TheGenealogist adds British Railways Regional Magazines

From TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk):

TheGenealogist adds British Railways Regional Magazines to its Newspaper Collection 

Newly released staff magazines reveal railway workers, retirements, obituaries, sporting life and staff outings   

TheGenealogist has added a fascinating new set of British Railways regional magazines to its growing newspaper and periodical collection, giving family historians a rich new source for tracing railway ancestors and exploring everyday working life on Britain’s railways.

The latest release includes more than 60 issues from British Railways regional magazines, covering the Eastern, North Eastern, Scottish, Southern, Western and London Midland regions. The titles span the late 1940s through to the early 1960s, a period of major change for Britain’s rail network following nationalisation.

These publications were produced for railway staff and are rich in the small but important details that can help researchers place an ancestor within their working community. They include staff changes, appointments, transfers, promotions, retirements, long-service presentations, workplace presentations, obituaries, sporting reports, staff outings, social club news, photographs, departmental updates and stories from depots, stations and offices across the regions.

For family historians, this type of material can be especially valuable. A railway worker may appear in a retirement notice after many years of service, in a presentation report marking a move or promotion, in an obituary written by colleagues, or in a report of a cricket, football, bowls or athletics match. Others may be named in accounts of staff excursions, railway institute events, dances, charity activities or local workplace news. These mentions can add personal colour and context that may not be found in other more commonly used records such as census.

Among the highlights are early post-nationalisation issues from 1948 and 1949, Scottish Region magazines from the 1950s, Western Region editions from the late 1940s, and the Southern Region’s June 1953 Coronation Number, reflecting the national mood around the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
The magazines also help researchers understand the world in which railway ancestors lived and worked. They show the pride, humour, challenges and close-knit nature of railway employment, from major regional announcements to small local stories about staff clubs, outings, charity efforts and long-service awards.

Mark Bayley, Head of Content at TheGenealogist, said: 

“Railway records are always popular with family historians, and these British Railways magazines add colour and context to the lives of those who worked on the railways. The staff news, retirement notices, obituaries, sports reports and social items can all help to bring a railway ancestor’s story to life. They are not just about trains and timetables. They are about people, workplaces, communities and the everyday stories of post-war Britain.”

This new release strengthens TheGenealogist’s newspaper and periodical collection and adds further depth for those researching occupational history, local history and transport heritage.

The British Railways regional magazines are available to search now on TheGenealogist.

In this release is an article about the early days of the rail: Shildon, Birthplace of the Railways. From notes by a driver of Locomotion No. I (reproduced from the British Railways Magazine Eastern, North Eastern, Scottish Regions, November 1948). 

(With thanks to Paul Bayley)

Chris 

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