The Marquis of Hartington was a very important man in Victorian society. He was in Parliament for many years including two periods as MP for Radnorshire. Queen Victoria was keen for him to become Prime Minister, but he refused. He later became the 8th Duke of Devonshire and inherited the huge Chatsworth estate.
His carriage parade into Knighton in January 1874 would have been an impressive sight, and many boys from Knighton National Boys School were there to watch and to help...

This entry is from the school Log Book -
30th January - "A melancholy occurrence took place yesterday in connexion [connection] with the Marquis' entry. As some of the boys were assisting in drawing the carriage containing his Lordship and others, the vehicle over-ran them in going down an incline, and so caused the death of one boy (Robert Morris, 3rd Class) by the wheel passing over him. One other boy (Phillips, 1st Class) was also injured, but only slightly".

It seems that the horses which pulled the carriage were taken away when the Marquis arrived in Knighton, and the pulling was taken over by local men with ropes. The accident happened on the slope down from the river bridge. The schoolboys probably wanted to help, and get a close view of what would have been a very exciting event in a small town. But for this Knighton school it led to tragedy. The Marquis is reported to have visited the injured people the next day.

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