What was the Great Northern Railway AT?

[Redroger]

Looking at my book again, I see that the Locomotive Superintendent had a house on the site overlooking the loco shed.What does it actually say on the 1861 census for the immediate vicinity of Kings Cross station?

[mazi]

I have made the mistake of thinking of this as a Census address but it is a marriage cert. and just reflects what they were able to tell the incumbent at the time.
It would, I think, not be unusual if he were to be employed looking after railway horses to live onsite, the horses being in use 24 hrs and needing 24hr care, the early railways being notorious for expecting their employees to work all hours.
Mazi's oh

[Redroger]

There is a comprehensive glossary at the back of my book, and though it gives detail of at least three sets of stables, with drawings, there is no reference to accomodation that I could see at a brief glance. But then the horses were more important than the men who looked after them, it was cheaper to hire new staff than to buy a new horse.

[GrizzlyDad]

What I enjoy about this forum is that, even if you don't get to the bottom of your mystery (and I probably won't), you learn a lot along the way.

I had never connected my stableman with the railways but now the link seems clear. I just thought they had checked into a hotel (which now seems ridiculous and I seem to have gone from a hotel to a tent in two days!). It is a bizarre location to put on a marriage certificate (especially for the wife) but I guess they were just getting by.

Thanks to everyone who's contributed so far and if anyone comes across any more information I'd be happy to hear from you.

[[Ray]]

Having looked at the marriage certificate,
(after some edoocashun by dawnsh - Thanks Dawn!)
and another 100 certificates "either side", then of course some people would put their work location down. Police, bakers, publicans, shopkeepers all do it, and more.

I also found an address, for a poss railway man, followed by "BWR" (note not GWR)
and a separate address, for a non-railway man, ending in  "KT" (which I took to mean Kentish Town)


So, found loads of "A"s, and examples of "T"s written the same way 
Therefore AT is not unreasonable, and bearing in mind GNR, then my original suggestion is my vote = AGAR Town (on the site of the railway development).

Did anyone notice that her father is noted as a "Vet" and the VetCollege is "opposite the church". Yet, the previous census he is a blacksmith. Was she "talking up" her father's occupation?
For interest, 1851 census link is MaryAnn, Richard her father, AND Amelia her sister (witnessed m.cert)

Ray

[Redroger]

The change from blacksmith to vet has already been noted. The real purpose of this post was in regard of to the mention of KT for Kentish Town. I know there was a railway hostel there in the 1950s.located in a Victorian slum building where train crews were required to lodge when working split shift turns. My father and other colleagues stayed there, and were agreed that it was of doss house standard. Unless someone can find census info for Kings Cross in 1861 I think we are stuck now.

[[Ray]]

"Someone has found census info for Kings Cross (Station)"


1861 census (Kings Cross Station)
Middlesex > St Pancras > Camden Town > District 13 > page 54
RG9 118 6

First of a  number of census pages, for KingsX Station beginning with
Richard Williams    (48) Railway Inspector   born Northleach    Gloucestershire

includes next page
William Vizer (32) Railway Station Inspector in "Railway Cottage"

next entry is for "Stables with Apartments" (George Stevens)
then the Hotel on further 3 pages.

Enjoy

Ray

[GrizzlyDad]

Thanks, gents, good finds. I agree Agar Town seems to most likely and I suppose there are two main possibilities for why they put Great Northern Railway AT as their address. Either it was his workplace and they lived closeby or they were in the accommodation above the stables. That may be as close as we get but it's pretty close.

I am glad to see the hotel on the census. Makes me feel better about my original assumption. They were just too poor to be staying there.

[Redroger]

Will continue to search for a picture of the stables, there should be one in one of the GN Histories or History of Kings Cross I would think.