General Notes

The history of the men and women that worked on the North London Railway from the 1850’s.  The majority of details concerning railway careers has come from the staff registers and minutes of meetings of the NLR now held by The National Archives.

Officers and Servants

The dividing line between officers and servants, as distinguished by the Railway Benevolent Institute, was salaried staff were officers and waged staff were servants.

Traffic Department Staff Required On Opening of the Railway on 1 Aug 1850

1 Assistant Inspector at £2 per week

4 Station Clerks at £1 5s per week, each to give security of £50

5 Guards at £1 5s per week

7 Porters at 18s per week

2 Policemen at 18s per week

2 Pointsmen at £1 per week

[RAIL 529/11, 18 Jul 1850, Board Mtg Min 325.]

Track Maintenance Staff

For about a year from the opening of the line, day to day maintenance was carried out by the contractors who built the railway.  When the contracts came to an end a decision had to be made for the maintenance to be contracted out or employ staff. Whilst contracts would probably be cheaper, additional fees would have to be paid if a task fell outside the terms of the contract. On the other hand, if  such a task came up and the Company had its own staff, some could be switched to complete the work without extra charge.  It was finally decided that the services of Henry Daniel Martin, the Engineer, be retained with a salary £250 a year, which included the expenses of the Engineer’s staff. [RAIL 529/11, 13 Nov 1851, Board Mtg Min 419.]

Station Clerks

It was decided that station clerks should have more relief.   The only relief they had was one day in five and the hours of duty was from 07:30 to 23:00 every day including Sundays.  The number was increased to three clerks to every two stations and “the labor equally divided.” [RAIL 529/11, 11 Dec 1851, Board Mtg Min 422.]

A Host of Memorials

Memorials for increase in pay and adjustment of the hours of duty were received from the following.  The Board referred them to the Chairman and General Manager [RAIL 529/29  16 Jan 1890 Board Min 4509].  Signalmen had been dealt with separately by the Board the previous month [RAIL 529/29 19 Dec 1889, Board Min 4486].

1. Engine drivers, firemen, and cleaners.
2. Travelling inspectors.
3. Station inspectors.
4. Foremen porters.
5. Ticket Collectors.
6. Shunters.
7. Porters.
8. Lift and cloak room attendants.
9. Ticket inspectors.
10. Policemen,
11. Train register boys.
12. Guards and under-guards.
13. Telegraph clerks.
14. Dock foremen.
15. Capstan men.
16. Gatekeepers and watchmen.
 

Extra Pay

It was decided that a system of premiums should be tried to encourage drivers and firemen to work their engines most economically and successfully.  It was thought necessary as the changeover from burning coke to coal in engines, the success of which, especially as to the prevention of smoke, depended so much upon the skill and attention of the engine crew.  The trial was made with the drivers and firemen of passenger trains. It was decided that £3 was awarded to the driver and fireman of the engine which had been worked with the least quantity of fuel,without any reports of being unpunctual or of allowing the engine to make smoke. [RAIL 529/15, 2 Aug 1859, Board Mtg Min 1685.] The first drivers’ and firemen’s premiums were awarded in Sep 1859. [RAIL 529/15, 13 Sep 1859, Board Mtg Min 1714.]

The accountant regularly received 20 guineas for for extra services in connexion with the half yearly accounts. [eg RAIL 529/31, 6 Feb 1902 Board Min  6083.]

The audit accountant received 50 guineas for extra services in connexion with the Workmen’s Train Inquiry and the St Botolph, Bishopsgate, rating appeal. [RAIL 529/31, 6 Feb 1902 Board Min  6083.]

Audit Accountant Minute 6083

Surveyors employed by the Company received a fee in connexion with the 1881 revaluation of the Company’s property for the the purpose of parochial rates. One received £550, to others £350 each. [RAIL 529/28 10 Aug 1881, Board Min 3281.]

