Burnden Park tragedy

[ClaretTony]

It's 75 years today since 33 people were killed at Burnden Park when Bolton played Stoke in the FA Cup. They were expecting over 50,000 there at what was then 70,000 capacity but it is believe there were over 85,000 there in the end. Because of the numbers, barriers collapsed with the 33 trampled to death.

Incredibly, the game was held up when the referee was told there had been a fatality but eventually they resumed with most of the 33 bodies on the pitch perimeter. It is said that they moved the touchline in because of the bodies.

It was the worst disaster in terms of numbers at a British football ground until the Ibrox disaster in 1971.

It's not often mentioned, and 75 years is a long, long time. Tonight the Bolton fans will be laying a wreath in memory of the 33 and of all those who have died at other football ground disasters.

[RalphCoatesComb]

Terrible loss of life.

My father-in-law should have been at the game but was stopped by his father who feared that there would be a huge crowd and not much of a view.

[Elizabeth]

I’m so glad he listened to his dad Ralph

[Top Claret]

Both my Dad and Uncle attended the Match

[Dark Cloud]

My Grandad also attended the match, but he was Burnley through and through. I can only assume that the game (and no TV obviously) was a huge attraction to local neutrals in the area and must have exacerbated the problems.

[bfcjg]

You'd have thought after the first crushing disaster things would be implemented to ensure it never happenedcagai.

[SlidingTackle]

My father, grandad and a great uncle, were all there (my folks on both sides originate from Bolton) on the end where disaster occurred.

I've written about this on here before, I am sure.

In the immediate post-war years football was immensely popular as people had been deprived of attending competitive games (as we can relate to now!).

This was the 6th Round of the FA Cup, and obviously Stoke City wasn't too far to travel, even in those days.

Burnden Park had a large open terrace (think the Beehole End) backing onto a railway embankment (made famous in an old film I cannot remember the name of).

Apparently huge numbers of people just walked along the railway line and climbed into the ground and onto the terraces.

As suggested, the attendance was huge, and so there was a crush. However, the disaster was precipitated when a father, fearing for his young son, picked a padlock on a gate to get out. This had the disastrous effect of merely letting hundreds more flood in from outside.

The crush killed 33 people, and their bodies were laid out behind the goal-line. This was before kick-off and the game took place for fear of rioting if it didn't. Apparently, there was a big police presence, but this was to guard provisions stored in the main stand in an era of post-war rationing. The police were ordered not to leave their stations for fear of looting..... .

Two things REALLY get me about the whole story.

The father who picked the lock. My grandad was a joiner and my dad would have been 13 at the time. No doubt my grandad could have picked a lock if needs be. It wasn't him but..... .

Meanwhile, my grandma was at home several miles away, on the other side of Bolton. After game had finished she went to the corner shop. Whilst there someone came in who had just travelled out to Smithills on the tram from the centre of Bolton and said. "Isn't it terrible?" Obviously, my grandma and those in the shop knew nothing about it..... .

She had then to go home and just wait (no local radio or anything similar in those days), and hope that her son, husband and brother-in-law all eventually arrived back safely.... . Thankfully they did.

[Claret]

My mum and dad were on the open end at the back and saw what they thought were people who’d fainted being lifted over everyone’s heads. They couldn’t see th pitch properly so left and wandered about town, finding out about the disaster later.

[tiger76]

You'd have thought after the first crushing disaster things would be implemented to ensure it never happenedcagai.

Indeed you would, but you have to remember health & safety wasn't as stringent in those days, however it is crazy that it eventually took the Hillsborough disaster to finally trigger a change in attitudes.

Obviously the BP incident was well before my time, but it's something I read about when I was a nipper, and even at that time I knew it was a terrible event.

[tim_noone]

My mum and dad were on the open end at the back and saw what they thought were people who’d fainted being lifted over everyone’s heads. They couldn’t see th pitch properly so left and wandered about town, finding out about the disaster later.

Wow!!!

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

My Dad spoke about it often. Wanted to go but wasn’t allowed.
Stanley Matthews was the major attraction at the time and with no tv coverage people would attend if he was playing anywhere near by.

[ClaretTony]

I'm amazed at all the references on here from posters who had relatives there that day.

[yTib]

I'm amazed at all the references on here from posters who had relatives there that day.

me too. just goes to show how small lancashire really is.

[toooldtobegrumpy]

My Dad and my uncle were also there at the open end. They were stood in a corner and watched hundreds if not thousands of fans climbing over the fence from the railway embankment directly behind the goal. My Dad told me there was no crush where he was standing. In some ways not all that dissimilar to the Hillsborough disaster.

[FCBurnley]

This was even before my time ! However I clearly remember it being discussed and remembered over the years. The Ibrox disaster in 71 was also horrific. Dark days