Leeds Railway Police early 1900s

[scruffypup]

Hi

I've just found out my Great Grandfather William Leng who I had thought was a policeman was actually a policeman for the Railway Company in Leeds in the 1911 census, I wondered if anyone had any ideas where to start looking for info or if there are any sites with info or photos of the railway police around the Leeds area, the family were living in Elsworth Terrace so I assume he would have been working around the Armley/Wortley area of Leeds.

Julie

[Valda]

Hi

A guide to some railway police records held at The National Archives:

http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Railway_Police 

Comprehensive transport police staff records are not held at The National Archives

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/rdleaflet.asp?sLeafletURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enationalarchives%2Egov%2Euk%2Fcatalogue%2Fleaflets%2Fri2204%2Ehtm&lBack=-1 

British Transport police history

http://www.btp.police.uk/about_us/history.aspx 

I would contact the BTP for the whereabouts of staff records (as website above)


Regards

Valda

[scruffypup]

Hi Valda

Many thanks for your reply, I know William died during the first world war but as far as I'm aware he died on duty rather than being enrolled, I think he was too old to serve his country being born in 1878.  My Gran was only young when he died and she never talked about him much when she was alive so I haven't much to go on unfortunately.

Jools

[Valda]

Hi

'The Military Service Act of January 1916 specified that single men between the ages of 18 and 41 were liable to be called-up for military service unless they were widowed with children or ministers of religion. Conscription started on 2nd March 1916. The act was extended to married men on 25th May 1916. The law went through several changes before the war's end with the age limit eventually being raised to 51.'

Volunteers pre this date I believe were accepted in their early 40s.

Regards

Valda

[dave the tyke]

I thought that certain trades and professions were deemed to be of National importance and were classified as reserved occupations, exempted from military service, eg. Police, Firemen, Doctors and hospital staff, tram and train workers   

I've just had a look here http://www.btinternet.com/~prosearch/OWS.html  It seems that there was a system for 'badging' certain people but the system was under constant revision throughout the war. The final part summarises the situation.

Dave

[scruffypup]

Hi

Many thanks for all your replies, sorry it's taken a while to get back to you. William seemed to have a variety of occupations before moving to Leeds, he worked on farms in Helmsley then after moving to Leeds he was a porter in Leeds Hospital, I'm not sure if that would be LGI or perhaps Hyde Terrace before he became a Railway Policeman.

Regards
Julie

[bobby Taylor]

He probably would have been a Great Central Railway police officer.

[scruffypup]

Hi Bobby

Thanks, I will try to find out more about the Great Central Railway Police Dept. 

Regards

Julie

[scruffypup]

Hi

It's been a long time since I originally posted on this topic, I now know that before William was a policeman for the railway in 1911 through 2 of his union records I can now place him as  a goods porter 1904 and a drayman in 1906 working at Leeds Central? NE would that be the North Eastern Railway?  His records are very brief, I don't know if there are any other records for him, these are the only 2 I have been able to find