Because of the exceptional circumstances of working traffic in connexion with the severe snow storm on the 26 and 27 Dec 1886, when the whole telegraph communication (block and conversation) was destroyed, and semaphore signals rendered practically useless from accumulation of snow, it was resolved that, as a special case, a gratuity equal to one day’s pay be awarded to the men engaged in the conduct of the traffic as under:

Engine Drivers

£35   6s   0d

Firemen

£20   1s   9d

Guards

£18 15s   8d

Brakesmen  

£9   1s   1d

Signalmen

£31   3s   1d

Train Register Boys  

£5 19s 11d

Traffic Inspectors      

16s   6d

Porters

£22   0s   5d

Shunters     

18s   0d

Platelayers

£24   9s   9d

Brakesman (M M & L S Dept)        

5s 10d

Inspectors, St Pancras Junction      

11s   8d

Total

£169 9s 8d

[RAIL 529/28 20 Jan 1887, Board Min 4107.]

Staff on the weekly wages sheets were granted a day’s holiday, without deduction of pay, in connexion with celebration of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on 21 Jun 1887. Men who could not be spared from duty on the 21st were allowed a holiday with full pay subsequently or receive a day’s pay as a gratuity as they wished. [RAIL 529/29 16 Jun 1887, Board Min 4165.]  A similar arrangement was made for the Coronation of Edward VII. [RAIL 529/31 15 May 1902, Board Min 6119.]

Financial Security

After an alleged loss of a cash bag containing nearly £187, the proceeds of the Kew traffic for week ending 7 Sep 1856, a review of the posts which officers and some clerks were required to give security resulted in:

Accountant (a post added to the list) £500;

Secretary’s Assistant and share transfer clerk (a post added to the list) £500;

Sub Engineer £200;

Assistant Traffic Supt £200;

Collector of monies £300;

two clerks in Secretary’s Office £200 each;

and that given by station clerks was increased from £50 to £100.

[RAIL 529/13, 11 Nov 1856, Board Mtg Min 995, and 9 Dec 1856, Board Mtg Min 1013.]

Superannuation

Railway Clearing System Superannuation Fund Association (RCSSFA)

There was a superannuation scheme for salaried railwaymen which appears to have kicked in from the age of 60. [William Seymour, station master, Canonbury. Pay £100. Platelayers’ wages (£12 6s 1d) stolen from his office. Called upon to resign, being 60 years of age and eligible for superannuation. [RAIL 529/56 2 Mar 1892, Loco Com Mins 8353/58.]]

Clarke, George Thomas. Station master.  Applied to join the RCSSFA. Contributions would amount to 8% of salary, 2½ % paid by Clarke, the balance by the Company. [RAIL 529/53 29 Feb 1888, Loco Com Min 6831.]

Station Master Clark, Minute 6831

Harry Alfred Gery. Booking clerk. Age 59. Pay £110. On LNWR take-over of management of NLR, not being a member of the RCSSFA, granted annual pension of £35 on attaining age of 60. [RAIL 529/32, 4 Feb 1909 Board Min 6950.] Booking Clerk, Mildmay Park. Born 28 Jan 1850. Age 60. Services retained ‘for present.’ [RAIL 529/83, 10 May 1910 Offr’s Mtg Min 488. RAIL 529/84 14 May 1912 Offrs’ Mtg Min 1079, 20 May 1913 Offrs’ Mtg Min 1371.] 65 on 28 Jan 1915. [RAIL 529/33, 23 Apr 1914 Board Min 8070.] Pension increased from £35 to £50 per annum. [RAIL 529/33, 25 Feb 1915 Board Min 8233.]

Pratt, Ephraim. Parcels Clerk, Highbury. Age 28. Appt 25 Oct 1880. [RAIL 529/133/645 Folio 162.] YOB 1853 [RAIL 410/1861 f4352.] Chief booking clerk, Highbury. Pay £120 to £130. [RAIL 529/59 29 Jun 1898, Loco Com Min 10525.] Clerk-in-charge, Highbury. Retired upon Superannuation Fund 1 Apr 1912. [RAIL 529/84, 14 May 1912 Offrs’ Mtg Min 1079.] Annual £9 16s 3d (16s 4d per month, 3s 9d per week). [RAIL 410/1890 Pension Card.]

