HELP WITH LNER JOB DESCRIPTION

[North Country Boy]

My paternal great-grandfather was employed for the NER (later know as the LNER) from 1906/7 until his death in 1933. On several of his children's birth certificates he has listed his occupation as a Merchant Seaman.

Can anyone help me with info or guidance as to what a Merchant Seaman who was employed by the LNER would have done??

Gor the record, on futher birth/marriage and his death certificate he has listed his occupation as a variety of thing from Marine Enginer, Engine Driver, Dredger to Steam Hopper driver.

Many Thanks

Ian   

[suttontrust]

Hi, Ian.  It may be that he worked on a ferry owned by the railway.  The Humber ferries were railway-owned (don't know whether it was LNER).  One bought one's ticket from a station on the pier, so presumably the men who operated the boats were both railwaymen and merchant seamen.

[casalguidi]

Hi Ian

I agree with Suttontrust that he most likely worked on a ship (either passenger or freight) owned by the railway.  Certainly there were ferries sailing from Dover & Folkestone at this time that were railway owned.  Those who go to sea either deep sea or home trade and employed by any other than the Royal Navy are known as Merchant Navy.  Engineers are certainly officer status in the Merchant Navy today.

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[North Country Boy]

Thanks for the info.

Just done a bit of digging about on the web and discovered that in 1905 the North Eastern Railway formed a company with Wilson Shipping Line called the Wilson and North Eastern Railway and Shipping Company to run the Hull-Gotenburg (Sweden) route. This was set up mainly for immigrants passing through Hull on thier way tothe USA and Canada. Knowing the my g-grandfather was Swedish by birth, I wonder if he workerd on this route.

Ian

[Rena]

Hi,
I'm researching the Germany to Hull immigration route which was run by the Gt Central Railway of Grimsby to Hamberg and Rotterdam, Holland.  I think I've read that as well as the Wilson line the Olsen line did the same run.  I found an online pic of a Gt.Central poster which showed they had agents in various towns and offered escort services between ships and trains.   I think you're right in your assumption.
Rena
=

Thanks for the info.

Just done a bit of digging about on the web and discovered that in 1905 the North Eastern Railway formed a company with Wilson Shipping Line called the Wilson and North Eastern Railway and Shipping Company to run the Hull-Gotenburg (Sweden) route. This was set up mainly for immigrants passing through Hull on thier way tothe USA and Canada. Knowing the my g-grandfather was Swedish by birth, I wonder if he workerd on this route.

Ian