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Does anyone know anything about Charles Harris? I was comparing the 1871 census with the 1881 returns and it seems he is listed in 1881 as a railway contractor, living in Great Harwood at that time and he was born in Winbourne or Wimbourne, Dorset and is listed as being 52 at the time.
What's a railway contractor doing in a small East Lancs town four years after the loop line was completed? I've looked at all my detailed notes and there is nothing down for any railway works from opening in 1877 until 1884 at Harwood. The only thing I don't know is when the large stone goods shed was built, but I presume it went up at the same time as the station buildings.
He's living with his two daughters, a platelayer, and a railway inspector?
I've looked through T Wray's list of L&Y minutes and there's no mention of him, neither is there from the Industrial Locomotive Society.
The presence of his two daughters (any ages?) suggests a permanent move of him and his family. (I assume he'd lost his wife at some point.) Perhaps more work in the industrial North of England to attract him there?
That he is sharing a property with a platelayer and a railway inspector suggests that he is not a contractor in a large way: such a person would probably have his own house and one or two servants. Quite possibly he is just an artisan who specialises in railway work or is employed on a contract basis by railways, but either he or the census taker have given him a more impressive title.
The short answer is no. I can't find Charles Harris, and most of the family are playing hard to get as well. So I'd agree he could only be a contractor at the lowest level, someone who does work for railways and employs others. Or did, once.
The one family member leaving some trace is daughter Levina/Lavinia, whose mother was Rebecca Andrews. In 1887 she married John Dulson (yes, the one in the house in 1881).
Does anyone know anything about Charles Harris? I was comparing the 1871 census with the 1881 returns and it seems he is listed in 1881 as a railway contractor, living in Great Harwood at that time and he was born in Winbourne or Wimbourne, Dorset and is listed as being 52 at the time.
What's a railway contractor doing in a small East Lancs town four years after the loop line was completed? I've looked at all my detailed notes and there is nothing down for any railway works from opening in 1877 until 1884 at Harwood. The only thing I don't know is when the large stone goods shed was built, but I presume it went up at the same time as the station buildings.
He's living with his two daughters, a platelayer, and a railway inspector?
I've looked through T Wray's list of L&Y minutes and there's no mention of him, neither is there from the Industrial Locomotive Society.
I've found Charles's death and probate in 1886. Here he's listed as Charles Blanchard Harriss, just to be difficult. The age has changed a bit too.
HARRISS, CHARLES BLANCHARD 53 1886 J Quarter in BLACKBURN Volume 08E Page 219
His executor was ... John Dulson. And he wasn't quite as unsuccessful as we thought.
The presence of his two daughters (any ages?) suggests a permanent move of him and his family. (I assume he'd lost his wife at some point.) Perhaps more work in the industrial North of England to attract him there?
Looks that way, he lived in a terrace house on Princess St, not a grander house as seen with the other major contractors. No servants, just the youngest daughter listed as the housekeeper.
Quite possibly he is just an artisan who specialises in railway work or is employed on a contract basis by railways, but either he or the census taker have given him a more impressive title.
Yes, agreed. People can (withing reason) give any title during a census. I know quite a few who say they work in my former profession, and they know practically nothing!
The short answer is no. I can't find Charles Harris, and most of the family are playing hard to get as well. So I'd agree he could only be a contractor at the lowest level, someone who does work for railways and employs others. Or did, once.
The one family member leaving some trace is daughter Levina/Lavinia, whose mother was Rebecca Andrews. In 1887 she married John Dulson (yes, the one in the house in 1881).
The railway companies it seems were forever putting out requests for tenders for this and that, perhaps that was were he got his work from. I did wonder if there might end up being some sort of romantic involvement between one of the daughters and one of the lodgers.
Good question - It didn't help that the site has Princess St down as Princras St! Once I discovered that, it turns out Harris has gone, and there's a James Wrigley instead in 1891.
I've found Charles's death and probate in 1886. Here he's listed as Charles Blanchard Harriss, just to be difficult. The age has changed a bit too.
HARRISS, CHARLES BLANCHARD 53 1886 J Quarter in BLACKBURN Volume 08E Page 219
His executor was ... John Dulson. And he wasn't quite as unsuccessful as we thought. View attachment 185299
Another great fine @stuving. It seems then he left a bit more than we thought. Living in Harwood would be a good location for doing railway works as it's close to several towns in the area.
A side question please - What was a railway inspector back in the 1880's?
There's nearly 500 listed for Lancashire alone in 1881.
A number of railway departments had inspectors. They were generally the next level up from the local foreman and were called in when problems were found. Or generally supervised what was going on, for example those in the signalling department would usually check up on the signalmen in their area once a month and once a year would give them an oral test on the rules and regulations.
