Life of a village postman - Bamburgh 1813-1854

[Gen List Lass]

I am trying to fill in some work related details about a village postman called Joseph Marsden, the Bamburgh village postman.

From an 1844 Tithe map I know he rented some property in the back streets of Bamburgh and a couple of fields. I'm presuming the fields were for horses and fodder? The outbuildings in Bamburgh for stabling and an office of sorts?

I also know part of his round were the Farne Islands off the Bamburgh coast where Grace Darling and her family lived.

I'm also presuming the new railway had quite an effect on his daily work (Bamburgh is about 10kms from the N/S railway line). Think the Newcastle to Berwick stretch was completed around 1845?

Any ideas?

Gen in NBL England

[ChrissieL]

The British Postal Museum website has some interesting articles on the history of the post. There are some good pictures of the uniforms etc that would have been worn in the 1800's

[Radcliff]

Where was he in 1841
I can see his wife Catherine in Bamburgh,

[Radcliff]

Found him as a postman ,not born in county
High Street Belford
HO107/818/25

[Radcliff]

For the postmaster general
No 1455 appt
Bamburgh and Sunderland North

I have written accordingly
to the surveyor
WLM

Mr Joseph Marsden and Mr Straker appointed as postmasters
19th June 1838

E Crafer esq,18th June,

[ChrissieL]

The 1851 census gives him born in Derbyshire

[Radcliff]

1834 Piggots directory of Northumberland

Marsden,Joseph ,Bambrough
under shop keepers and Dealers of groceries


Post Bambrough,Receiving hoose,Joseph Marsden

[Radcliff]

His children are all baptised Bambrough ,Bamburgh,and state he is the postman,wife Catherine,
but I didnt find a marriage in Northumberland,perhaps that was in Derbyshire

[ChrissieL]

There is a marriage of Joseph Marsden and Catharine Turner on 21 July 1827 at Chesterfield, Derbyshire on the a familysearch website
Could that be them?