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Archiver > CHESHIRE > 1998-05 > 0894566946


From: "Geoff Heath" <>
Subject: Re: [CHESHIRE-L] Railroad Information
Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 19:49:06 +0100


Sue -

> Emmanuel Downhill, b.c1820, "Engineer", 1840 on his son's birth
> certificate Collier's Row, Newton & Godley in the County of Chester

Looks as though I guessed right about Newton!

I'm assuming that you live in America, since you call it a 'railroad' rather
than a 'railway'. You may also think that an 'engineer' is a locomotive
driver. Not in England!

By 1840, the building of railways in England was just getting into its
stride. the Manchester & Birmingham Rly was opened through Stockport in
1842, but lines in the Hyde/Newton/Godley area had to wait another 20 years.

I therefore suspect that Emmanuel didn't work on the railway

>James Downhill, b.1840, "labourer on Railway", 1871 Census Stockport Rd,
>Hyde,

Hyde lay at the centre of a triangle of railway lines formed by junctions at
Hyde Junction, Godley Junction and Woodley. Stockport Road (which still
exists) was therefore a convenient address for a worker on any of these
lines.

Hope all this helps.

Geof

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