Filed under: History & Information, london curiosities
Colonel Pierpoint and the Irony of Traffic Islands
Let’s spare a moment to remember the heroic Colonel Pierpoint, the inventor of the traffic island – a creation which has ensured the safety of many a London pedestrian.
But not, alas, of Colonel Pierpoint.
Traffic islands have moved on since Colonel Pierpoint's day
A smart and cautious fellow, he disliked having to take his life in his hands every time he crossed the road to reach his club (White’s, I believe). So in 1864 he successfully arranged the installation of a traffic island in St James’s.
Alas, his caution went out the window as the over-excited Colonel viewed his invention, now made concrete (even if not made of concrete). Rushing across the road to view it from the other side, he was knocked down by a cab, and perished.
Photo by internets-dairy on flickr
