Some East Norton Railway People

The church records give an interesting insight into the history of the railway but at the same time leave many unfinished stories. It is well documented that where large railway construction sites were situated, the navvies set up “shanty towns” of primitive accommodation. East Norton must have had its own “shanty town” during the construction of the viaduct, station and tunnel. The church burial records list the following as having their abode in “The Railway Huts”. It will be noted that all these deaths were of children. The railway huts were probably not a fit place for ones so young.

James Rogers buried 31/8/1877 age 5 months
William Gerry buried 15/9/1877 age 4 years
Edward Robinson buried 16/10/1877 age 2 years
Sarah Brown buried 6/11/1877 age 9 months
Ada Smith25/4/1878 age 10 months

The slate gravestone of Edward Robinson is still in remarkably good condition on the edge of All Saints churchyard under the yew trees. The graves of the other children are not marked and their position is not known. Edward and his brother William were both baptised on 25th March 1877. The age of William is not recorded.

The Baptism registers show the occupations of the fathers of the infants. It is interesting to note the following names, occupations and dates taken from records from 1877 up to the end of the 19th century. The dates and occupations tally with the recorded dates of railway construction and opening.

James Hicking, Engine Driver 11/3/1877

Edward Robinson, Railway Labourer 25/3/1877

John Brown, Railway Labourer 25/3/1877

George Rogers, Railway Labourer 25/3/1877, 22/4/1877

John Smith, Railway Labourer 1/8/1877

Benjamin Girlen, Railway Workman 3/3/1878,

William Jarman, Plate Layer 31/7/1881, 20/7/1884, 11/10/1885, 8/7/1888, 29/12/1889, 27/9/1891, 10/6/1894. (A large family)

George Jacques, Plate Layer 5/3/1882, 1/6/1884

Alfred Bryan, Plate Layer 23/12/1884, Railway Servant 10/7/1887

Charles Watts, Signalman 28/12/1884, Porter 12/5/1885

Thomas Meakins, Railway Signalman, 25/11/1888

James Hawkins, Railway Official 3/4/1892, Railway Signalman 8/4/1894, 5/4/1896, 10/4/1897

The Register of Marriages does not reveal so much about the railway.

On 12th June 1876, John Quin who was an engine driver from East Norton, married Margaret Capstick Squires, also of East Norton.

On 10th October 1877 Benjamin Girlen, a railway worker married Eliza Smith who was the daughter of John Smith, also a railway worker. Both were from East Norton. Benjamin’s father, George, was a farm labourer.

On 29th April 1878, James Bond who was a railway workman (not 007), married Mary Jane Law. The parents of both the bride and groom were also railway workers, namely John Law and William Bond. Neither witnesses nor bride and groom were able to sign their names but marked the register with a cross, as did so many others in those days.

In the process of her family research, Dorothy Orchard has reported the following item of interest.

“ I have found one of our relatives in 1881. Mathew Joyce aged 19 born in Wavendon Bucks. Working as a Railway Labourer Platelayer, and lodging in the household of Thomas Brazier.
Thomas was a local Wesleyan Preacher and Railway Signalman.
The Household lived at Railway cottages.

According to the 1881 census, Thomas Brazier had a wife named Alice and a son Joseph. Thomas was 24 at that time.”

The Wesleyan Chapel at East Norton, now privately owned, was built in 1855. Thomas Brazier would have almost certainly have preached here.