Sickness and Sick Pay

Sick Fund.  The Manager was authorised to carry out a plan for starting a sick fund for the Company’s servants to provide for the partial payment in sickness with medical attendance.  They were each required to pay 4d per week.  The Fund was under the control of the Traffic Committee. [RAIL 529/11, 12 Feb 1852, Board Mtg Min 434.]

It was agreed that the servants of the NSWJ could join the North London Railway Provident Society on the same terms as those of the NLR, with the NSWJ Company paying a subscription at the same rate as the NL Company, with the number of servants at the time this amounted to 25 percent or £10 per annuum. [RAIL 521/5 18 Nov 1864, NSWJ Board Min 171.]

Charles Henry Kitcatt. Porter. Appt 24 Nov 1898 aged 27. [RAIL 529/130/218 folio 129.] Ex-soldier who was recalled to the Colours for the South African War.  Within a year of returning, he resigned to go to live in the country, his wife having bad health in London. [RAIL 529/61, 31 Oct 1901, Loco Com Min 11533.]  This happened on a few occasions and continued into the 1930s, and that is why the author moved from London to the south coast in 1938!

John Blundell, a guard, was injured in the Devons Road collision on 12 Mar 1900 and was sick on half pay to 18 Jun 1900. He was granted a gratuity of £4 to enable him to go into the country for a few weeks. [RAIL 529/60: 2 May 1900, Loco Com Min 11087; 4 Jul 1900, Loco Com Mins 11129/31.] He did not give evidence to the Board of Trade Investigating Offier, Lt Col H A Yorke, RE, who completed his report on 3 Jul 1900. Blundell was presumably unfit to attend.

Going away for a little sun & Air

Reynolds, G. Junior clerk, Audit Office. Invalided for six weeks on full pay. RTD 1 Jan 1877. Two weeks’ pay beyond the month prescribed by the regulations allowed. [RAIL 529/47 30 Jan 1877, Loco Com Min 2876.]

Waged staff were only granted illness sick pay if there were special circumstances and then it was generally only half pay. Scarlet fever within the family allowed absence with pay: S Smith, a platelayer was absent from 2 Nov to 4 Dec 1900, children with scarlet fever. He was granted full pay for a fortnight then half pay. [RAIL 529/72, 6 Dec 1900, PW Com Min 4853.] Absence due to being injured on duty resulted in full pay for salaried staff and half pay for waged staff. The length of time was dependent upon the injury, with each case being reviewed at each subsequent committee meetings until the person RTD, resigned, declared unfit for further service, died, etc.

Epidemics

In the early months of 1895 there was an influenza epidemic. The result was that seven extra porters were employed “in consequence of sick list being very heavy.” [RAIL 529/58, 3 Apr 1895, Loco Com Mtg Min 9510.]

Watford, W H. Train register boy to junior porter.Tyler, A A. Train register boy to junior porter.Groves, H R. Porter. New appointment.Law, R H. Porter. New appointment. Sanders, W. Porter. New appointment.Windsor, F. Porter. New appointment.Smith, J G. Porter. New appointment.

February of that year was a particularly cold month as a tug was hired and used both night and day to keep the water open in Poplar Docks. [RAIL 529/58, 12 Jun 1895, Loco Com Mtg Min 9542.]

Injuries….

William Wilgress was a brakesman who met with an accident on 8 Feb 1900. The initial report quoted ‘arm and leg injured.’ In fact he lost an arm and a leg and was totally incapacitated for further work. Under The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1897, he was entitled to 17s 8d per week (half average pay). Artificial arm and leg were provided by the NLR shortly after accident and were replaced in 1913. [According to Booth, 18s was considered to be the dividing line between poverty and being poor.]

Permanent way workers were frequently knocked down by trains and station staff fell between a train and the platform whilst trying to close doors of moving trains on a regular basis. Such accidents were often fatal or, if they were not, serious injuries nearly always resulted, in which cases sick leave on half pay was authorised (see Jonas Chitty below). Salaried staff received full pay, as with William Newell, Station master at Shoreditch: on 25 Jun 1874, whilst attempting to close the doors of the 8.27 am Bow to Broad Street train whilst in motion, he fell between the carriages and the platform. [RAIL 529/46 4 Aug 1874, Loco Com Min 2104.]

