Hello Rootschatters, help required/any ideas where to go? Robert Charlton married my Great Aunt Maria Thompson January 1923 at Gateshead. The marriage certificate states his occupation as Station Master and address as Station house, Bensham, Gateshead. I have an address for them in 1935 at Denewell Avenue, Low Fell, Gateshead and he is down as Station Master. After that nothing.
He was born July-Sept 1882 at Pelton Fell, Chester-Le-Street, Durham, parents Ralph and Mary Ann with his fathers occupation being Railway Engine Driver/Stoker (this would be for the NER which became the LNER in 1923). 1901 census has Robert as Asst. signalman and 1911 as Railway signalman (NER). In 1911 he was married to Florence and had 2 children Robert & Gilbert. Florence died in 1919 (aged 35). He was living with family in South Shields in 1901 and in Lemington on Tyne in 1911
Obviously being a station master for the LNER he could have been transferred to anywhere in the area covering London up to the border or even into Scotland and as Robert Charlton is a common name there are numerous!!! deaths for the period 1935 -1964. I have chosen those dates as he was living in Gateshead in 1935 (as previously mentioned) and his wifes death in 1964 and I know she was a widow having been taken by my mother to visit her when very young.
As Maria was 50 (give or take a couple of months) I don't think they would have had children together.
I have posed this question on the LNER website about 6 months ago but to date no reply. I have got into LNER history website for the railway museum in York but found it difficult to navigate and couldn't find anything.
So would anyone out there know where I can go for any information or does anyone have the ability to access information records of where he was a station master or if he stayed at Bensham. Any help would be gratefully appreciated as this is the last part of their history that I need to find.
Many thanks, Paul
