Driver and Thrice Married
(Originally published in Journal 56, March 2013, of the North London Railway Historical Society)
[Including sons William Acton and Alfred Acton]
by Carol Clarke, his great great granddaughter, with railway research by Peter Bloomfield
[William Acton Gittins, engine driver – 1833-1909]
He was born in No 3 Alfred Street, Millwall, Poplar, on 9 August 1833. His father, William Gittins, a ‘mariner’ from Folkestone, married Anne Fairlop Acton, who was born in Limehouse in July 1810, the marriage taking place in The Hague, Netherlands, in November 1829. His father disappeared and his mother died soon after William was born. At the 1841 census, aged 7, he was living with his maternal grandparents John Cook Acton, who at this time was a lighterman, and his wife Rebecca in Poplar. It would appear that he was brought up by them. Birth and death records of William’s father have been well concealed and nothing is really known about him.
William Acton Gittins was baptised in St Nicholas’s church, Brighton, in December 1848 when he was 15: it has been suggested that it was in connection with an apprenticeship, as at that time it is understood that baptism could have been a prerequisite for obtaining one. At the 1851 census he is shown as an engine fitter, living in a lodging house, together with an engineer and an engine fireman. The lodgings were very close to the London Brighton and South Coast Railway Brighton station, which, being a terminus, more than likely had an engine shed. In addition the works next to the station were opened in 1852. At that time Brighton was little more than a fishing village.
In December, 1851, he married Emma Holliday, in All Saints, Poplar. She died in the first half of 1859. On 14 August of the same year he married Harriett Cooper. Their first five children (three girls and a boy) were born in Deptford between 1860 and 1868. Four further sons were born after their move to Bow in 1869. Harriett died in 1895 and the next year he married a widow, Sarah Lee, and inherited five step-children.
The 1861 Census shows him and his family living at living at 69, Railway Grove, St Pauls, Deptford, which then appears to have been a cul-de-sac that ran along the western side the railway immediately north of New Cross (SER) from New Cross Road almost to Edward Street. The goods depot and engine sheds serving the LBSCR London terminus, London Bridge, were at that time New Cross (LBSCR (now New Cross Gate)) as there was no land available by the terminus itself. There was also a single line to a dock and wharves at Deptford which was opened in 1849 to deal with barge traffic. 1 His occupation was shown as Engineer.
It is a little unclear what happened to him until 1869 when he joined the NLR as a fireman. From the foregoing it would appear that he might have served his apprenticeship and subsequently worked with the LBSCR in the 1840’s and early 1850’s. It is also possible that he continued working for the LBSCR in New Cross. It would seem logical that this is what happened as this would have given him the experience to become a fireman with the NLR when he crossed the river back to his birth place, Poplar. Family lore, however, has it that he was ‘on the liners’ until his wife was pregnant and ‘didn’t want him at sea.’ The LBSCR line to Newhaven was opened on 6 December 1847 and services to Dieppe started shortly after by the Brighton and Continental Steam Packet Company, which the Brighton line had formed as an independent concern.2 Could these have been the ‘liners?’ Unfortunately no evidence has come to light in support of these suppositions.
By September 1875 he had become a driver as that month he received a 20s premium for punctuality and economy in his driving of Poplar goods trains. This was repeated in 1893 and 1895 with the Chalk Farm and Haydon Square goods service.3 He remained a driver until 1900: when, at the age of 66 with 31 years service with the NLR, he failed a medical examination and had to retire. He was granted a good conduct retiring allowance of fifteen shillings per week. His pay on retirement would have been forty five shillings a week (three times his retirement allowance).
Of his sons, two followed him on to the NLR: the eldest, William Acton; and the youngest, Alfred Acton. The Acton link was very important to the family and the boys were required to have it in their names.
