G`day Folks, My Great,Great Uncle William came to Australia when he was 19 years old in 1875. He gained employment out here with the railways as a fettler and worked for them for 33 years. His only son also became a railway man, and in a letter to his son, Great,Great Uncle William wrote a little about the railway in the Eastern Counties of England. This is not text book history but rather a working mans account of how he saw it. This was written in the early part of the twentieth century by a man born in Great Chesterford, Essex in 1856. http://www.clickGormo
No worries lads... It`s great to have copies of his correspondence, it opens a window into what it was actually like back then. I have earlier accounts telling of how the farmers used to walk their ducks and geese to market before the railway ever reached Great Chesterford and how the boys were going out to work at 8 years of age and what sort of work they were doing..........fascinating stuff. Life is much easier now. http://www.clickGormo
The tunnel mentioned in the letter is a listed building and is (allegedly) the most ornate tunnel portal in England. (scroll down a bit for history) https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1239472# From what I've read elsewhere, Lord Braybrooke wouldn't allow the railway to cross his land unless it was in a tunnel, to "preserve the view". Which rather explains the delay also mentioned in the letter. By the time the letter was written, the line was operated by the Great Eastern Railway (just thought I'd get that in ) Rather like this picture. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5044013 Great letter Gormo. Ed
Great post Gormo, it is nice to have an account written by an ordinary railway employee rather than the clinical official history, and Ed, that photo of the South Portal is brilliant, not only did they make the tunnel functional but it looked great too, pride in their work. Pete.
Wow!!!...thanks Ed... That info makes it all even more interesting. The tunnel is very ornate, a work of art, but I`ve seen another and can`t think where it is now. It was on Portillos Great British Railway Journeys and it looks like a castle..???. Thanks for the history.....every little bit helps tie it all together. Pete....Uncle William and his brother Dudley ( Great Grandfather ) were working lads, no airs and graces, just honest hard working fellas......and my Grandfather ( Jack ) was out of the same mould. A country boy who worked on the railways. He was in the rail gangs as well....a fettler.....labouring work, but he managed to keep his job right through the great depression. He had to work a long way from home at times, sleeping under canvas and he would send his wages home to my Grandmother to keep the family going. We`ve got it easy these days... Yes Gary......family history.....gets more interesting as we find out more. http://www.clickGormo