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William Huskinsson was a member of the Reforming wing of the Tory party during the Duke of Wellington's first premiership, and as a political opponent of the Duke by a bizarre twist of fate was to die almost by his side at the opening of the Liverpool to Manchester Railway line in 1830. At a ceremony attended by the Prime Minister and numerous grandees a points error resulted in the famous engine Rocket running towards spectators down the track rather than away from them. Huskinsson scrambled into the Duke's carriage to avoid the engine but did not get clear enough and his leg was mangled by the train, from which he presently died.