Walker, Ernest.  Ticket Collector, Coaching Dept, Victoria Park station. DOB 10 Nov 1867. Appt 10 Oct 1891. Pay 23s. Pay 24s 2 Mar 1908. [RAIL 529/131/795 Folio 309.] Painter. Whilst painting Prebend Street bridge knocked down from ladder by passing pony and cart. Sustained injuries requiring admission to hospital. [RAIL 529/70, 5 Nov 1890, PW Com Min 3760.] Sick on half pay until 10 Oct 1891, when he transferred to Traffic Dept for employment as a ticket collector. [RAIL 529/71, 7 Oct 1891, PW Com Min 3900, RAIL 529/71, 4 Nov 1891, PW Com Min 3912.] Collector, Victoria Park. Pay 20s. 10 Oct 1891. Transfer from Engineer’s to Traffic Dept. [RAIL 529/56 4 Nov 1891, Loco Com Min 8216.] Collector, Victoria Park. Pay 20s to 21s. 10 Oct 1892. [RAIL 529/56 5 Oct 1892, Loco Com Min 8596.]

French, Arthur. Grinder, Bow Shops. Had accident on 8 Jul 1898 and died following day. Verdict of Coroner’s jury, accidental death. Amount under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1897, £283 11s 2d. Widow requested the Company to retain the amount and pay her £1 per week, until the sum was exhausted. This was:  agreed;  2½% to be paid on annual balances;  this case to be taken as a precedent. [RAIL 529/59 3 Aug 1898, Loco Com Min 10562.]

I have often looked at photographs 50 and 51 in the NLR Pictorial Record (National Railway Museum, 1979) showing men standing on wagons on an hydraulic tipper and thought that it must have been a dodgy occupation for those concerned.

Plate 50 - Poplar Dock on 22nd June 1898
Poplar Dock on 22nd June 1898, showing a hydraulic coal tippler for discharging end-door wagons. The wagon owned by Wm. Cory & Son Ltd, a large firm of coal merchants in London, is a typical 8-ton vehicle with dumb buffers, with side and doors. A row of capstans for shunting the wagons is visible on the right. Photograph: courtesy the National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library
Poplar Dock on 22nd June 1898, showing a side-discharge wagon on a hydraulic tip.
Another view of Poplar Dock on 22nd June 1898, showing a side-discharge wagon on a hydraulic tip. This vehicle, owned by the Staffordshire Chemical Company, who had private sidings connecting with the North Staffordshire Railway at Chatterley, probably conveyed coke rather than coal, as it had a removable extension above the normal wagon body to carry an equivalent weight of coke, which is less dense. This wagon has spring brakes bit it still retains the single sided brake. Photograph: courtesy the National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library
This is borne out by coal labourer Preston’s injury record:
 
Face and leg injured. Poplar Dock. 3 Nov 1891. [RAIL 529/56 2 Dec 1891, Loco Com Min 8260.]
Finger broken. Poplar Dock. 20 Apr 1894. [RAIL 529/57, 30 May 1894, Loco Com Min 9220.]
Shaken. Poplar Dock. 8 Sep 1894. [RAIL 529/57, 10 Oct 1894, Loco Com Min 9324.]
Ribs bruised. Poplar Dock. 15 Nov 1895. [RAIL 529/58, 4 Dec 1895, Loco Com Min 9734.]
Contused back and side. Poplar Dock. 22 May 1897. [RAIL 529/59 30 Jun 1897, Loco Com Min 10223.]
Coal porter. Thumb injured. Poplar Docks. 25 Jan 1902. Sick on 15s pw to 3 Mar 1902. [RAIL 529/61, 6 Mar 1902, Loco Com Mins 11639/43, RAIL 529/61, 1 May 1902, Loco Com Min 11689.]
Finger crushed. Poplar Docks. 4 Dec 1902. Sick on 11s pw to 24 Jan 1903. [RAIL 529/61, 5 Feb 1903, Loco Com Mins 11928/32.]
And W Coomber did not do too well either:
 
