Researching Railway Workers (General)

by unknown, Thursday, September 13, 2012, 18:41 (4460 days ago) @ Jefff

Jeff and MPG,
(Jeff, a technical assist here, please--to alert MPG to this reply do I need to do a separate reply to one of her posts?)

I have been absent from this forum for some weeks, very tied up with some volunteer work here at my local botanical gardens (my second home! :) ) However, I wanted to let you both know that because of your helpful posts, I have made great new progress on my family research. MPG's suggestion that my gr-gr-grandfather George Cook might have worked on the GWR after leaving his father's smithy in Mitcheldean led me to the UK ancestry.co and its lists of railways workers---and, hooray! George Cook was indeed a boiler smith at the GWR Swindon Works during the 1860s.

Now I have been reading everything I can get my hands on about that period of the GWR, and have even ordered a DVD of some GWR locomotives from that period--who knows? he may have worked on some of them.

After the Cooks came to the States, they were primarily involved in the burgeoning iron/steel industry in several states, but there were a few family members who were railway engineers, including one who has become locally somewhat legendary for his colorful adventures. (There's a book there, and one day I may write it!) My daughter, who is a teacher and writer has always loved the stories about him... and was particularly delighted with the news about GWR/Swindon. She said, "I've always known there were railroads in my family... but now I feel that there are railways in my very bones!" She and I are planning a future visit to the STEAM GWR museum.

Thanks again very much for your help.
northstar28