Stratford Essex - 1890 boiler maker

[Milliepede]

Straying into unknown territory here and probably a long shot but one of my ancestors who was from Wiltshire puts Stratford Essex as his residence when he marries in Wiltshire in 1890.

I was wondering where he may have worked as a boiler maker in that area, any big employers at that time? 

He is home with family on previous census and emigrates in 1890 but this sole reference to Stratford is intriguing.  Sorry there is no street address or anything more specific to trace and I don't know how long he was there

Appreciate any comments thank you.

[lizdb]

I have only glanced through, but a closer read may reveal some clues -

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol6/pp76-89

Although it says West Ham, there seem to be some references to Stratford.

[lizdb]

This, from 1886 so only 4 years earlier, mentions an Andrew Stapley, boiler maker of Sugar House Lane, Stratford

https://pubshistory.com/StratfordHistory/Stratford-1886-Commercial-S.shtml

[lizdb]

Lastly :

https://www.roll-of-honour.com/London/LondonGER-WW1-T.html

Looking at Tupp and Thurlow - seems to suggest the Railway had a boiler-making depot at Stratford, at least in 1914-18.

[Rena]

I only know the Stratford in Wiltshire, but I see from GENUKI that there's a Stratford-Langthorne in the Parish of West-Ham, Essex(Commonly known as Stratford).

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/ESS/Towns/Stratford

There's a guide to British Industries by the name of "Grace's Guide" and I see from entering Stratford, Essex, ther's quite a list of possible boiler engine manufacturers, but you need to go through them to see which ones were trading in the era you're researching.

https://gracesguide.co.uk/Special:Search?search=Stratford%2C+Essex&fulltext=

There's over a hundred miles from Wiltshire to Essex, so how did the couple meet - could he have been sent to test boilers in the other county, which could mean he travelled by the railway his employers owned?

[lizdb]

Definitely a Stratford in Essex!  Home of the Olympic Stadium!

[mazi]

The great eastern railway works at Stratford built 960 steam engines between 1870-1900

Mike

[Milliepede]

His wife was local (Wilts) so he probably met her on home territory.  Whether he told her he was emigrating 3 weeks after the wedding (he is single on passenger list) is another matter!  She is at home with her father on the 1891 census but did join him at some point as they had a child in 1893. 

That's interesting about there being a railway works at Stratford, his father was an engineer/fitter in the GWR.  I think it's very likely that's where he was working. 

Wonder if there are any records of employees for the Great Eastern?  I have seen GWR employment records for his father and other relatives but as I say I don't know how long he was in Stratford. 

 
 

[Rena]

My father was a mechanical engineer/fitter and his father was a boilermaker/engineer for Caledonian Railway (who sent him all over the UK when it merged with another railway company) and then later became a boiler inspector for an insurance company travelling around northern England assessing boilers in tractors, on ships, in factories.  My father always said that boilermakers thought they were a cut above other engineers, plus they were paid more.

Apprenticeships had to be paid for and parents knew who the best employers in their area were, so tried to get their sons into that company.  The money that the parents paid for the apprenticeship indenture would be used as weekly wages paid to the apprentice during his 5 year training period. Unless a family member trained a relative, all apprenticeships had to be recorded centrally and you might be lucky and find a record of the transaction which records the nature of the apprenticeship, father's name, apprentice's name; and employer's name & town.

Rena