Harry Pitts

This article is about the victim of the first London Underground terrorist attack. For the English footballer, see Harry Pitts (footballer).

Harry Pitts (27 June 1861 – 30 April 1897)[1][2] was the first person to be killed by a terrorist attack on the London Underground.

Pitts died of injuries received from a bomb which exploded at Aldersgate Station (now Barbican) on 26 April 1897.[3] The bomb was planted by Russian anarchists in revenge for one of their members being given a seven-year prison sentence. At an inquest into Pitts death a verdict of "wilful murder against person or persons unknown" was recorded.[4]

Pitts was born in Bradninch, Devon the son of a millwright. He briefly spent some time in Lancashire before settling in Tottenham, North London. He was married and had two daughters.

  1. ^ General Register Office birth indices. Harry Pitts Q3 1861 Tiverton Vol 5b page 402
  2. ^ General Register Office death indices. Harry Pitts Q2 1897 London City Vol 1c page 19
  3. ^ "The Explosion on the Metropolitan Railway". The Times. No. 35189. 28 April 1897. p. 12. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  4. ^ "The Explosion at Aldersgate-Street Station". The Times. No. 35212. 25 May 1897. p. 15. Retrieved 19 October 2009.