Railway records

[piggolo]

It's been a while since I had my Ancestry subscription but I notice people are talking about Railway records being available. I've got 2 different ancestors I'd be interested to know if records exist for them and frankly, whether there is enough useful information to pursue. Can anyone help let me know ?

The first is William Holland (b.1846 in Fremington, Devonshire). He was recorded as a Railway Guard. I believe he worked at St Pancras.

The second was William Baker (b.1871 in Ashburton, Devonshire). He was an Engine fitter (mechanical engineer) and worked around the country, based mainly in Newton Abbott but I think he went up country as well.

Any thoughts, comments, pointers, help would be hugely welcomed

Cheers

[euryalus]

If he was based in Newton Abbot it is likely that he worked for the Great Western Railway, which was the only company to serve that town.

[Chris Doran]

The database description on Ancestry says:

What is included?

... Approximately 50% of the books cover the Great Western Railway, ...

What can I find?

The most common record type in the database is a staff register. Others include station transfers, pension and accident records (which can include death date), apprentice records (which can include father's name), caution books, and memos.

Records will typically list an employee’s name, station, position, birth date or age, and various other details, such as salary, date entered service, and transfer information. For example, caution books list offenses employees were written up for and include name, date, grade, station, years of service, and date of suspension if applicable. Salary and wage registers list name, name of person recommending an employee for a position, date of appointment, salary or wage, dates of pay raises or decreases, age at the time the employee joined the railways, promotions, and remarks, which can mention transfers to different stations.

Records can be searched by name, birth year, event year, station, or company. Or they can be browsed by volume. In the browse, unless otherwise identified, the books are staff registers.

There are lots of matches to William Holland(s) with the other criteria you give, but seeing the actual records requires a Premium or Worldwide sub, which I don't have. I don't know whether the sub some libraries have includes them, but it won't cost you anything to try.

[Peter Goodey]

Popping into the library is a good idea.

Ancestry Library Edition is available at the following libraries: Alton, Andover, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Fareham, Farnborough, Fleet, ·Havant, Hayling Island, Hedge End, Lymington, Romsey, and Waterlooville. Winchester Discovery Centre, Gosport Discovery Centre, Basingstoke Discovery Centre and Hampshire Record Office.

AFAIK this edition covers all UK records. Don't know about other countries.