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Mr.Cocking's ill-fated parachute, attached to Mr.Green's balloon ascending at Vauxhall Gardens. He described his invention as perfectly safe and the experiment took place on the 24th July 1837. The parachute was released at an estimated mile and a half from the ground, but turned over soon after, crashing at Lee with Mr Cocking still in the basket. He was found 'quite insensible, and in ten minutes was dead'. It was recorded that 'not only his machine itself was carried away piecemeal, but the dead man's purse was stolen from his pocket, his watch, his snuff-box, his eye-glass were taken, even the cap was stolen from his head, the shoes were pulled from his feet and the buttons from his dress'. Engraving from The Mirror, Saturday July 29th 1837.

Details
Collection:	Vauxhall Gardens
Image type:	Engraving
Artist:
Ref:	01292
Identifier:	SP14/581/47
Date:	1837

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