Coal labourer. Injured at Poplar Dock on 6 Nov 1885. Sick on half pay. RTD 18 Jan 1886. [RAIL 529/52 1 Dec 1885, Loco Com Min 6017, RAIL 529/52 2 Feb 1886, Loco Com Min 6064.]
Labourer. Foot injured. Poplar. 5 Apr 1890. Sick on half pay from 7 Apr to 19 Jun 1890 [RAIL 529/55 30 Apr 1890, Loco Com Mins 7638/43, RAIL 529/55 4 Jun 1890, Loco Com Min 7683.]
Labourer. Thumb injured. Poplar Dock. 10 Mar 1891. [RAIL 529/56 29 Apr 1891, Loco Com Min 8023.]
Coal labourer. Head injured. Poplar Dock. 12 Jan 1892. [RAIL 529/56 3 Feb 1892, Loco Com Min 8310.]
Coal filler. Hip bruised. Poplar Dock. 25 Jul 1892. [RAIL 529/56 3 Aug 1892, Loco Com Min 8550.]
Coal filler. Right hand lacerated. Poplar Dock. [RAIL 529/59 5 May 1897, Loco Com Min 10152.]
Coal labourer. Fingers pinched. Poplar Dock. 8 Jan 1898. [RAIL 529/59 2 Feb 1898, Loco Com Min 10396.]

And The Welfare That Followed

Jonas Chitty

Started with the North London Railway, aged 25, on Monday 15 Jun 1868 as a porter at Dalston. He was recommended by W Adams, Esq (had he been employed in the Locomotive Department?). His weekly wage was 18s per week. [RAIL 529/132/714 Folio 144.] Prior to that he had been a merchant seaman. [1861 Census, RG 9/690, Folio: 40, Page: 6] On the following Saturday, 20 Jun 1868, in attempting to jump on step of a carriage whilst in motion, he fell between the train and the platform and was seriously injured. Sick on half pay. [RAIL 529/43, 30 Jun 1868, Loco Com Min 473.] Still in hospital and unlikely to be fit again for duty. [RAIL 529/43, 29 Dec 1868, Loco Com Min 586.]

The German Hospital, where he has been in-patient since accident, require his removal. Half pay to continue for another month. Traffic Superintendent to enquire as to family’s circumstances and intimate that the allowance cannot be longer continued. [RAIL 529/43, 2 Mar 1869, Loco Com Min 638.] Traffic Superintendent to liaise with parish authorities to arrange for removal of Chitty from hospital. [RAIL 529/43, 30 Mar 1869, Loco Com Min 658.] Steps taken: to remove him to the London Hospital, where the authorities, provided the case be found to be incurable, will not retain him for a longer period than one month; and to secure by election his admission to the Royal Hospital for Incurables, pending which he can be received into the Institution by payment at the rate of £60 per annum. Referred to Board. [RAIL 529/43, 4 May 1869, Loco Com Min 687.] Still in hospital, his condition is somewhat better. [RAIL 529/43, 1 Jun 1869, Loco Com Min 716.]

Manager reported that the authorities of the London Hospital had consented to retain Chitty as an in-patient until 5 Jul 1869, after which his removal will become necessary under the hospital’s regulations. Case under consideration by the Committee of Management of the Royal Hospital of Incurables. [RAIL 529/23, 17 Jun 1869, Board Min 1114.] Grant of £20, provided his friends raise £10, for immediate admission to Royal Hospital for Incurables, for six months, pending his election for admission. [RAIL 529/43, 29 Jun 1869, Loco Com Min 733.] Died in the Royal Hospital for Incurables 15 Apr 1870. Widow granted £5 for funeral expenses. [RAIL 529/44 3 May 1870, Loco Com Min 944.]