William was born on 17 July 1868 in New Cross and Deptford area. When he was 18 years old on 1 November, 1886, became a junior clerk on NLR and appears to have spent his time in the Audit Department. On the LNWR take-over of management of NLR his annual salary was £145, and he remained in the Audit Office, working in connexion with the Midland agreement. He married Eliza Mary Wheatley on 9 July, 1895, in Bow and they had three sons: as with other senior clerks of the NLR they employed a domestic servant. An accomplished church organist, he played at the funeral of Sir Guy Calthrop, General Manager of LNWR, in All Saints Church, Croxley Green, on 27 February, 1919.4 He was also involved with the authoring of at least two hymn books.
Alfred was born circa 1877 in Bow. Like his eldest brother, he became a junior clerk on NLR on 3 December, 1895. He later moved to LBSCR as a clerk for a short while, July to November 1900. He married Alice Frances Monk in Islington in 1906. By the time of the 1911 Census he was a tram conductor in West Ham.
[William Acton Gittins with his beloved engine – circa 1890, at Haydon Square goods depot. Would it have been on one of the occasions when he received a 20s premium for punctuality and economy on the Chalk Farm and Haydon Square goods service? No 65 first entered traffic on 14th August 1888 and was subsequently rebuilt during July 1905. Following rebuilding she was fitted with a revised numberplate and, as the original appears in the photograph, it must have been taken before this date. It was finally scrapped by British Railways in 1956 as No. 58854.]
| William Acton Gittins and Sons – Working Notes |
| North London Railway Records |
| Gittins, William Acton, Senior. |
| Awarded 20s premium for punctuality and economy for Sep 1875, Poplar goods trains. [RAIL 529/47 2 Nov 1875, Loco Com Min 2446.] |
| Awarded 12s 6d premium for punctuality and economy for Apr 1881, Chalk Farm and Poplar goods trains. [RAIL 529/50 31 May 1881, Loco Com Min 4405.] |
| Awarded 20s premium for punctuality and economy for Feb 1887, Chalk Farm and Haydon Square goods trains. [RAIL 529/53 29 Mar 1887, Loco Com Min 6471.] |
| Awarded 20s premium for punctuality and economy for Apr 1893, goods service. [RAIL 529/57, 7 Jun 1893, Loco Com Min 8835.] |
| Awarded 20s premium for punctuality and economy for May1895, Chalk Farm and Haydon Square goods service. [RAIL 529/58, 3 Jul 1895, Loco Com Mtg Min 9559.] |
| Driver. Failed medical examination. Age 66, service 31 years. Granted Good Conduct Retiring Allowance of 15s per week. [RAIL 529/30, 26 Apr 1900 Board Min 5832.] [Born 1833, NLR 1869] |
| Railway Benevolent Institution applications [Case 844, RAIL 1166/84, f206.] |
| Driver. 30 years’ service. Aged 66. Married with nine children, the thre youngest being aged 14, 13, and 9. Joined RBI Nov 1888, when over 45 years of age. Retired in Feb 1900 and was dependent on a pension of 15s per week. |
| Jun 1900 the RBI allowed him a gratuity of £8 and admitted him as an applicant for an annuity of £11, however, his admission as a candidate for an annuity was not confirmed. |
| Apr 1901 allowed a gratuity of £11. |
| Apr 1902 allowed a gratuity of £11. |
| Apr 1903 allowed a gratuity of £11. |
