1885 Shoeburyness artillery accident

[1] A squad under Captain Francis Goold-Adams, the assistant superintendent of experiments, had been firing a breech-loading gun to test some fuses.

Colonel Lyon had come from Woolwich to carry out experiments with fuses of his own invention and a rocket float, both of which were too hazardous to be attempted at the Arsenal.

Mr. Rance was severely wounded in the leg, while Mr. Lowe, assistant manager of the Woolwich laboratory and others had narrow escapes.

Three of the dead from the explosion were buried elsewhere: Commandant Fox-Strangeways at Exeter, Devon; Colonel Lyon at Warrington, Cheshire; and Mr Rance at Woolwich, Kent.

Captain Goold Adams’ widow later remarried and died at Steyning in Sussex, she too was buried in St. Andrew's churchyard next to her late husband: Monumental inscription: In loving memory of / Evelyn Lucy Phillips / widow of / Captain Francis Michael Goold Adams R.A. and wife of / Harry S.F.

/ born 8 May 1861 passed away 2 March 1907 / whom God's hand rests on / has God at his right hand[10] One fortunate escape from the 1885 explosion was that of Major John Bally, who was walking near to the smith's shop at the time; ‘a splinter flying over the roof of the shop struck him, but was embedded in a book in his side-pocket and he was saved from serious injury’.

[12] He died at Shoeburyness and is buried close to the south porch at St. Andrew's church: Monumental inscription: John Ford Bally C.V.O.

St Andrew's church South Shoebury, burial register, Essex Record Office D/P 282/1/7.