Thomas G W Parker, Locomotive Inspector, 1881 Census Questions?

[DavidJP]

Hi all,

The 1881 Census for one of my 3x gt grandmother's nephew's, has raised one or two questions, which I am hoping will be answered with a little help from my fellow Rootschatters.

Thomas G W Parker born 1856 in Newcastle Upon Tyne (transcribed as Thomas G H Parker and born 1858 on familysearch) is shown as a "Locomotive Inspector Othy Ry" living at "Witton Junction, Witton-Le-Wear, Durham".

This raises 3 questions as follows:

1, what does it actually say on the original image regarding the last two words of his occupation? I reckon that it's something railway?

2, I cannot find a Witton Junction as a railway station just the now disused Witton-Le-Wear station. Would it have been this station that he at least worked at?

3, What exactly was a Locomotive Inspector? I realise that the answer may be straight forward or slightly obvious, but I would like if possible a fuller explanation/understanding.

Many thanks in advance.

Kind regards

David

[barryd]

"Could it be "on the railway"?

He would have been the equivalent to a person who does an MOT Test now. To make sure the locomotive is fit and safe to be driven on the railway.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/w/witton_le_wear/

Near the green railway ticket is the description you are seeking.

[wivenhoe]

Looking at the census....opens to be page 6 of 56 online- and several pages either side...

- With address Witton Junction, there are maybe fifteen households

- With address Witton Junction .....railway jobs as occupations (plus a couple domestic for females)......locations before and after are farming, agricultural.

- With address Witton Junction...... there are no railway jobs for ticket-seller, porter etc. which might suggest a passenger station.

- stationmaster and two signalmen.

- Jobs sound like maintenance ie  1 x locomotive inspector, 1 x railway inspector, fitters and platelayers.

- Stokers, and numerous engine drivers......it might have been a location where crews changed, and maintenance and inspection was done.

- go to page #1 which gives area covered, with names of locations, and names Witton Junction.

- many instances where the listed occupations have been later edited, mostly the railway jobs.

Do you know the name of the railway company that ran that line......might be abbreviation for the company?

[barryd]

 North Eastern Railway

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Eastern_Railway_(UK)

[KGarrad]

The wording on the census form is:
Locomotive Inspector, with words added (by an enumerator?) Oth Ry (Other Railway).

A few page earlier we can find Nurse - where Dom (Domestic) has been added, and Housemaid - where Dom (Domestic) has been added).

[stanmapstone]

Inspector, locomotive; examines locomotive engines in one or more locomotive sheds; notes defects and reports to superintendent. "A Dictionary of Occupational Terms"
It was the North Eastern Railway, Wear Valley Branch. http://maps.nls.uk/view/101100041#zoom=4&lat=2460&lon=5200&layers=BT

Stan

[mazi]

The management structure of the railways was loosely based on that of the police.
Each company has a locomotive superintendent with inspectors answering to him, and a traffic superintendent likewise.
 
In his description of the accidents at Thorpe near Norwich, and abbots ripton, both in 1874, O. S. Nock makes reference to "day inspector"   " night inspector" and signal inspector, as being of higher rank than stationmaster, having responsibility for several stations

I would suggest that seven years later in 1881' a locomotive inspector was of similar management status in the locomotive dept more an administrator than a worker.

Mike

[stanmapstone]

2, I cannot find a Witton Junction as a railway station just the now disused Witton-Le-Wear station. Would it have been this station that he at least worked at?

It should be Wear Valley Junction see the map at http://maps.nls.uk/view/101100071#zoom=5&lat=3179&lon=1252&layers=BT  In the 1881 census Witton Junction comes just before Low Beechburn. You can see the Engine Shed marked.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

The 1881 Instructions to the clerks employed in classifying the occupations and ages of the people, has under Order 6 Sub-order 1 On Railways   "Other Railway officials and servants" So Thomas has been classified under this category see http://www.rootschat.com/links/01eb1/  The clerk in the census office has written the annotation Oth Ry

Stan