Phil
Two books which may be of some value depending on what time period(s) you
are interested in. Firstly 'Victorian Railwaymen: The Emergence and Growth
of Railway Labour 1830-1870' by P W Kingsford, which has several references
to porters, and probably less useful 'The Railway Workers: 1840-1970', which
gives a general review of railway staff.
I am researching the employees of the Taff Vale Railway and I have been
struck by the number of hybrid grades that existed in that company. Porters,
particularly at small stations, were often jacks of all trades. Strangely I
haven't come across perhaps the most common of hybrids, the
porter-signalman, on the TVR, but the following is a list of those I have
found: Gateman/Porter, Goods Porter, Lamp Cleaner/Porter, Parcels Porter,
Platform Porter, Porter, Porter/Asst Brakesman, Porter/Asst Guard,
Porter/Carr Cleaner, Porter/Foreman, Porter/Lamp Cleaner, and
Porter/Lithographer.
If you are interested in the 19th century I have a reference to an article
in 'The Railway Signal' in which a goods porter looks back over 30 years
work at an unspecified major goods station in a big city (?London)
describing the introduction of hydraulic wagon lifts and other changes. The
article is not surpisingly religious in character given that the publication
was the journal of the The Railway Mission, but does describe the daily work
of the author. The RM archive is now at the NRM and the reference is Vol.I
No.8 March 1883 pp140-2. Contact Tim Procter at the museum if you wish to
access it, at [log in to unmask] . Alternatively I could get you a copy
next time I am in the Reading Room for my own research.
Dudley Clark
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Ashworth" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 6:45 PM
Subject: Railway Porters.
> I am looking at the work of railway porters, especially "goods" porters.
>
> Can anyone suggest suitable material to help me "read into" the subject?
> Either book or on the web!
>
> All suggestions gratefully received.
>
>
> many thanks,
>
> Phil Ashworth
>
|