UK Railway Employment Records 1833-1963

[DCS]

Hi Redroger,

Thanks for your input.  That explains why the family moved from Thaxted, to Prittlewell and ended up in Stratford!  I had hoped that photos of the men would be in the records but probably not.

Diana

[Redroger]

There were few long distance geographical moves from the East Anglian railway companies until the formation of the LNER in 1923.

[DCS]

Hi Redroger,

My George Speller born 1841 in Thaxted, moved on and is in the 1861 census in Prittlewell (can't find him and the family in 1851) working as an engine cleaner.  His father Fred born 1819 Bury St Edmunds is a station porter and the family lived at No 2 Station Yard, Prittlewell.  He died in 1886 in Prittlewell but George his son moved to Stratford and is in the 1891 census living in Stratford where he is a furnace stoker.  Later though he is listed as being a stoker in the soap works in Stratford.  Perhaps the records are more pertinent to train drivers?

Regards

Diana

[rosie99]

Hi Redroger,

My George Speller born 1841 in Thaxted, moved on and is in the 1861 census in Prittlewell (can't find him and the family in 1851)

4 Weasel Court, Bury St Edmunds
HO107/1792 f186 p43
Frederick Speller 31 Bricklayers Labourer bn  Bury St Edmunds
Elizabeth  38 bn Thaxted
Joseph 13 bn Thaxted
George 9 bn Thaxted
Frederick 5 bn Bury St Edmunds
Edmund 1 bn Bury St Edmunds

[DCS]

Thanks Rosie, That's great!  I can plot the family's whereabouts better knowing all the residences.  What I can't understand is why the family kept moving backwards and forwards from Bury St Edmunds to Thaxted.  It's quite a distance between the two places.

Are you able to end a mystery for me - the whereabouts of George Speller born 1828 Bury St Edmunds in 1841 census?  George was the brother of Frederick.

Many thanks,

Diana

[Redroger]

In my experience with the railway records at the National Archive, from where Ancestry has obtained these, the major survival factor depends on the company concerned, I don't think that there are more train drivers' records overall than other occupations, but as I say it varies between companies.

[rosie99]

Are you able to end a mystery for me - the whereabouts of George Speller born 1828 Bury St Edmunds in 1841 census?  George was the brother of Frederick.

Sorry Diana, I can't see him as Speller or Spiller.

Rosie

[DCS]

Thanks for looking Rosie.  Yes, I couldn't find him either.  I do believe there was a George Speller sent on a ship to Australia or somewhere so maybe it was him and he came back to England after his sentence was up.  But this is only supposition!  lol

Diana

[Redroger]

A quick search of the Australian records has shown no Spellers in the records. However, this is not exclusive and might merit a more intensive internet search.

I think it unlikely that a returned convict would be accepted as an employee by any of the railway companies as in the 19th century railway employment was something of a "plum" job, and the employers were able to pick and choose who they set on. If he was convicted after employment this would probably lead to his dismissal whether or not he was jailed. In some circumstances it still does.