Other Welfare Cases

John Ridgway was a crane driver at Bow Works. He was about 50 years old and with about 22 years service with the Company when, in August 1912, on his way home from work, he died, leaving a widow and four children in a destitute condition. An immediate grant of £3 was made for pressing needs and this was supplemented by a further grant of £5. Also a job was created for the widow as a temporary waiting room attendant at Poplar station with a wage 12s 6d a week [RAIL 529/33, 17 Oct 1912 Board Min 7781].

Hospitals

Local hospitals and welfare organisations provided a service to NL railwaymen and they received annual donations from the Company. For example, the following were grants made in Jan 1886 [RAIL 529/28 21 Jan 1886, Board Min 3977]:

German Hospital £21          0s 0d
City of London Hospital (Victoria Park) £10 10s 0d
Great Northern Hospital £10 10s 0d
City of London Truss Society   £2   2s 0d
Metropolitan Convalescent Home         £3   3s 0d
Metropolitan Convalescent Home (Seaside Brach)   £3   3s 0d
Surgical Appliance Society   £5   5s 0d
Total   £55 13s 0d
Donations to Hospital, Minute 3977

In 1890 the Metropolitan Hospital (ten guineas), the Railway Benevolent Fund (twenty-five guineas) and the Railway Guards’ Universal Friendly Society (five pounds) also so received donations [RAIL 529/29 16 Jan 1890, Board Mins 4509/10/11].

Miscellany

On leaving the service
Absconded.
Deceased.
Discharged.
Discharged unfit for railway service.
Dismissed the service.
Dismissed.
Fortnight’s notice to leave the service.
Fortnight’s wages in lieu of notice.
Invalided from the service.
Left the Company’s service.
Left the service.
Resigned.
Retired.
Services dispensed with.
Services no longer required.
By individuals.

Absconded, with or without the Company’s money, which might have been used for anyone who left without informing the Company. Resigned. Retired, left with a pension. Although in certain cases retirement on pension was at the behest of the Company, which was perfectly legal until 1 Oct 2011.

By individuals and/or by the Company?

Left the Company’s service and left the service, presumably the same thing. This to me implies that the person left under a cloud – “I want your resignation on my desk tomorrow morning” sort of thing.

By the Company.
Discharged.
Discharged unfit for railway service. Lack of ability or lack good health?
Dismissed the service, dismissed.
Services dispensed with, services no longer required. The thieving porters of Dalston were sacked under the former.
Fortnight’s notice to leave the service. “We want you to go but we want to get all we can out of you before you do go.”
Fortnight’s wages in lieu of notice. “We want you to go now.”
Invalided from the service.
To leave – sight defective.
Just one of those things.

Deceased.

Permission to resign

“The Stores Committee had before them reports of the misconduct of two station clerks and one of the ticket collectors in drinking with some passengers at Hackney station on the evening of the 17 Jan 1859, and being partially intoxicated. The men wrote requesting permission to resign their situations; and the Committe recommend that they be allowed to do so.” [RAIL 529/15, 1 Feb 1859, Board Mtg Min 1570.]

Goods Dept. “In connexion with the recent revision of staff generally”

Briance, H. Dock foreman, Poplar. Pay 27s 6d to 40s. Gerard, E. Inspector, St Pancras Junction. Pay 35s to 37s 6s. Wright, T. Inspector, St Pancras Junction. Pay 35s to 37s 6s. Lane, C M. Inspector, St Pancras Junction. Pay 35s to 37s 6s. Ringrose, J. Yard foreman, Poplar. Pay 35s to 37s 6s. Bunting, T. Yard foreman, Poplar. Pay 35s to 37s 6s. Cannon, H. Yard foreman, Poplar. Pay 35s to 37s 6s. [RAIL 529/59 3 Nov 1897, Loco Com Min 10312.]

