The Ship that sank in sewage: The SS Princess Alice

Editorial Summary

The video details the 1878 sinking of the paddle steamer Princess Alice on the River Thames. Originally built in 1865, the vessel operated as an excursion ship for the London Steamboat Company. On September 3, 1878, the ship was conducting a moonlight trip when it collided with the collier Bywell Castle near Woolwich. The collision caused the Princess Alice to break in half, sending hundreds of passengers into the river. The disaster was exacerbated by the fact that the river was filled with approximately 75 million gallons of raw sewage recently discharged from London pumping stations. The toxic water, containing human waste and industrial byproducts, made survival difficult and led to further deaths from ingestion. While some passengers were rescued, hundreds perished, making this the largest loss of life on a British waterway. Investigations revealed that the Princess Alice was overloaded and lacked sufficient life-saving equipment, while the Bywell Castle was also found at fault. The tragedy eventually led to changes in waste management, including the use of sludge boats to transport waste to the North Sea.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.