| Jun 1904: 15s pw pension and 9s pw from club to Nov 1904; then 4s per for rest of illness; when able works as a watchman (information as to club and work given anonymously; request for further assistance from RBI declined. |
| Apr 1905 application for further assistance declined, will receive 3s pw from club when 75 years of age. |
| Apr 1906 allowed a gratuity of £7 10s. |
| Apr 1907 allowed a gratuity of £5. |
| Apr 1908 allowed a gratuity of £5. |
| Apr 1909: 3s pw from club; was in infirmary suffering from senile decay; allowed a gratuity of £5. |
| Gittins, William Acton, Junior. |
| Ticket sorter. New appt. Pay 6s. [RAIL 529/79 12 Oct 1881, FGW Com Min 1575.] |
| Ticket sorter. Pay 6s to 8s. [RAIL 529/79 11 Oct 1882, FGW Com Min 1654.] |
| Ticket sorter. Pay 8s to 10s. [RAIL 529/79 10 Oct 1883, FGW Com Min 1732.] |
| Ticket sorter to junior clerk, Parcels Audit Office. Pay 10s to £30. [RAIL 529/80 6 Oct 1886, FGW Com Min 2007, RAIL 529/80 3 Nov 1886, FGW Com Min 2013.] |
| Junior Clerk 1 Nov 1886. Broad Street. [RAIL 529/137/60 Folio 64.] |
| Passed shorthand examination; granted premium of 10s. [RAIL 529/53 29 Mar 1887, Loco Com Min 6500.] |
| Junior clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £30 to £40. [RAIL 529/80 2 Nov 1887, FGW Com Min 2083.] |
| Junior clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £40 to £50. [RAIL 529/80 31 Oct 1888, FGW Com Min 2144.] |
| Junior clerk, Broad Street, Audit Dept. Pay £50 to £60. [RAIL 529/80 30 Oct 1889, FGW Com Min 2200.] |
| Junior clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £60 to £70. [RAIL 529/80 5 Nov 1890, FGW Com Min 2258.] |
| Clerk, Ticket Dept, Audit Dept. Pay £70 to £80. [RAIL 529/80 29 Nov 1893, FGW Com Min 2444.] |
| Clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £80 to £90. [RAIL 529/80 4 Mar 1896, FGW Com Min 2554.] |
| Clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £90 to £100. [RAIL 529/80 3 Mar 1897, FGW Com Min 2605.] |
| Clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £100 to £120. [RAIL 529/81 2 Nov 1898, FGW Com Min 2686.] |
| Clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £120 to £130. [RAIL 529/81 6 Nov 1902, FGW Com Min 2865.] |
| Clerk, Audit Dept. Pay £130 to £145. [RAIL 529/81 1 Nov 1906, FGW Com Min 3048.] |
| Clerk, Audit Office, Age 41. Pay £145. On LNWR take-over of management of NLR, to Audit Office, Midland agreement work. [RAIL 529/32, 4 Feb 1909 Board Min 6950.] |
| Gittins, Alfred Acton. |
| Ticket sorter. New appt. Pay 6s. [RAIL 529/80 4 Mar 1891, FGW Com Min 2280.] |
| Ticket sorter. Pay 6s to 8s. 23 Feb 1892. [RAIL 529/80 2 Mar 1892, FGW Com Min 2337.] |
| Ticket sorter. Pay 8s to 10s. [RAIL 529/80 1 Mar 1893 FGP Com Min 2400.] |
| Ticket sorter. Pay 10s to 12s. [RAIL 529/80 28 Feb 1894, FGW Com Min 2458.] |
| Ticket sorter, to junior clerk, Audit Dept. Pay 12s to ￡30. 2 Dec 1895. [RAIL 529/80 4 Dec 1895, FGW Com Min 2543.] |
| Junior Clerk. Appt 3 Dec 1895. Broad Street. [RAIL 529/137/165 Folio 171.] This is his employment contract: hence the day’s difference between this and the previous item. |
| Junior clerk, Audit Dept. Pay ￡30. Resigned 11 Aug 1896. [RAIL 529/80 4 Nov 1896, FGW Com Min 2584.] [4 November was the first committee meeting after 11 August.] |
