Schoolboy, Servant, GWR Apprentice
The Memoirs of Alfred Plumley 1880–1892
Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Transportation, Railroads, History, Biography & Memoir
| Author: | David Wilkins | ISBN: | 9780750983334 |
| Publisher: | The History Press | Publication: | June 1, 2017 |
| Imprint: | The History Press | Language: | English |
| Author: | David Wilkins |
| ISBN: | 9780750983334 |
| Publisher: | The History Press |
| Publication: | June 1, 2017 |
| Imprint: | The History Press |
| Language: | English |
In 1890, after strings were pulled by his kindly mistress at the big house, 16-year-old page-boy Alfred Plumley unexpectedly found himself leaving domestic service and beginning an apprenticeship with the GWR. Based on his own eloquent memoir, this book uses Alfred's two years as a "lad porter" at a Somerset village station to explore the importance of the railways in 19th century rural life. High-spirited Alfred quickly comes to love his new life and, undeterred by an unhappy temporary posting to the "great city" of Bristol, ends up spending 45 years a GWR employee. Alfred's words evoke a time when life was harder but pleasures were simple, friendships were lasting - and the railway was king.
In 1890, after strings were pulled by his kindly mistress at the big house, 16-year-old page-boy Alfred Plumley unexpectedly found himself leaving domestic service and beginning an apprenticeship with the GWR. Based on his own eloquent memoir, this book uses Alfred's two years as a "lad porter" at a Somerset village station to explore the importance of the railways in 19th century rural life. High-spirited Alfred quickly comes to love his new life and, undeterred by an unhappy temporary posting to the "great city" of Bristol, ends up spending 45 years a GWR employee. Alfred's words evoke a time when life was harder but pleasures were simple, friendships were lasting - and the railway was king.
