The Widows of Victorian Railwaymen and the Struggle for Survival

The majority of railway employees who died or were killed in the performance of their duties belonged to the ‘waged’ grades, and included porters, engine cleaners, signalmen or platelayers. Predominately, they were paid weekly, had little promotional prospects, almost no job security and, most importantly, low wages. Subsequently, while they and their families were not necessarily poor, many were at the lower end of the Victorian income spectrum.

Given the patriarchal nature of Victorian society, it is, therefore, unsurprising that a husband’s death would have led to hardships for many families and possible destitution. While some husbands would have subscribed to railway company employee’s widows’ and orphans' funds, which would have paid out a small amount to the family each week on his death, large sections of railwaymen did not. Invariably, these families were the hardest hit.

Therefore, railway company committee minute books are filled with references to railwaymen’s widows. On the 10th September 1859, the London and South Western Railway’s (L&SWR) Locomotive Committee book recorded that ‘a fatal accident…occurred to one of the Company's Gas Fitters, named Thornton at Nine Elms, on the 15th June last.’ This had left his widow ‘destitute.’[1] In 1885 John Shilabeer, a goods canvasser at Plymouth, died at the age of 49.[2] His wife wrote to the company for ‘assistance’ given the ‘circumstances in which she and her family are left by the death of her husband.’[3] The South Western Gazette, the company’s staff magazine, reported that ‘he left a widow and two young children (two of which are deformed).’ Indeed, because of his illness before his death the Gazette stated that he had been unable to provide for his family.[4]These were just two mentions of widows and their families amongst many that occurred in the L&SWR’s committee books.

Most of the cases raised at committee level were attached to requests from the wives and children of the deceased who required some assistance and had no other means of support. In the case of the L&SWR there was seemingly no set policy in response to these requests. Thornton’s widow was allowed 5 shillings a week for one year,[5] and in the case of Shilabeer his wife was allowed to continue receiving his wages until the 31st August 1885 (he had died in July).[7] Yet, his friends at Plymouth did also solicit donations from the L&SWR’s staff for the family.[8] However, on-going weekly payments to families were not common on the L&SWR. In most other cases the company granted gratuity of £5 or £10 to the family. However, this was not to support it, but to pay for funeral expenses.

The most fortunate of those who were widowed, but did not have support, were those who were offered jobs on the railways. The positions they received included office cleaner (or charwoman), waiting or refreshment room attendant, carriage lining sewer or brass polisher. Yet, these positions were low paid, and on the L&SWR the lowest wages were around 2 shillings 6 pence per week (£6, 10s per year); but were never more than 20 shillings a week (£52 per year). However, this latter wage was rare, and the majority of women received amounts at the smaller end of the spectrum. Furthermore, their wages were usually lower than newly employed boy apprentices, and the widows were the lowest paid individuals on the Victorian railway network.

Therefore, despite these jobs, it is unsurprising that many continued to suffer on such measly wages. Thus, I believe some women must have seen the disintegration of their families entirely. In an earlier post I related the story of Mary Ramsdale who had lost her husband in an accident in 1862 (Read it HERE). Subsequently, she was appointed by the L&SWR as Waiting Room Assistant at Southampton Station. Yet, she clearly suffered mental health problems, eventually had her family taken away and finished up being committed to a lunatic asylum. I’ll never know whether this was an extreme case, but I doubt that it was unique.

Overall, what can be said of the widows of railwaymen? The stories highlighted here were some of the saddest in railway history amongst many. Of course, not all widows were so unfortunate. If the family had saved or their husbands had joined Widow’s and Orphan’s Funds, then it was quite possible they and their family would have had an acceptable standard of living on being widowed. However, for many others, where perhaps saving was not practicable given the family’s size, the cost of living, or simply because the household income was low, destitution and poverty was a likely outcome if the worst occurred.

[1] The National Archives [TNA], RAIL 411/178, Locomotive Committee Minute Book, Minute No.278, 10th September 1859
[2] TNA, RAIL 411/492, Clerical staff character book No. 2, 1838 – 1919, p.573
[3] TNA, RAIL 411/255, Traffic Committee Minute Book, Minute No. 491, 5th August 1885
[4] TNA, ZPER 11/4, The South Western Gazette, August 1885, p.6
[5] TNA, RAIL 411/178, Locomotive Committee Minute Book, Minute No.278, 10th September 1859
[6] TNA, RAIL 411/492, Clerical staff character book No. 2, 1838 – 1919, p.573
[7] TNA, RAIL 411/255, Traffic Committee Minute Book, Minute No. 539, 2nd September 1885
[8] TNA, ZPER 11/4, The South Western Gazette, August 1885, p.6