| July 1900. Clerk, LBSC, Willow Walk. Pay ￡1 2s 6d. Resigned 30 Nov 1900. [RAIL 414/779 Folio 441.] |
| 1911. A conductor with Eastern Counties Tramways. [1911 Census RG 14/9536, RG 78/509] |
| Censuses | |||||||
| Name | Relationship | Status | M/F | Age | YOB±1 | Occupation | Born |
| 1841 Census [HO 107/702, Book/Folio: 11/58, Page: 13] | |||||||
| Registration District: Poplar Civil Parish: All Saints Poplar Address: Windmill Row, All Saints Poplar, Tower Hamlets | |||||||
| ACTON, John | M | 69 | 1772 | Waterman | |||
| ACTON, Rebecca | F | 68 | 1773 | Middlesex | |||
| GITTINS, William | M | 7 | 1834 | Middlesex | |||
| 1851 Census [HO 107/1645, Folio: 955, Page: 23] | |||||||
| Registration District: Brighton Civil Parish: Brighton Address: 3, Cheapside, Brighton, Brighthelmston (lodging house) [Less than 5 min walk to LBSCR station, which being a terminus would have had an engine shed. An engineer and an engine fireman also lodged there.] | |||||||
| GITTINS, William Acton | Single | M | 17 | 1834 | Engine Fitter | Poplar | |
| Marriage Mar qtr 1852, William Acton Gittins, and Emma Holliday. [GRO Poplar, v1c, p888.] | |||||||
| Death Jun qtr 1859, Emma Gittins. [GRO Lewisham, v1d, p406.] | |||||||
| 1861 Census [RG 9/393, Folio: 72, | Page: 39] | ||||||
| Registration District: Greenwich Civil Parish: St Pauls Address: 69, Railway Grove, St Pauls, Deptford | |||||||
| GITTINS, William A | Head | Married | M | 27 | 1834 | Engineer | Limehouse |
| GITTINS, Harriet | Wife | Married | F | 26 | 1835 | Hampshire | |
| GITTINS, Emma | Daughter | F | 8/12 | 1861 | New Cross | ||
| COOPER, Mary A | Sister-in-law | Unmarried | F | 28 | 1833 | Hampshire | |
| 1871 Census [RG 10/576, Folio: 41, Page: 22] | |||||||
| Registration District: Poplar Civil Parish: St Mary Stratford Bow Address: 50 Morville Street, St Mary Stratford Bow | |||||||
| GITTINS, William Acton | Head | M | 38 | 1833 | Fireman Railway | Poplar | |
| GITTINS, Harriett | Wife | F | 36 | 1835 | Hampshire | ||
| GITTINS, Emma Jane | Daughter | F | 10 | 1861 | Scholar | New Cross | |
| GITTINS, Rosaline | Daughter | F | 4 | 1867 | Scholar | New Cross | |
| GITTINS, William Acton | Son | M | 3 | 1868 | New Cross | ||
| GITTINS, Arthur Wm Acton | Son | M | 1 | 1870 | Bow | ||
| Birth Sep qtr 1860, Emma Jane Gittins. [GRO Greenwich, 1d, 539.] | |||||||
| Birth Dec qtr 1866, Rosaline H Gittins. [GRO Greenwich, 1d, 693.] | |||||||
| Birth Mar qtr 1868, William Acton Gittins. [GRO Greenwich, 1d, 780.] | |||||||
| Birth Dec qtr, 1869, Arthur William Acton Gittins [GRO Poplar, 1c, 630.] | |||||||
| 1881 Census [RG 11/496; Folio: 43; Page: 30] | |||||||
| Registration district: Poplar Sub-registration district: Bromley Street address: 24 Burdett Street | |||||||
| Name on census form Gellins | |||||||
| GITTINS, William Acton | Head | Married | M | 46 | 1835 | Railway Engine Driver | Hendon |
| GITTINS, Harriett | Wife | Married | F | 45 | 1836 | Hampshire | |
| GITTINS, Emma | Daughter | Single | F | 20 | 1861 | Deptford | |
| GITTINS, Rosaline | Daughter | Single | F | 14 | 1867 | Scholar | Deptford |
| GITTINS, William Acton | Son | Single | M | 13 | 1868 | Scholar | Deptford |
| GITTINS, Arthur William | Son | Single | M | 11 | 1870 | Scholar | Bromley |
