Researching a Customshouse Officer

[janiegirl]

Thanks to some help from BG member and my own research, I have found my gr gr gandfather Edmund/Edward BILLS was a Customhouse officer in London in the mid to late 1900's.

How do I go about looking for any archive there may be about him?

I am going to London for a few days in April and would like to do some research while I am down there. I realise that to do some preliminary investigations would be a good idea.

Can anyone help with some ideas? I don't know where to start.

Thanks

Janiegirl

[Geoffers]

Mid to Late 1900s??

Did you mean mid to late 1800's?
If so, and also for earlier records, have a browse through The National Archives (TNA) resarch guide on Customs and Excise Officials (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=234)
which has all sorts of stuff to give you ideas for which records may be useful.

[janiegirl]

Your right Geoffers I meant 1800's.|oopsredfa

Should pay more attention when I type, I'll go and look at that website now.

Thanks

Janiegirl

[janiegirl]

I'm definately loosing it!

He was Edmund/Edward WILBRAHAM not BILLS, BILLS was his daughter's married name.

Sorry

Janiegirl

[lizatcolenso]

Hi
I've just spent a day at the National Archive looking up excisemen and customs officers. There's a lot of building going on so not everything was available. Hamms Year Books list officers annually but are not accessible at the moment- not sure how far back they go. The minutes of the excise board are available and are indexed. You go to the microfiche room and look at the index for your man (listed by year and then by name) then order up on the computer the actual minute books to your desk in the reading room- book one of those first especially if its busy. They give details of promotions, moves, disciplinary details etc. Be prepared for disappointment - mine was sacked for being 'lazy, careless and unfit'!!

Liz

[janiegirl]

Thanks very much for that!


Will bear it in mind for the future.

Janiegirl