Past Events - Fatal Crush
Fatal Crush – The tale of the Bethnal Green Tube station disaster
Date: Tuesday 8 March 2011
Time: 18:30
Location: Cubic Theatre
Novelist, Jessica Francis Kane, and London Transport Museum Curator, David Bownes, will explore through fact and fiction, the events that surrounded the Bethnal Green Tube station disaster in 1943.
The tragedy, which was the worst UK civilian disaster during the Blitz, led to the deaths of 173 people when they were crushed as they descended the steps to the Bethnal Green Underground air raid shelter in the East End of London. All died from asphyxiation; not a single bomb was dropped. At the time, news of the disaster was suppressed. Although reports appeared in newspapers, the location and the extent of the disaster were withheld as the government wanted to prevent loss of public morale.
During the event David Bownes will present an historical overview of Tube sheltering in London and Bethnal Green station, and Jessica Francis Kane will discuss how she researched her novel and give readings from her book.
The talk marks the launch of Jessica’s novel ‘The Report’ and is organised as part of the Under Attack: London, Coventry and Dresden exhibition at London Transport Museum. The exhibition explores the story of the struggle of three cities to keep moving during the Second World War.