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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Nottinghamshire => Topic started by: maccalenny on Tuesday 16 March 10 18:42 GMT (UK)
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Hi all, wondering if anyone remembers/has info on the railway crossing on Trent Lane. My great-grandfather Charles Green took over as gate-keeper there in 1910 I believe. His son Stanley was killed on the track in 1911 - harrowing reading the inquest reports. My grandfather was born in the house that stood next to the track, in 1916. I'm not sure when my great-grandfather retired, but he died in 1937. I have been to the crossing, but the house seems to be long gone. Does anyone remember the house, or even know where I might get a photo? There is just a triangle of wasteland now.
Kate
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Have you tried Picture The Past?
http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/
I haven't looked so I don't know if there is a picture.
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Thanks - I haven't found the place yet but think I will have hours of fun looking - can't believe I haven't come across this website before!
Thanks again
Kate
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Sure my mother will remember this. if it was still there when she was a child (born 1926) because she used to play around there.....I know that when I was a child we used to visit one of her friends who lived near there every couple of weeks or so & it was a big treat to see a train going by.....but I can only remember the crossing.
Don't suppose her memories would be much use to you ?.......if there's anything you want me to ask, let me know. You could also get in touch with the main library in Nottingham & ask them if there's a Nottm club for train enthusiasts....there's bound to be one &, maybe they'd have someone who'd know about these things, or could at least tell you the best place to look/contact to find out if there is a photo
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You might be in luck......I googled Nottingham Trent Lane & got a link headed "Nottingham Model Railway Society.....Trent Lane Crossing".......apparently their latest project is to make a model of the crossing & there's a photo on there from 1953 (which, I know, is later than you want, but even so......The link is www.nottingham-modelrailway.org.uk (sorry....can't do links)....you should be able to trace them through Nottingham's main library, anyway & they may have some older photos
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Oh....this site automatically does links for you.....fab....didn't get me to the same page, though.....but you can contact them or google Nottingham Trent Lane
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Hi - for the kind person whose Mum lived in the area - the attached photo is great-grandad Charles Green, gate-keeper, on wedding day to 2nd wife Sarah King, (she was blind, incidently) with her family - daughter Faith, son-in-law Sydney, and frind of family on left. She had another daughter Alice. They all lived down Kingsley Road for a while - this photo may well have been taken there. Charles died about 6 months after this photo was taken, 1937-8. Sarah lived to the 1950s but moved to Basford during the war I think.
Kate
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Thanks for the lovely photo....we'll go back there one day & think of them all
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This brought back memories, I thought just for a moment that the K2 locomotive in the picture had been shedded at Boston, we had several, then I recalled Colwick had them too, and more than us, they were used on the Skegness services in the summer mainly on freight all the year round. From what I can see of the signal box behind the train it is the standard GNR signalbox, and will have been there from when the line was first built. To get the details of the ground floor google a picture of Heckington Mill, it has the signalbox in the foreground, and is of identical type to the one at Trent Lane, though there may be minor variations of detail.
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Hi - thanks for all the help. I've followed up on all the ideas and am hopeful of getting somewhere.
Kate
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Hi there, This is a real coincidence as I'm also trying to trace a crossing keeper at Trent Lane. My GG grandfather was Samuel Coope who was the crossing keeper in 1881. The census lists him and Louisa, she being 43 years old and listed as his wife, but it was his daughter. Before this he was a railway policeman at Ambergate in Derbyshire. Would appreciate any help on this.
STEVE :)
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Interesting! I don't know if things were the same back in 1881, but by 1910 it seems you were given the job if you were unfit for other work....my g grandad had been injured at work. Wonder if your was something similar?
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Can't say, but he had worked on the railway for 30 years and one of his sons was a warder at Nottingham Gaol, so, maybe he wanted a gentle job to reach his retirement. This unfortunately wasn't the case. :(
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I presume you have seen this link but just in case you havent.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2362972
This pdf has an interesting map of the crossing and the locality.
http://open.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/comm/download3.asp?dltype=inline&filename=51092/1104011.pdf
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Interesting! I don't know if things were the same back in 1881, but by 1910 it seems you were given the job if you were unfit for other work....my g grandad had been injured at work. Wonder if your was something similar?
Not quite that simple as crossing keepers had to be fit as regards railway signalling regulations; i.e. they must NOT be colour blind,reach the signalling eyesight standard without glasses; i.e. 6/6 CVN as it is known in the railway medical jargon and be physically capable of carrying out the duties of the post, which would normally mean opening and closing the crossing gates; so whilst I have known of crossing keepers with one arm, they had to be able to walk normally and have no history of heart conditionsor fits and seizures etc.
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Thanks for the info coming in, I had seen the picture of the present location via google earth, my old ancestor must have been fit because he was doing the job in 1881 at the age of 69 years old. Have been to NRM at York today and they tell me that they will do a 30 minute search for free if I email them. Will keep you informed. :)
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Not only been in touch with NRM (still waiting for reply) but also the ::enquiries@midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk. My enquiry was passed to Glynn Waite at ::
http://www.rowsleyassociation.org.uk/ and has really done himself proud. Not only has he identified my family correctly, but has filled me in on most of Samuels railway career. He was at Ambergate but moved to Trent Lane as a crossing keeper in 1873 until his health got the best of him in 1884, that made him 73 years old !! Credit where it's due, many thanks to Glynn for the info. :)