What a silly place to build a row of posh semi-detached villas in about 1835?

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Railways

At Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, there are a row of early 19th century semi-detached Georgian style villas in what was originally open countryside, although they are now surrounded by a 20th century housing estate. One might expect such a row in a town area - but not in such a rural situation. A row of modest cottages built by a farmer for his labourers might be expected but surely if anyone was building a house with perhaps a dozen rooms in open countryside it would be a detached house on its own plot.

Hemel Hempste

Jeff wanted to know why - and the answer is linked with the London to Birmingham Railway, that opened in 1837.

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A White Christmas at Watford in 1908

Cassio Hamlet, Watford, on Boxing Day 1906

Pictures

I have just posted two views of Watford in the Snow, taken by Fred Downer, and issued as post cards.

Watford

The card of Cassio Hamlet, shown above, was posted to Sam Starkey, who was working in Pietermaritzburg as an engineer for the Natal Government Railway. In finding out who he was I also found that many of the Starkey Family of Watford also worked for the railways, and in several cases were involved with signalling.

And a Merry Christmas to You All

Things aren't always what the census appears to be telling you

Help Desk

Railways

Michael Meredith was one of the railway works employed in at Tring railway station at the time of the 1851 census, and a few years ago Carlene asked for more information about him and revealed that he had emigrated to New Zealand and had been murdered in 1863 - their murder being a tipping point in one of the Maori Wars. I provided more information, from the 1841 census and noticed that Michael's eldest daughter had not been at home in 1851 and I could not find her anywhere in the 1851 census.

Railway Workers killed in the First World War

Railways

Military

The National Railway Museum has an online database of railway workers who dies in the First World War.

A quick check showed that Henry Robert Austin, E [H] Everest, Henry James Ide,  George William Ives, William David Peacock, H J Sapsford, and G Wright had been members of the Hertfordshire Regiment, Percy Badrick came from  Tring, and Alfred Nathaniel Gibbs & John Ashley Y Stinton were from Watford.

Tring Railway Station and the Maori Wars

One of the railway workers at Tring Station. Aldbury in 1851, was Michael Meredith who later emigrated to New Zealand - and whose murder appears to have occurred at the start of one of the Maori wars.  Two years ago I answered a question from Carlene about his Hertfordshire family but failed to link the answer to the indexes, etc., on this web site. This fault has now been corrected.

In connection with this query it is interesting to revisit the pages on railway workers associated with Tring Railway Station and with the village of Aldbury  (see pages based on the 1851 and 1881 census) and the information they contain throws light on the role of the railways in moving their employees around the country.