Double Entry Book Keeping

The following five railwaymen head the “A’s” in the LNWR Staff Records of Broad Street station 1865-1920 [RAIL 410/1831]. All of them are also shown in NLR records. The date of appointment in the LNWR records are when the person concerned became a watchman/signalman. In the case of Thomas Ann, his date of death agrees with NLR records, and, similarly, George Ashlin date of dismissal agree. I have no record of when the other three finished as they are post Feb 1909. As Ann and Ashlin went before the LNWR took over the running of the NLR the entries can have nothing to do with this. Initially I thought perhaps it had something to do with the staffing of Broad Street, the cost of which was partially paid by the LNWR. The only one who could have possibly be included in this agreement was Thomas Ann in New Inn Yard. Random checks through the Broad Street station staff book show similar entries, all signalmen.

Name Date Appt Remarks 
Ann, Thomas 4 Apr 1882 Died 5 Oct 1895
[NLR Records: Signalman. Age 31. Appt 23 Mar 1882. [RAIL 529/134/152 Folio 46.] Signalman, New Inn Yard. Pay 27s 6d. Deceased. [RAIL 529/58, 30 Oct 1895, Loco Com Mtg Min 9697.]]
Ayling, William 27 Oct 1882 Died 30 Dec 1914
[NLR Records:  Signalman. Age 21. Appt 27 Oct 1882. [RAIL 529/134/230 Folio 71.]]
Addison, Harry 11 Jan 1890
[NLR Records: Signalman. Age 22. Appt 11 Jan 1890. [RAIL 529/135/6 Folio 3.]] 
Ashlin, George Edward 4 Oct 1893 Dismissed 14 Oct 1895
[NLR Records:  Junior porter to watchman. Pay 14s to 18s. [RAIL 529/57, 4 Oct 1893, Loco Com Min 8976.]  Signalman, South Bromley. Pay 23s. Dismissed. [RAIL 529/58, 30 Oct 1895, Loco Com Mtg Min 9697.]]
Alexander, George Edmond 28 Jan 1901 Dismissed 10 Jan 1912
[NLR Records:  Porter, Broad Street, to signalman, Barnsbury. Pay 18s to 25s. [RAIL 529/60 2 May 1901, Loco Com Min 11381.]]

Flippancies

Five promotions and one job vacancy or dead man’s shoes
[RAIL 529/56 1 Jul 1891, Loco Com Min 8096.]

Edward William Jukes Signalman St Pancras Junction. Deceased Pay 27s 6d Thomas J Casey Signalman Haggerston, to St Pancras Junction Pay 25s to 27s 6d William Henry Swift Signalman Loop Line Junction, to Haggerston Pay 24s to 25s George Leaver Signalman Mildmay Park, to Loop Line Junction Pay 23s to 24s Joseph Odell Watchman to signalman, Mildmay Park Pay 21s to 23s James Weale Porter to watchman Pay 18s to 21s Gilford Fulcher Porter new appointment Pay 18s

One place to the right, MOVE! [RAIL 529/50 3 Aug 1880, Loco Com Min 4161.]

Horwood, J. Signalman Blackwall Bridge to Haggerston Pay 24s to 25s. Scullion, P. Signalman Hackney to Blackwall Bridge Pay 21s to 24s. Jukes, E. Policeman Broad Street to signalman Hackney Pay 21s. Howes, J. Gateman Poplar to policeman Broad Street Pay 21s. Dicks, N. Signalman Haggerston to gateman Poplar Pay 24s to 21s.

Transferred from extra pay sheet. Stratford goods and coal traffic
[RAIL 529/50 30 Nov 1880, Loco Com Min 4251.]

Inge, W. Porter, Chalk Farm, to under brakesman in training. Pay 18s to 22s 6d. Dine, C. Porter, Bow, to under brakesman in training. Pay 18s to 22s 6d. Warren, J. Porter, Chalk Farm, to under brakesman in training. Pay 18s to 22s 6d.

And what can one read into these two consecutive entries under Staff Changes?
[RAIL 529/56 3 Aug 1892, Loco Com Min 8556.]:

Charles Livock. Detective to cloak room attendant, Broad Street. Pay 31s to 25s. Vice Locke. William Locke. Cloak room attendant, Broad Street, to detective. Pay 25s to 31s. Vice Livock. [I suppose someone or other made a “Locke-up”. Bill King. 1 Aug 2012.]

