Sale of the Effects of the Sufferer on the Railway

Cartoon, ink pen (stylic art), "Sale of the effects of the Sufferer on the Railway", by C.A.S., a satirical comment on the railways' autocratic attitude to their passengers and the dangers of railway travel, depicting an auction of a dead man's possessions, about 1838 - 1843.

This is one of a series of cartoons satirising the early railways. This illustration depicts the sale of items that belonged to someone who died on the railway. The lots include clothes, books and a basket. The sufferer’s dog can be seen hung up on a peg at the back, ready to be auctioned. The attendees of the auction seem unconcerned by the scene, implying that this is not an uncommon occurrence. The illustration is attributed to ‘C.A.S’. It is possible that C.A.S refers to Charles Alexander Saunders who worked for the Great Western Railway until 1863. The artist and the date of creation remain unknown.