ARE these the faces of some of the victims of one of the worst disasters in Cornwall’s history?

That’s the question from a family history researcher who’d love to trace an image of an ancestor from Liskeard.

Thomas Henry Stephens was one of 12 men who died in a horrific accident while working on the Coldrenick Viaduct, near Menheniot 120 years ago.

On February 9, 1897 the 12 plunged some 140 feet to their deaths when a platform on which they were standing suddenly gave way.

The Cornish Times report of the tragedy called it: ’The most appalling disaster which has visited Cornwall for many a long year.’

Thomas Stephens was 33 and left his widow, Victoria, and three young children at their home in Hocken’s Court.

Now Yvonne Hensman, from Exeter is researching the Stephens family for her young grandsons, who live in Devon. 

She was shown a cutting from the Cornish Times, written by veteran Liskeard historian John Rapson on the centenary of the disaster in 1997, showing a photograph of men who worked on the viaduct.

The picture is said to belong to a Mrs Hill and to have had names on the back of it - but for some reason the names were not listed in the paper and nobody now knows where to find the photograph loaned to the Cornish Times by the Hill family.

Yvonne said: ‘I would be very grateful if anybody could tell me if Thomas Henry Stephens is named as being on that photograph – our boys would be delighted as we do not have any photographs of Thomas.

‘Thomas’s grand-daughters, who are 82 and 91, would also be pleased.’

Mr Rapson and the Liskeard Old Cornwall Society have both tried to find the original photograph but have so far drawn a blank.

Can anybody help identify the men in the photograph? Please email [email protected] or call 01579 342174.