Samuel Gilbert Scott
Encyclopedia
Samuel Gilbert Scott was an American
daredevil
who was killed performing a stunt at Waterloo Bridge
in London
, England
.
Scott was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, and served in the United States Navy
, where he became well known for jumping off the masts of Navy vessels. Upon leaving the Navy he became a professional stuntman, passing the hat for contributions after his performances. Scott performed stunts in Boston, New York
, Philadelphia and on the St. Lawrence River. He also dived from a precipice near Niagara Falls
, reported in newspapers as a 593-foot jump, although historians consider this figure to be impossible.
In 1837, Scott traveled to England to continue his diving career. He dove 100 feet in Manchester, 167 feet in Liverpool, and jumped from a 140-foot scaffold at Brighton Pier
. On the battleship
St. Joseph, moored in Devonport, he jumped from a 200-foot topmast. In Cornwall
, Scott allegedly jumped from a 240-foot cliff into eight feet of water; this achievement exceeds the current world record
high dive, and is also considered unlikely.
Scott was nearly killed in an accident while performing on an American ship in Deptford
. He often swung from a rope by his feet and neck before jumping. While he was doing so in Deptford, the rope accidentally slipped around his neck and nearly strangled him. Scott was saved only by the quick thinking of a sailor who caught his feet and supported him, allowing Scott to loosen the rope. Scott's comment to the crowd after this accident was, "The hemp that is to hang me is not grown yet!"
On January 11, 1841, Scott planned to run from the White Lion Pub in Drury Lane
to Waterloo Bridge, jump from a scaffold on the bridge into the river, and return to the pub during the hour between 1:00 and 2:00 P.M. Upon arrival at the bridge, Scott began swinging from a noose attached to the scaffold. Once again the noose slipped and tightened around Scott's neck. As had also happened in Deptford, the spectators erroneously thought that this was part of Scott's act, and no immediate action was taken. Eventually, one man in the crowd insisted that Scott be cut down, but it was too late. According to a contemporary broadside
, Scott "was immediately taken to Charing Cross Hospital
, where every attention was paid to him, but unfortunately without effect, as life was quite extinct."
There were conflicting reports of Scott's marital status. According to The Times
of London, Scott was residing with his wife in Deptford at the time of his death. His wife usually accompanied him to his performances, but was not present on the occasion of his fatal accident.
Thomas Carlyle
mentioned Scott's death in a letter to his brother Alexander Carlyle
, written on January 15, 1841. In Carlyle's words:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
daredevil
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
who was killed performing a stunt at Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, England between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The name of the bridge is in memory of the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Scott was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, where he became well known for jumping off the masts of Navy vessels. Upon leaving the Navy he became a professional stuntman, passing the hat for contributions after his performances. Scott performed stunts in Boston, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Philadelphia and on the St. Lawrence River. He also dived from a precipice near Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, reported in newspapers as a 593-foot jump, although historians consider this figure to be impossible.
In 1837, Scott traveled to England to continue his diving career. He dove 100 feet in Manchester, 167 feet in Liverpool, and jumped from a 140-foot scaffold at Brighton Pier
Brighton Pier
The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier is a pleasure pier in Brighton, England. It is generally known as the Palace Pier for short, but has been informally renamed Brighton Pier since 2000 by its owners, the Noble Organisation, in an attempt to suggest that it is Brighton's only pier...
. On the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
St. Joseph, moored in Devonport, he jumped from a 200-foot topmast. In Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, Scott allegedly jumped from a 240-foot cliff into eight feet of water; this achievement exceeds the current world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
high dive, and is also considered unlikely.
Scott was nearly killed in an accident while performing on an American ship in Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
. He often swung from a rope by his feet and neck before jumping. While he was doing so in Deptford, the rope accidentally slipped around his neck and nearly strangled him. Scott was saved only by the quick thinking of a sailor who caught his feet and supported him, allowing Scott to loosen the rope. Scott's comment to the crowd after this accident was, "The hemp that is to hang me is not grown yet!"
On January 11, 1841, Scott planned to run from the White Lion Pub in Drury Lane
Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster....
to Waterloo Bridge, jump from a scaffold on the bridge into the river, and return to the pub during the hour between 1:00 and 2:00 P.M. Upon arrival at the bridge, Scott began swinging from a noose attached to the scaffold. Once again the noose slipped and tightened around Scott's neck. As had also happened in Deptford, the spectators erroneously thought that this was part of Scott's act, and no immediate action was taken. Eventually, one man in the crowd insisted that Scott be cut down, but it was too late. According to a contemporary broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
, Scott "was immediately taken to Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
, where every attention was paid to him, but unfortunately without effect, as life was quite extinct."
There were conflicting reports of Scott's marital status. According to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
of London, Scott was residing with his wife in Deptford at the time of his death. His wife usually accompanied him to his performances, but was not present on the occasion of his fatal accident.
Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher during the Victorian era.He called economics "the dismal science", wrote articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and became a controversial social commentator.Coming from a strict Calvinist family, Carlyle was...
mentioned Scott's death in a letter to his brother Alexander Carlyle
Alexander Carlyle
Very Rev Alexander Carlyle was a Scottish church leader, and autobiographer.He was born in Cummertrees, Dumfriesshire, the son of the local minister and brought up in Prestonpans, East Lothian. He was a witness to the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745 where he was part of the government Edinburgh...
, written on January 15, 1841. In Carlyle's words:
- A wretched mortal that was wont to leap from top masts, bridges &c, and dive and do feats of that kind, perished in a shocking manner (as you will see by that Newspaper) here this week. One of his tricks was to act hanging; the noose slipt; he was found hanged in earnest! When I think of the mob looking at him, brutal animals, the still more brutal ‘gentlemen’ of the Bridge Committee encouraging such a scene,—few things I have ever heard of seem more detestable.