George Stephenson - not that one

[gord_robson]

Hello,

My uncle, who was honestly (if improbably) called George Stephenson, died in an accident in around 1941. He was very probably based at West Auckland shed, and was working as a fireman on the engine at the time, although since he was only 19 at the time was probably not fully qualified.

Can anyone point me in the right direction so that I can find out more about him or the accident itself?

Gordon

[52D]

Gordon, i have written an article published in the Link the Aln Valley Railways magazine about a William Stephenson who was killed in an accident at Willington on Tyneside in 1853. I was assisted by a number of contributers on this site including 52A who discovered that William had been a Durham lad born i think at Bishops Auckland i wonder if he was a relative.
For your accident you need the MOWT(Ministry of War Transport) report this organisation replaced the board of trade during the war.
I have been having great difficulty finding a MOWT report for the Musselburgh accident in 1941 but when searching i will keep my eyes open for your accident. Have you any idea where the accident was?

[gord_robson]

Thanks for the reply.

William Stephenson is definitely not a relative. My railway ancestors are the Joice family who seem to have lots of members of the family working at Shildon or West Auckland in the 19th century. My great-grandmother "married beneath her" to a coal miner, but they still got Uncle George a job, unfortunately for him.

I don't know where the accident took place but George was taken to hospital in Bishop Auckland so it was probably local. I'm curious because family legend says he hit his head on a bridge while leaning out of the engine, but my mother recalls visiting him and says he had been badly burnt. Not impossible, but sounds more like a blowback or steam pipe fracture.

Gordon

[69856]

Gordon,

If it is the same incident, a young West Auckland fireman was killed when he stuck his head out of the cab and hit it on one of the narrow bridges on the Dalington to Shildon line somewhere between Heighington and Newton Aycliffe. My dad started at West Auckland in 1947 and he was warned about sticking his head out of the cab and reference was made to the accident that had happened a few years earlier.

[Streaker]

As a teenager I had the misfortune to live in Newton Aycliffe for a few years and there was a story of ghostly occurrences on that railway line which may or may not be connected to your late relative, George.

The same line was used in 1975 for the steam past to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the S&DR and I well remember standing on the ballast next to the track as the procession of engines went past - quite an experience! I hope I'll be around for the 200th anniversary in 2025.

[61070]

Hello,

My uncle, who was honestly (if improbably) called George Stephenson, died in an accident in around 1941. He was very probably based at West Auckland shed, and was working as a fireman on the engine at the time, although since he was only 19 at the time was probably not fully qualified.

Can anyone point me in the right direction so that I can find out more about him or the accident itself?

Gordon

Hello Gordon,

It's been a while since you posted this and you may by now have got somewhere with your family research, but if not this may help.

Looking at birth and death records available on the internet:

(1) There is a George F. Stephenson whose death, aged 19, is registered in the Durham Western Registration District in the 4th quarter of 1941, (ref. 10A 254)

(2) The birth of a George F. Stephenson was registered in the Auckland District of Co. Durham in the 2nd quarter of 1922 (ref. 10A 458). His mother's maiden name was Sowerby.

If you think this is your uncle you will be able to obtain the birth and death certificates, probably from the Bishop Auckland Registry Office (http://www.nebmd.co.uk/offices.php?id=17), for a standard fee. The death certificate will give the cause of death.

[gord_robson]

Hello,

Thanks for the replies.

I eventually found press reports of the accident in both Darlington Library and The Durham County Record Office. The George Stephenson you refer to is definitely my uncle. He is reported as hitting his head on the bridge.

I also found a picture of him in West Auckland shed with his mates in a history of Tindale Crescent.

The LNER records at Darlington North Road don't mention the accident, and the curator suggested that as he was an employee and no civilians were hurt, a full Board of Trade report would not have been raised. Being wartime wouldn't have helped.

Nothing explains why my mam thought he was burnt - although she was only 7 at the time and might not remember properly.

Thanks again

Gordon Robson

[61070]

That's good to hear that you've discovered more about your uncle, and a nice bonus that a photo of him turned up too. Thanks for keeping in touch.

[69856]

Gordon,

Did you have other relatives who may have worked at West Auckland, perhaps with the surname Currie or Curry?