Genealogy Chat

......Railway Porter from one census to another? Opinions would be appreciated please! This man did move - married in West Derby 1890, Bootle in 1891 then definately in Chester in 1901??

Thanks,

Kate

I suppose they could do, if everything else matches up. It is quite possible for someone to change occupations in the 10 years between censuses.

Sam x

Kathryn, i have an Ancestor who was a Labourer in 1881, in prison in 1891 & owning his own buisness in 1901 so i would say yes, anythings possible.

Lots of my family went from being farm labourers to working in different jobs on the railways. It also meant that both sides of my family went from living in rural areas to living in industrial towns.

The coming of the railways meant new jobs for lots of people, so I'd say it was perfectly possible for your man to change jobs.

Kath. x

Absolutely, there wasn't a lot of difference between a dock labourer and a porter - basically the same sort of work.

Living in Bootle, working at the docks would have been very common, but there wouldn't have been much call for dock workers if the family moved to Chester, so getting work as a porter would make a lot of sense.

Incidentally, West Derby was the parish and registration area for the whole of north Liverpool, not just the small village suburb it is today, so the likelihood is that the marriage took place in Bootle, not West Derby Village.

Was he a soldier at any point? Railway jobs were pretty coveted at that time and often went to ex military men who had the right bearing and discipline (the Railways were run like the military back then - if only ............)

Excellent feed back thank you. All really useful and I am getting a good picture of my man! Don't know if he was a soldier yet - thats another matter to investigate. Thanks all, Kate xx

Have one relative who went from farm labourer to sculptor in between censuses. He then became an author as well.

Just found him on 1901 census as Breaksman (serves breaks on trains or trams) living in Rhyl - he was all over the place! Jack of all trades. Funnily enough his son and grandson had several occupations and they included mechanics too.

I ought to say that I had previosuly thought I had the right man in 1901 census but now realise that was a different and unmarried one.

Always a good indication of being a rail worker when they seem to be all over the place :)