Axon, John (1900–1957), railwayman, was born on 4 December 1900 at 38 Providence Street, Heaton Norris, Stockport, Lancashire, the fourth of the six children (four daughters and two sons) of William Henry Axon (b. 1869/70), a renderer and later an electric wireman, and ...
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Betts, Edward Ladd (1815–1872), railway contractor, was born on 5 June 1815 at Buckland, near Dover, the eldest son of William Betts (d. 1867), contractor's agent, of Sandown, Kent, and his first wife, Elizabeth Hayward, daughter of Edward Ladd of Buckland. Betts...
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Deakin, Joseph Thomas (1858–1937), railway worker and socialist, was born at Wednesbury, Staffordshire, on 11 August 1858, the son of Charles Deakin, a blacksmith, and his wife, Maria, née Middleton, the daughter of a labourer. He was educated at Old Park British School, Wednesbury...
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M. W. Kirby
Firbank, Joseph (1819–1886), railway contractor, was born at Bishop Auckland on the south-western edge of the north-east coalfield, the son of Ralph Firbank (1788–1866), a Durham miner, and his wife, Barbara, née Thompson (1790–1874). At the age of seven he was sent to work in a colliery, and attended a night school. In 1833 he obtained employment on the permanent way, and in 1841 secured a sub-contract in connection with the ...
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Garcke, Emile Oscar (1856–1930), company director and constructor of electric tramways, was born in Saxony. He came early to Britain, and was naturalized on 17 March 1880, but details of his early background and education have not survived. Their outcome was to provide him with a grasp of the commercial potential of electrical power, and his single-minded application to business enabled him to become the prime mover in the establishment of the ...
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Philip S. Bagwell
Harford, Edward (1838–1898), railwayman and trade unionist, was born on 21 March 1838 in Bristol, where he was baptized on 15 April, the third child and elder son in the family of at least three daughters and two sons of Edward Harford (...
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Hoole, William [Bill] (1894–1979), railway engine driver, was born on 27 July 1894 at 69 Kew Street, St Martin's, Liverpool, the second eldest in the family of seven of William Hoole (d. early 1930s), greengrocer and later a miner, and his wife, ...
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M. H. Port
Peto, Sir (Samuel) Morton, first baronet (1809–1889), contractor for railways and public works, was born on 4 August 1809 at Whitmoor House, Woking, Surrey, the eldest son of William Peto (d. 1849) of Cookham, Berkshire, farmer, and his wife, Sophia, daughter of ...
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Sir (Samuel) Morton Peto, first baronet (1809–1889) by Camille Silvy, 1861 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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James K. Hiller
Reid, Sir Robert Gillespie (1842–1908), railway contractor and entrepreneur in Canada, was born on 12 October 1842 in Coupar Angus, Perthshire, Scotland, the son of William Robertson Reid, a linen miller, and his wife, Catherine Gillespie. He was educated locally, and trained as a stonemason. In 1865, drawn by the gold rush, he emigrated to ...
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Asquith Camile Xavier (1920–1980), by unknown photographer, 1966
Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy
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Xavier, Asquith Camile (1920–1980), railway worker, was born on 18 July 1920 in Dominica, in the Windward Islands in the British West Indies. Much about his life in Dominica remains unclear, though it is known that he married Agnes Disney St John (...
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Anne Pimlott Baker
Young, James (1810–1891), railway contractor, was born on 10 February 1810 at Littlemill, near Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the son of James Young, farmer and local contractor, and his wife, Margaret Glover. He had at least one brother. He was educated at the parish school, and then worked as an overseer on the building of the ...
