Railway Company, 1880, Barcombe, Sussex

[Alasdair Hall]

James BETTLES died 15 June 1880 at the "Railway Huts, Barcombe" in Sussex. His occupation was Railway Labourer. Can some knowledgeable and kind person enlighten me on which Railway Company he might have been working for, and if its likely that any additional information may be held in any remaining company archives? I'd like to confirm that I've got the right James, so I'm looking for any additional info. like next of kin, wife's/childrens names etc. Thanks in advance.

[Geoffers]

The National Railways Museum has a guide (http://www.nrm.org.uk/research/railwayrelatives.asp) to researching ancestors who were railwaymen

The National Archives (TNA) has two guides (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp) on railways which may help to give you a clue as to where to look. One of the guides has a list of railway companies which may help you to narrow down for which one he worked.

If he was a labourer on the railways, there may be very little information available.

Does his death certificate record that there was an inquest? (Look in the column recording the name of the informant).

[AnnB]

You may be interested in this site http://www.villagenet.co.uk/ashdownforest/attractions/isfield-lavenderline.html which gives you a little background on the railway at Barcombe.

Best wishes
Ann

[Alan Welsford]

James BETTLES died 15 June 1880 at the "Railway Huts, Barcombe" in Sussex. His occupation was Railway Labourer. Can some knowledgeable and kind person enlighten me on which Railway Company he might have been working for, and if its likely that any additional information may be held in any remaining company archives?.
Hi this older post popped up when I was searching for something quite different.

In case it has not been answered, anyone at Barcombe, Sussex in 1880 working on a local railway, would undoubtedly have been working on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, (LBSCR in abbreviated form).

I'm not an expert on railway staff records, but from what I found when looking for a couple of other railway queries, staff records seem to be more likely to be at the National Archives, than at the National Railway Museum at York. The latter is good for railway history, but from the poor information on their web-site, people records don't seem to figure much.

Incidentally Barcombe was part of the same line which is preserved as the Bluebell Railway between Sheffield Park and Kingscote, although Barcombe itself is no longer part of the line.

Alan

Edited to say that I now realise the link posted by AnnB contains the same information, Well at least it verifies my story......