Huskisson , William , 1770-1830 , statesman

William Huskisson was born in Worcestershire in 1770. He was brought up in England, and in Paris, where he lived from 1783-1792, witnessing the early part of the French Revolution. On his return to Britain he was employed at the Home Office before entering parliament in 1796 as MP for Morpeth; he subsequently served as MP for Liskeard, Harwich, Chichester and Liverpool, and was a cabinet minister several times. Huskisson was known during his lifetime for his interest in trade and commercial policy, but is now most often remembered for the manner of his death. His left leg was crushed by Stephenson's 'Rocket' train during the first day of service on the new Liverpool and Manchester Railway and he died of his injuries a few hours later, the first person to be fatally injured in a railway accident.