Genealogy Chat

can anyone tell me what the lancashire goods station is-and what a capstan was?
and can you read inquests anywhere? also how do you read archives of newspapers
not much to ask :)
thanks

a capstan is the big metal thing on the quayside that you tie ships to. Don't know about the Lancashire goods station though, sorry

Irene

thanks irene
I have a death cert from 1876 that states 15 year old boy died from injuries arising through the insuffiency of a capstan worked by the deceased at the lancashire goods station
angela

Where was the boy living at the time.

Ang

Where was the death? There would have been many goods stations in Lancashire.

I think a capstan was also like a winch - the anchor rope on a ship would have been wound round a capstan and as the anchor was pulled up so in a goods station it might have been used for trucks, etc.

I wonder whether it was Liverpool. I found this extract re the lines to the Liverpool Docks

"While The Liverpool Overhead Railway is probably the most famous of the Railway lines in Liverpool Dock, there were many others. A goods-only railway ran under the entire length of the Overhead Railway and had tracks branching off into most of the docks. Some of the tracks of this railway still exist. The mainline railways all wanted their pieces of the action. The London and North Western Railway, London Midland and Scottish, the Cheshire Lines Committee and the LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE Railway all had goods and passenger terminals up and down the port"

Yes. A lot of places had two or more stations, often known according to the company that owned them. Almost certainly you're looking for the local goods station of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway (often called the Lanky), in whatever town he lived.

There's a bit about capstans here

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/2-track/02track2.htm

You could also look in the railway company archives for an internal inquiry report.

thanks for everyones help,Ive just logged back on-my boy atkin was living in leeds at the time and died in the infirmary- the inquest into his death was held the day after

Hi Ang,

There may be a report in one of the Leeds newspapers of the time. The Leeds Mercury was in existence at the time - holdings are listed here, with links to the archivists:

http://www.yli.org.uk/newsplan/news
_details.asp?title=Leeds+Mercury

thanks ivy Ill take a look now

mmm I think Im going to have to go to the library in leeds

Hi Ang

They have a lot of relevant materials there - maps, parish registers, electors, newspaper reports, etc - I'd put aside as much time as you can and chat to a librarian before you go.

All the best