Comments on: NEW Railway employment records

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 20:23:40 +0000

I found my grandfather Alfred John Candy immediately. He was a lamp boy in 1906 for the GWR in Cardiff. I believe I may I found his father Frederick in Birmingham working for Midland Railway in the 1870′s (I have been unable to find an 1881 census for him, so that is something I can follow up.
Hoping to find Frederick and James my great uncles and also the host of Orums who worked in Swindon for the GWR. Sadly, I cannot find, as yet, my own father, Frederick Candy (1922) who worked for the GWR in Cardiff in the 50′s & ealy 60′s. Still lots of records to search!

By: Donna

Donna — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:32:46 +0000

I was really impressed with these records – although that’s possibly because all my relatives worked for GWR and the records covered all the dates I was looking for.

By: Rachel Allgood

Rachel Allgood — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:41:35 +0000

I was disappointed not to find my grandfather James Allgood who worked for NER/LNER in Middlesbrough and Redcar. Any chance these records may be added in the near future? I live in the north of England and ironically can’t afford the rail fare to London to visit Kew!

By: Rita March, nee Shaw

Rita March, nee Shaw — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 22:06:11 +0000

Disapointed. My grandfather John Joseph aka John Thomas Shaw is shown in 1901 living in Stratford East near the Temple Meads railway works and was believed to have been employed as a carriage builder on the Great Eastern Railway. My aunty’s diary for 1915 (Aug) says “dada says he will leave the Great Eastern”. However, the Great Eastern is not an option on this site.

By: Chris R

Chris R — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:49:14 +0000

I can search these by accessing the link provided or via the card catalogue, but I don’t seem to be able to get to them through the normal search system. I created a search for “William Dickinson” I then filtered down by selecting “Schools, Directories and Church Histories” and then “Professional and Organisational Directories” and there is no sign at all of the Railway Records. Is something wrong with the filtering system? I have UK and Irish only selected – has someone forgotten to flag this collection as a UK collection?

Chris.

By: nick h

nick h — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:54:30 +0000

Unable to find my grandfather who worked for GWR his entire life from about 1927 to his retirement in the 1970′s. Infact, there are no records for anyone in GWR beyond 1930. This is hardly complete.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:06:35 +0000

I was unable to find my ancestor George Anker who worked as a railway engine driver for Great North Eastern railways from 1880 to his death in 1898. He appears in the 1881 and 1891 census as railway engine driver, living in Nottingham. My g-grandfather, Walter Reginald Hewitt, worked as a clearinghouse clerk for Great Western Railways, in London, and he also does not appear, but he does appear in the 1911 census as a railway clerk. There is a W.R. Hewitt but he is not the same one, same for the George Anker that can be found in the search index.

By: Steve C

Steve C — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:39:32 +0000

Typo correction: “census ref. 13/1046 f81 p19 s125″

By: Steve C

Steve C — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:32:32 +0000

To Chris’ request for greater breadth, I’d like to please add mine for greater depth (if possible) – as my L&SWR trackworkers* seem to be missing.
* 2x BREWER (platelayer & tool boy – census ref. 13/1046 f18 p19 s125)

By: Chris R

Chris R — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:09:44 +0000

Are there plans to add other railway companies? The National Archives hold considerably more records than these on the many railway companies, and some of these include staff records as well. I would be interested in the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, for example.