| GITTINS, Alfred William | Son | Single | M | 4 | 1877 | Bow | |
| Birth Mar qtr 1877, Alfred Acton Gittins. [GRO Poplar, 1c, 714.] | |||||||
| 1891 Census [RG 12/321; Folio 17; Page 28] | |||||||
| Registration district: Poplar Sub-registration district: Bromley Street address: 42 Burdett Street | |||||||
| GITTINS, William Acton | Head | Married | M | 58 | 1833 | Loco Engine Driver | Poplar |
| GITTINS, Harriett | Wife | Married | F | 55 | 1836 | Hampshire | |
| GITTINS, Rosaline Harriett | Daughter | Single | F | 24 | 1867 | New Cross | |
| GITTINS, William Acton | Son | Single | M | 23 | 1868 | Organist & Railway Clerk | Bromley |
| GITTINS, Alfred Acton | Son | Single | M | 14 | 1877 | Clerk CC [commercial clk?] | New Cross [Bow!] |
| Death Dec qtr 1895, Gittins, Harriett, 60. [GRO Poplar, 1c, 391.] | |||||||
| Marriage Sep qtr 1896, Gittins, William Acton, and Lee, Sarah Delia. [GRO W. Ham, 4a, 205.] | |||||||
| 1901 Census [RG 13/1571, Folio: 76, Page: 35] | |||||||
| Registration District: West Ham Civil Parish: West Ham Address: 124, Corporation Street, West Ham | |||||||
| GITTINS, William A | Head | Married | M | 67 | 1834 | Rt Loco Engine Driver | Poplar |
| GITTINS, Sarah D | Wife | Married | F | 60 | 1841 | Ongar | |
| GITTINS, Alfred A | Son | Single | M | 24 | 1877 | Railway Clerk | Bow |
| LEE, Eleanor | Step Daughter | Single | F | 24 | 1877 | General Servant Domestic | Canning Town |
| LEE, William J | Step Son | Single | M | 17 | 1884 | Railway Office Lad | Stratford |
| LEE, Thomas H | Step Son | Single | M | 14 | 1887 | Grocer’s Lad | Stratford |
| LEE, Geniatt | Step Daughter | Single | F | 15 | 1886 | Stratford | |
| LEE, Robert | Step Son | Single | M | 12 | 1889 | Stratford | |
| William Junior | |||||||
| 1901 Census [RG 13/1608, Folio: 59; Page:4] | |||||||
| Registration District: West Ham Civil Parish: Wanstead Address: 19, Gordon Road, Wanstead | |||||||
| GITTINS, William A | Head | Married | M | 33 | 1868 | Railway Audit Clerk | Deptford |
| GITTINS, Eliza M | Wife | Married | F | 26 | 1875 | Bow | |
| GITTINS, Harold A | Son | M | 3 | 1898 | Bow | ||
| 1911 Census [RG 14/9758, RG 78/514] | |||||||
| Registration District: West Ham Sub District: Walthamstow Address: 14 Wynndale Road South Woodford | |||||||
| GITTINS, William Acton | Head | Married | M | 43 | 1868 | Railway Clerk | Kent |
| GITTINS, Eliza May | Wife | Married | F | 36 | 1875 | Bow | |
| GITTINS, Harold Acton | Son | M | 13 | 1898 | School | Bow | |
| GITTINS, Stanley Lewis Acton | Son | M | 7 | 1904 | South Woodford | ||
| GITTINS, William Basil Acton | Son | M | 2 | 1909 | South Woodford | ||
| TALLAND, Eleanor Francis | Servant | Single | F | 21 | 1890 | General Servant Domestic | Canning Town |
| Married 15 years; 3 children, all living; 6 rooms. | |||||||
| Alfred | |||||||
| 1911 Census [RG 14/9536, RG 78/509] | |||||||
| Registration District: West Ham Sub District: South East Ham Address: 20 Latimer Avenue East Ham E | |||||||
| GITTINS, Alfred Acton | Head | Married | M | 34 | 1877 | Conductor Tramways | Bromley by Bow |
| GITTINS, Alice Frances | Wife | Married | F | 24 | 1887 | Kentish Town St Pancras | |
| GITTINS, Phyllis Acton | Daughter | F | 6/12 | 1911 | |||
| Married 5 years; two children, one died; 5 rooms. | |||||||