Croydon’s Weekly Standard, December 6th 1879
FATAL ACCIDENT. On Thursday morning, the 4th inst. A sad fatal accident occurred to a man named Thomas Gregory, a native of Castlethorpe. It appears that the poor man, about quarter to six o’clock, was proceeding to his work at Wolverton, and while endeavouring to avoid a passing train, was knocked down by a pilot engine and literally cut to piece. Upon picking up his body it was found minus the head, portions of which we afterwards found lying strewn about in various parts of the line. The body was conveyed to the “Carrington Arms,” to await an inquest. The deceased who was an organist of Castlethorpe church, leaves a large family to mourn his loss.
Croydon’s Weekly Standard, December 13th 1879

INQUEST. An inquest was held at the Carrington Arms, before J. Worley, Esq., on Saturday last, touching the death of Thomas Gregory, who was killed on the line on the previous Thursday. George Sprittles said: I live at Castlethorpe, and am a labourer. I knew deceased. He lived at Castlethorpe, and was a turner and fitter, working at Wolverton Station, where he had been employed about 20 years. His age is about 40. On Thursday morning, about six o’clock, I was passing along the line between Castlethorpe and Wolverton and found deceased lying in the four-foot way, on the down side. The place was about a mile from Castlethorpe. I noticed his back was bare, and I put my hand to it and found it warm. I moved the body out of the four-foot. I did not notice it particularly. It was dark, and I not know it was deceased, Thomas Gregory. There was no sign of life, and I did not know the body was mutilated. A policeman’s hut was about 250 yards nearer to Castlethorpe. I went there and borrowed a light, and on going back I saw a head lying in the six-foot way, about three or four yards from the body. Two men then came up, who were on their way to Wolverton, and I then returned the light to the policeman at his hut and told him about the body, and then proceeded to my work. I had not seen any train pass before I came to the body, I had come about 250 yards along the line. I believe deceased was in the habit of going along the line to his work. The men living at Castlethorpe usually go that way to their work. Deceased’s basket laid two or three yards from his feet. Edward Robinson said: I live at Hanslope, and am a foreman platelayer on the line. My work lay between Castlethorpe and Wolverton. Last Thursday I got to my work at seven o’clock, and at a quarter past I found the body of the deceased lying on the outside of the down line. It was too much mutilated to be recognised, but I knew the basket to be Gregory’s. I noticed marks on the line. Deceased appeared to have been dragged about twenty-two yards along the down line. At that point, just above where the body was, I noticed remains of his head, as if it had been smashed on the rail next the six-foot of the down line. I moved the body on my trolley to Castlethorpe. I have been on the length between Castlethorpe and Wolverton about seven years. I knew deceased. He was in the habit of going to and from his work daily along the line. The time for him to be at Wolverton would be six o’clock. It was rather a cloudy morning. A great many men walk to and from their work.-Job Cowley said: I live at Castlethorpe, and am a signalman, stationed at the box at Castlethorpe crossing. On the 4th of December the witness Sprittles called at my cabin at six minutes past six o’clock in the morning, and stated he had found a body on the line about 250 yards south of my box. I told him to take my lamp and see who it was. H e seemed as if he did not care to go, but I pressed him to do so as I could not leave my box. When he came back he said he could not recognise the body. I telegraphed to Wolverton. I had a train shunted in the loop line opposite to my box at 5.40, and it remained for the Irish Mail to pass by, which it did at 5.41, and at 5.43 the train passed from the loop into the main up-line and went on. At 5.47 a light engine and an up coal train would meet at about the place where deceased was found. An empty wagon train had passed my box at 5.36. It would take about twenty minutes to walk from my box to the works at Wolverton, along the line. The men can get into the works up to 6.16 in the morning. I heard men pass that morning, but did not look out. They are allowed to go along the line from Castlethorpe to work. I have frequently seen deceased passing to and from work. He usually was looking down in walking along. He was often last going and returning. It would not be unusual to be going alone. His age is 39. He has worked at the works for twenty years or more. The jury returned a verdict that deceased was accidentally killed whilst proceeding along the line to his work.

FUNERAL. The funeral of Thomas Gregory, who was killed on the Railway, on Thursday, December 4th, as recorded in our columns of last week, took place at St. Jude’s Church Castlethorpe, on Tuesday last, which was crowded to excess. The Rev. M. A. Nicholson, vicar of St. James’ Church Hanslope assisted by the Rev. Wigglesworth, curate, officiated at the ceremony. Miss A. Varney presided at the organ, and the choir sang “The dead march in Saul, together with Nos. 400 and 225 of Hymns Ancient and Modern, revised edition. Deceased was followed to the grave by a large number of relatives and friends, and the Members of the Royal Progress Lodge of the National Independent order of Oddfellows, of which lodge deceased was treasurer: and also by members of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and Millwrights, and members of the Wesleyan Benefit Society, both of which societies deceased was also a member: and a large number of his fellow workmen from Wolverton. The coffin, which was of polished oak, was literally heaped up with flowers after it was lowered into the grave. Deceased was 39 years of age, and leaves a wife and seven children to mourn his loss.

The following is another account furnished to us by a correspondent. Last week was recorded the very sad and fatal accident which befell Mr. T. Gregory, the organist and choir master of the above parish. His death was mentioned with much feeling by the vicar and curate in their sermons at Castlethorpe, on Sunday. The awful sadness with which their friend and teacher had been taken from, as it were, their very midst, was impressively dwelt upon by the vicar, more especially addressing himself to the members of the choir, for whose instruction and improvement Mr. Gregory had laboured with unwearied patience and devotion. His loss in this respect will be irreparable, and his steady, earnest life was an influence and an example to all those whom he had to do, which we trust will yet speak in their memories, who have lost in him the ready sharer in any innocent recreation, and the friend who tried to lead them to feel that life has a fuller meaning than the present moment, that all have the responsibility he never shirked of being much help to one another. The funeral of Mr. T. Gregory took place at Castlethorpe on Tuesday last, and was attended, not only by the relatives of deceased, but by the members of different clubs, and by numerous friends, who wished then to show their feeling for one who had gained the esteem and respect of all who knew him. The service was performed by the Rev. M. A. Nicholson, and appropriate hymns were sung by the choir.