Genealogy Chat

Some of my family in the 1860s moved from Liverpool to Newcaste (and back to Liverpool again.)

Does anybody have any knowledge of how they might have travelled in those days?
I know the railways were mainly up and running by then, but would horse-drawn coaches also have been an option? Would they have walked?
Thanks,
Tony

Anthony, the best thing is to do a bit of research - this will probably prove to be quite interesting! Just google search things like 'travel uk 19th century' etc.
Jan

Their mode of travel would no doubt have depended to a large extent on their financial circumstances.....

Coal mining and railways were often the cause of high mobility. I find railways is usually between 2 towns, and have many examples of West Bromwich to Toxteth Park. Almsots as if the two places were in the same area. THye strated off as train cleaners, then firemen and finally the pinnacle of the working class - railway engine driver.

And coal mines. The man used to go to a new pit, then family followed. A pit was sunk in Thurcroft near Rotherham just before WW1. By 1921 there were 8,000 settled there on what was about 6 farms and cottages in 1909. Irishmen came in to sink pit, then tales of men walking from as far as Dudley (80 miles) to get a job. Loads came from Scotland andf North east. And temporary train lines were built right up to the back gates of ther terraces. So families put all their belongings in a railway carriage and the whole family would unload at their new back gate.

Coal mining and railways were often the cause of high mobility. I find railways is usually between 2 towns, and have many examples of West Bromwich (Birmingham) to Toxteth Park (Liverpool) and Toxteth Park to West Bromwich in my family. Almost as if the two places were in the same area. They started off as train cleaners, then firemen and finally the pinnacle of the working class - railway engine driver.

And coal mines. The man used to go to a new pit, then family followed. A pit was sunk in Thurcroft near Rotherham just before WW1. By 1921 there were 8,000 settled there on what was about 6 farms and cottages in 1909. Irish navvy gangs came in to sink pit, then tales of men walking from as far as Dudley (80 miles) to get a job. Loads came from Scotland andf North east. And temporary train lines were built right up to the back gates of their terraces. So families put all their belongings in a railway carriage and the whole family would unload at their new back gate.

Perhaps they couldn't understand Geordie.

Railways. From the off the railways had basic travel with slatted wooden seats etc. Of course nowadays we have 1st class fares and no seats ...

Railways put long distance coaching out of business instantly. When such things did exist the better off went inside and the hoi poli on the roof. The rich had their own carriages.

Even the roof was beyond the means of most. Not so the railways.

However local horse drawn transport for people and goods went on well into the C20.

Walk from Liverpool to Newcastle !!!! No way.


Aw went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the ninth of Joon,
Eiteen hundred an' sixty-two, on a summer's efternoon;
Aw tyuk the 'bus frae Balmbra's, an' she wis heavy laden,
Away we went alang Collingwood Street, that's on the road to Blaydon.

(chorus)

Ah me lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

We flew past Airmstrang's factory, and up to the "Robin Adair",
Just gannin' doon te the railway bridge, the 'bus wheel flew off there.
The lasses lost their crinolines off, an' the veils that hide their faces,
An' aw got two black eyes an' a broken nose in gan te Blaydon Races.

(chorus)

When we gat the wheel put on away we went agyen,
But them that had their noses broke they cam back ower hyem;
Sum went to the Dispensary an' uthers to Doctor Gibbs,
An' sum sought out the Infirmary to mend their broken ribs.

(chorus)

Noo when we gat to Paradise thor wes bonny gam begun;
Thor was fower-an-twenty on the 'bus, man, hoo they danced an' sung;
They called on me to sing a sang, aw sung them "Paddy Fagan",
Aw danced a jig an' swung my twig that day aw went to Blaydon.

(chorus)

We flew across the Chain Bridge reet into Blaydon toon,
The bellman he was callin' there, they call him Jackie Broon;
Aw saw him talkin' to sum cheps, an' them he was pursuadin'
To gan an' see Geordy Ridley's concert in the Mechanics' Hall at Blaydon.

(chorus)

The rain it poor'd aw the day an' myed the groons quite muddy,
Coffy Johnny had a white hat on - they war shootin' "Whe stole the cuddy."
There wes spice stalls an' munkey shows an' aud wives selling ciders,
An' a chep wiv a hapenny roond aboot, shootin' "Noo, me lads, for riders."


:-D

Thanks for all the replies. Fascinating. I'll have to do a bit more research into Victorian travel.
Tony