Can these these two consecutive entries under Staff Changes be considered colour discrimination?
[RAIL 529/57, 28 Feb 1894, Loco Com Min 9137.]

Green, A. Porter, Homerton. Pay 18s. Dismissed. White, G. Porter, Homerton. Pay 18s. Dismissed.

Is this what is meant by fast track? [RAIL 529/59 2 Feb 1898, Loco Com Min 10398 two entries.]

George King. Train register boy, East Junction to Dalston. Pay 8s to 9s. 2 Dec 1897. Dalston to Maiden Lane Junction. Pay 9s to 10s. 28 Dec 1897.

Numbers

Relief Signalmen: Increased from 2 to 3. [RAIL 529/50 5 Oct 1880, Loco Com Min 4190.]

Gatemen and watchmen on transfer from Traffic to Goods Dept

[RAIL 529/53 29 Mar 1887, Loco Com Min 6502.]   Gatemen, Prestons Road Gate, pay 22s 6d. Warr, W. Finlayson, J. Salmon, D.   Gatemen, GN Gate, pay 21s. Turner, C J. Stickland,   R Harding, J T. Gatemen, West India Dock Road Gate, pay 21s. Matthews, J.  Smith, T. Hobbs, J.Watchmen, Harrow Lane Yard, pay 21s.  Cox, H.  Filmer, W.

HJR station and signalling staff

NLR continue to work HJR for one third entire earnings. Coaching and police staff to be transferred to NLR. [RAIL 529/38, page 19, 25 Aug 1863.]

“the LNW paying NL a round annual sum of £2250 to meet the costs of coaching and police staff.” [RAIL 529/21 10 Jan 1865, Board Min 44]

Northumberland and Durham Coal Company (NDCC)

From the opening of the NLR the NDCC was responsible for all coal traffic and proved their own manpower, engines and trucks. On 20 Jan 1858 the NLR took on the responsibility and retained all the servants of the NDCC, including the Manager (Adams). With the NDCC he was paid £1 for every thousand tons of coals (averaging £270 a year): with NLR he received a salary of £300. [RAIL 529/15, 2 Feb 1858, Board Mtg Min 1306.]

Articles on individuals published in the NLRHS Journal

George Boland Newton. Copy of the “Illustrated Interview” originally published in The Railway Magazine of September 1898 (Journal No 22)

Henry Martin, William Adams, John Park, Henry Pryce, in “Friends and Family” by David Hanson (Journal No 28) “Memories of an Engine Driver’s Daughter in the 1930’s and 1940’s” Charles Cross (1904-1986) by Helen Piper (Journal No 38)

Charles Alfred Alldred, John Baker, George Samuel Belsham, James George Edwin Dorling, and Charles Joseph Green, in “Police Raid Dalston Station Sunday, 24th July, 1904, The Tea Leaf Porters of Dalston” by Peter Bloomfield (Journal No 53)

Andrew Ivison, Porter, Bigamist and General Enigma by Sue Johnson & Peter Bloomfield (Journal No 54)

William Abel George Joyce, Edwin Charles Joyce, Charles George Jupp, and William George Patmore, in “Collision at Bow Station on 7th November, 1883 or carrying nepotism too far” by Peter Bloomfield (Journal No 55)

William Acton Gittins and sons William Acton and Alfred Acton in “Driver and Thrice Married” by Carol Clarke & Peter Bloomfield (Journal No 56)

William Lapidge, John Lapidge, Joseph John Ashlin and three sons (Joseph William, George Edward and Albert Edmund). Elizabeth Jane, née Lapidge, and sons Henry Elsom and John Thomas Schmutter in “Nepotism and Inter Breeding On The North London Railway” by Roy Lapidge, great grandson of William Lapidge, Margaret Hanrahan, great granddaughter of Joseph John Ashlin, David Patten whose mother was a Lapidge, Barry Ennever who is cousinly related to Henry Elsom’s daughter-in-law & Peter Bloomfield (Journal Nos 57 and 58)

And finally

E&OE – much to my disappointment, I have discovered that not only am I human but fallible with it.

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