The LNER Encyclopedia

While doing a bit of family research, I came across Louis Charles Allpress. In 1928 on the baptism record of his son, he is recorded as a "railway fireman", no company noted. In the 1939 Register he is an "Engine Driver LNER" and is living in March, Cambridgeshire.

Just wondered if anyone had come across the name anywhere.

Phil

He was born in Doddington, just outside March in Cambridgeshire on June 2nd 1899, the son of a farm labourer. He also married in the area - the registration district for both his birth and marriage being North Witchford which covers Doddington and March.

I can find no trace of any trade union record for him in the ASRS/NUR records up to around the mid 1920's which would have given us a definite company, but the fact that he is still in the area in the 1939 Register (104 Wisbech Road, March)and working as an LNER fireman indicates he worked for the Great Eastern Railway (if he worked on the railway before the end of 1922) and then the London & North Eastern Railway from 1923 to 1948, and then probably BR until his retirement.

He died in the Peterborough Registration District (virtually next door) in the September quarter of 1975.

March was an important railway junction for the GER with lines coming in from Peterborough, Wisbech, Huntingdon and Ely s well as housing the huge Whitemoor Marshalling Yards.

Hope that helps.

A text search of the GER Magazine does not return any results - the GER Magazine continued publication until the end of 1926, then the LNER Magazine took over from the various pre-Grouping company publications as of January 1927.