One exception were those who were 'Ticket inspectors' who were not so highly ranked. Is it possible some of those calling themselves 'Inspectors' in the Census were in this category?
A number of railway departments had inspectors. They were generally the next level up from the local foreman and were called in when problems were found. Or generally supervised what was going on, for example those in the signalling department would usually check up on the signalmen in their area once a month and once a year would give them an oral test on the rules and regulations.
One exception were those who were 'Ticket inspectors' who were not so highly ranked. Is it possible some of those calling themselves 'Inspectors' in the Census were in this category?
That is very like the usage I can see. "Manager" was only used at a more senior level, and "inspector" covers junior and middle managers - those who had to go out of the office and deal with the workers. Of course several kinds, like ticket inspectors and Board of Trade or Government inspectors, were different.
"Police inspector" occurs quite a lot earlier on, and is rather confusing. Not only do "police" and "constable" apply to signalling activities, but also to general supervision of workers. So these may be the same as other inspectors. And inspectors had a role in directing trains - signalling was seen as a management task.
All of these functions evolved over the 19th century (and after) of course.
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Good question - It didn't help that the site has Princess St down as Princras St! Once I discovered that, it turns out Harris has gone, and there's a James Wrigley instead in 1891.
Another great fine @stuving. It seems then he left a bit more than we thought. Living in Harwood would be a good location for doing railway works as it's close to several towns in the area.
It is unusual to find no family trees at all on Ancestry for a family, but that's the case here. I think that's because the whole family died out - Charles left no issue, as the old pedigrees had it. But before they did that they show a real talent for disguising themselves in the records.
By 1891 Charles has died, but Isabella, Lavinia, and her husband John and daughter Gertrude are just along Princess Street at 20&22. Why two houses? No idea - the evens side of the street has gone, though the odds are still there. Isabella dies within a few weeks of the 1891 census, and Lavinia is administrator of her estate.
Lavinia is widowed by 1911 and in Eastbourne, as the inevitable cook and housekeeper, and dies in Plymouth in 1936. Quite when John dies I can't find, but I have now unmasked them in 1901. They are entered as John and Lasmia Dutson, servants (gardener and cook) at Brock Hall, Kimbolton, Leominster, Hereford. By census-time that year they are already looking for similar work elsewhere. Their ages are a few years out, but the real confirmation is the correct birthplaces: for John, Steel Heath is within three miles of Prees and Whitchurch, which he'd given before.
Gertrude dies in Solihull in 1905, so aged 16, and I fear she is the G J D recorded as an inmate of the "Midland Counties Idiot Aslyum", Knowle, Solihull in 19111901. But without getting hold of the records themselves you never know. It may be that the correct records are missing (or hidden) for these events as for most of the others!
By 1891 Charles has died, but Isabella, Lavinia, and her husband John and daughter Gertrude are just along Princess Street at 20&22. Why two houses? No idea
Looking back at what you've told me and I can find, in 1881 John Dulson lists himself as a Railway Inspector, but by 1886 when Charles Harris dies, John (one of the executors) is listed as an Oil Merchant. I've seen several entries in the census returns of people with shops occupying two houses together. Perhaps John has a shop from which he sells the oil? Perhaps...
Gertrude dies in Solihull in 1905, so aged 16, and I fear she is the G J D recorded as an inmate of the "Midland Counties Idiot Aslyum", Knowle, Solihull in 1911. But without getting hold of the records themselves you never know. It may be that the correct records are missing (or hidden) for these events as for most of the others!
That is very like the usage I can see. "Manager" was only used at a more senior level, and "inspector" covers junior and middle managers - those who had to go out of the office and deal with the workers. Of course several kinds, like ticket inspectors and Board of Trade or Government inspectors, were different.
"Police inspector" occurs quite a lot earlier on, and is rather confusing. Not only do "police" and "constable" apply to signalling activities, but also to general supervision of workers. So these may be the same as other inspectors. And inspectors had a role in directing trains - signalling was seen as a management task.
All of these functions evolved over the 19th century (and after) of course.
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To add a further dimension, around 1889 Stroudley on the LBSC rebuilt an old 2-4-0 with an extra training axle and a low slung cab extension to facilitate pway examinations. He outshopped the rebuild in fully lined " improved engine green" and named it "Inspector"!
Gertrude dies in Solihull in 1905, so aged 16, and I fear she is the G J D recorded as an inmate of the "Midland Counties Idiot Aslyum", Knowle, Solihull in 1911. But without getting hold of the records themselves you never know. It may be that the correct records are missing (or hidden) for these events as for most of the others!
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