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  1. #1
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    Default Sydney W Atkinson, of Inverness.

    Hi all,

    I really would like to find out a bit more information about this gentleman, who many living people do remember but not much about his job which really does intrigue me.

    He married my adoptive great aunt Lilian Brown in Welwyn Garden City in 1945, and they went up to Inverness in Northern Scotland in 1951. Sid (as he was known) started working on the railway at Welwyn Garden City before he made his way to Scotland via work. After that I know nothing else.

    He definitely was some important. He lead HM The Queen, Princess Margaret and The Queen Mother round Inverness and through the distilleries via the railway, and was intent in showing off what comfortable journeys they were on the Scottish trains.

    The very weird thing is, I can't find a darn thing about this man! As usual you B-G users are always brilliant at locating the 'undiscovered', so I await your excellence

    Kind regards,
    Steven.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Hi Steven
    There is a Sydney Atkinson(no middle initial) in two entries for the National Union of Railwaymen.
    D you know when your Sydney was born?
    On the 2 May 1926 Sydney Atkinson was a porter for LNE(?). He was a member of the Morley branch of the Union( I hope I have interpreted the record correctly) and was paying in to the accident fund.
    There is another entry which has this man age 23 a porter for LNW(?) Mirfield is mentioned. (FMP is playing up and I am having trouble finding the record again)

    This is the guide to railway workers on The National Archives site

    Sydney may have been chosen to escort the Royal family, even though his position was a porter, to demonstrate the Royals affinity with the workers. Of course he may have worked his way up the ranks. The papers local to Inverness where Sydney worked would surely have an account of the occasion.

    Christina

    Added: LNE = London and North Eastern Railway
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  3. #3

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    Steven, Scotlands People has a death certificate for Sydney Wilfred Atkinson, aged 85 in 2007, in Inverness. It's too modern to be on line, you'll have to either visit the SP Centre in Edinburgh or buy a hardcopy. Depending on who gave the info, you should the names of his parents, his residential address, occupation and whether he was a widower or husband.

    There is also a death cert for Lilian Beatrice Brown & Atkinson, 82 in 2006, Inverness. Same comments apply.

    My article on using SP is HERE.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lesley Robertson View Post
    Sydney Wilfred Atkinson, aged 85 in 2007, in Inverness
    Sydney Wilfred Atkinson, that's him! He died 28 August 2007 at 72 (Old) Perth Road in Inverness. He was born in 1922 in Hatfield, but his family came to Welwyn Garden when he was 5 years old. I have spoken to his two daughters (who became estranged with their brother) and they told me their brother has it. No idea where he is or any contacts, so dead end there! More certificates to come!

    Quote Originally Posted by Lesley Robertson
    There is also a death cert for Lilian Beatrice Brown & Atkinson, 82 in 2006, Inverness.
    Lilian's maiden name was Brown, her married name was Atkinson. Her sister, my adoptive grandmother, is still alive but knows nothing apart from that he worked on the railway. She died in July 2006. I guess I'll be paying £££ for a certificate.

    Also Lesley, what you found about him being a porter in 1926 is far too early - he would've been 4 years old!!!!!! He was definitely somebody high up - his house was gigantic. From Google, his house has now been divided into two bungalows instead of one. I have a sneaky suspicion he was Superintendent - I recall hearing this at some point.

    Steven.

  5. #5

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    The portering was Chris, not me. Is the guy she found his father? Occupations often ran in the family.

    It doesn't actually look terribly expensive when compared with certificates for other countries - you can order from the green button on your results page, then it's 12 quid per certificate. See HERE.
    It looks like they're sending electronic copies now, rather than paper.

  6. #6
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    Sorry, my mistake!!

    It does look like they do electronic copies, which helps a million!

    Sid came from Cambridgeshire, and his birth registration in 1922 confirms this. His daughter said Sid's father was a tailor, but it could be he made the uniforms for the railway.

  7. #7
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    The marriage of his parents
    Marriages Dec 1/4 1903
    Gertrude Alice Goodley to Sydney Graves Atkinson registration district Peterbro' vol 3b page 549
    There is a tree on ancestry with Sydney jnr and the correct parents but they have him marrying Eva Gammon and his death in 1987 in Cambridgeshire so it seems they have mucked up somewhere.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  8. #8
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    In the 1911 census Sydney Graves Atkinson is a railway stoker living at 15 Mill Hill Road March Cambridgeshire and there is a Sydney W Atkinson son aged 7 with them!
    I have confused myself now so will have to look at all this more closely later.

    Taken a look and the one born 1904 is a Sydney William Atkinson who's parents are Sydney Graves Atkinson and Gertrude who, in 1911, say they have been married 8 years so the marriage in 1903 is them.
    I can't see a death for a Sydney W 1911 to 1922 which would be a reason to give a later born son the same name and middle initial.
    There is only one marriage for a Goodley and Atkinson couple 1890-1922 anywhere in UK

    More confused than ever.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  9. #9
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    To find out more about his work and position in the railways my previous suggestion still seems the best way to go. ie The papers local to Inverness where Sydney worked should have an account of the occasion. A visit by members of the Royal family would surely make the newspapers.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  10. #10
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    Right, you've also confused me!! My Sydney Wilfred Atkinson was born in 1922, in North Witchford in Cambridgeshire.

    Christina, I'm having a search done of the newspaper archives and awaiting results

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