUPHEMIA 54 1880 282/2 371
CRICHTON JAMES 22 1880 282/2 74
CRUICKSHANKS ANN 53 1880 282/2 109
CULROSS ROBERT 25 1880 282/2 196
CUNNINGHAM DAVID 20 1880 282/2 53
28 Farm servant Linlathen
DAVIDSON THOMAS 29 1880 282/2 56
EASTON MARY M MONTGOME 53 1880 282/2
21 Mason 23, Pitalpin Street, Lochee
FOWLIS ROBERT 20 1880 282/2 57
Only 1 entry in St. Mary - GRAHAM DAVID 26 1880 282/2 383
HAMILTON JOHN 32 1880 282/2 376
HENDERSON JAMES FOSTER 22 1880 282/2 67
HENDRY ELIZABETH 61 1880 282/2 372
JACK WILLIAM 23 1880 282/2 20
JOBSON DAVID 41 1880 282/2 141
JOHNSTON DAVID 30 1880 282/2 66
JOHNSTON GEORGE 24 1880 282/2 71
KINNEAR MARGARET 18 1880 282/2 280
LAWSON JOHN 25 1880 282/2 89
LESSLIE JAMES 21 1880 282/2 83
MARSHALL JOHN 24 1880 282/2 93
MCBETH DAVID 44 1880 282/2 76
MCDONALD DAVID 11 1880 282/2 77
MCDONALD WILLIAM 41 1880 282/2 21
MCINTOSH GEORGE 43 1880 282/2 139
MILLAR JAMES 27 1880 282/2 17
MILNE ELIZABETH 21 1880 282/2 341
MITCHELL DAVID 37 1880 282/2 176
MURDOCH JAMES 21 1880 282/2 113
MURRAY DONALD 49 1880 282/2 374
5 daughter of David 51, Coupar Street, Lochee
NEISH ISABELLA MARY 5 1880 282/2 87
37 Teacher and Registrar 51, Coupar Street, Lochee
NEISH DAVID 37 1880 282/2 84
- Parents: John (Brewer) and Ann Brown - both deceased
- Married to Ann Law
NELSON WILLIAM 31 1880 282/2 457
21 Engine Cleaner Ogilvy Street, Tayport
NESS GEORGE 21 1880 282/2 79
George Ness was married to Ann Brand of Tayport.http://www.brand-dd.com/forth.html
NESS WALTER 23 1880 282/2 64
NICOLL ELIZABETH 24 1880 282/2 347
Not found
PEEBLES JAMES 16 1880 282/2 267
PEEBLES WILLIAM 38 1880 282/2 78
ROBERTSON ALEXANDER 22 1880 282/2 72
ROBERTSON WILLIAM 21 1880 282/2 309
SALMOND PETER GREIG 44 1880 282/2 115
SCOTT DAVID 26 1880 282/2 394
SCOTT JOHN 30 1880 282/2 68
SHARP JOHN 33 1880 282/2 73
SMART ELIZA 24 1880 282/2 380
SPENCE ANN 22 1880 282/2 379
22 Clerk Royal Hotel, Nethergate
(Only SYME entry found in St. Mary) SYME ROBERT FREDERIC 22 1880 282/2 60
TAYLOR GEORGE 25 1880 282/2 193
THRELFELL WILLIAM 19 1880 282/2 16
VEITCH WILLIAM 18 1880 282/2 65
WATSON DAVID 22 1880 282/2 15
9 son of Robert 12, Lawrence Street
WATSON DAVID 9 1880 282/2 55
34 Moulder 12, Lawrence Street
WATSON ROBERT 34 1880 282/2 14
6 son of Robert 12, Lawrence Street
WATSON ROBERT 7 1880 282/2 54
Free to follow, request to collaborate
To join the project use the request link under "actions" at the top right of the page.