What was the Great Northern Railway AT?

[[Ray]]

Could it be A.I. (as Dawn's suggestion)?

but "something" Infirmary? Were they one/both "sick" or injured when they met?

Or is there some kind of terminology for a temporary town for workers GNR bring in?

[GrizzlyDad]

Thomas Ansell was a horsekeeper (ostler) so would there have been a requirement related to the railway? I'd assumed he would have worked in an inn but I suppose you had to leave your horse somewhere if you were travelling by train

You've made me think.

I don't know anything about sickness, it doesn't seem very likely. They were soon producing children and in the 1861 census were living in Aldenham Street.

[[Ray]]

..was in process of posting this ...........

PASTSCAPE (English Heritage) - Kings Cross Goods Yard

Much of the site was made up of the sprawling Kings Cross Goods Yard some 58 areas of warehouses, sheds, STABLES, offices and sidings. This was laid out by the Great Northern Railway Company in the early 1850s. This vast complex, designed to service the goods side of the company's business expanded throughout the 1850s and 1860s, and was partially restricted and upgraded in the late 1890s.

[[Ray]]

Aha!

In 1861, after they married, they were living in Aldenham Street "dead opposite" old St Pancras Church. (on the "edge" of the development area.)

They could have "lived on (his) job" I suppose when they got married ie above the stables.

However, there is/was the "old" workhouse (aka an infirmary) "next" to the church
(ok next to the burial ground next to the church).

[GrizzlyDad]

I guess it will be hard to find firm evidence that he worked for the railway but it does seem to be a strong possibility.

I still think it's a 'T' from looking at my GRO certificate. There is another 'T' written with the same flourish on my certificate but not all 'T's are written the same way.

It he lived/worked in this depot, could the 'T' stand for Terminus? I see on the 1851 map it has Railway Terminus written. You can see from Dawn's jpg that the other letter is an 'A'. Great Northern Railway A....... Terminus?

[Redroger]

Personally I think the Agars Town is the most likely to be correct. The 1851 map, though excellent has to be conjectural at this date since King's Cross station did not open until 14 October 1852. It was constructed on the site of an old fever hospital.
As has already been said there would be very many horses involved at this time. Remember there were no internal combustion engines, so all collections and deliveries and all taxi cabs and buses would be pulled by horses. In that era, Agars Town, and other areas demolished by the building of a railway would remain demolished, the company would regard provision for the displaced people to be none of their concern. Date reference from: "Change at King's Cross" ISBN 0 948667 060 Published c 1995

[[Ray]]

Hi

I was sitting in a waiting room this morning and I had to smile at the thought.
BerlinBob said "why would they give a railway station as an address"?

If they were homeless they might.
Could AT actually be " A Tent"?

I know that I am being "strange", but the more I think about it the more I agree with Bob. Why WOULD they give THAT address?

Were they "living rough", somewhere around the station environ?
Did they spend their days(or nights) there, coz they had nothing to do?

Brings back memories of my wife's fave film, now what is its name?
Oh yes, Brief Encounter.

 

[mazi]

A history of the G N R shows an engraving of the engine sheds in 1851,there are several horses in the scene, also a reference to a petition by the men for houses to be provided because of the appalling shortage of accomodation in the area, repeated again in 1853, and ignored again by management.

It would not be unusual for them to be living in makeshift accomodation on railway-owned land, but i still cant think what the initials mean, but agars town would fit the bill, but its always descibed as a shanty town, and not the place anyone in employment would contemplate.

Mazi's oh

[EeyoreBlue]

Hi Grizzly

Wondered if this might be of any use in your search?

http://ukhrail.uel.ac.uk/glossary/glossary.html

Regards

EeyoreBlue