Digitised Family History Resources.

As part of our collection we have some into possession of some documents that name people either with a connection to the rail industry in Shildon, or else some connection to the Institute.

We appreciate that this information might be of interest to family members looking into their family history, supplementing genealogy information to try to understand what ancestors did in Shildon. We're very much in favour of the democraisation of such information - so will use this section to share information with you.

As we digitise some of these over time we will add them to this section of the website to enable you to conveniently browse them in your own home, or the comfort of our library. Original copies of many (not all) can be accessed at our library by arrangement.

National Union of Railwaymen - Shildon Number 1 Branch Membership - 1890s to 1960s.

This document was typed as a transcription of the content of a book that has been donated to the Institute library. It names members of that trade union branch, showing the date on which they joined, their occupation at that time and their address. Not all branch members lived in Shildon. Some names feature several times as the member in question left the branch and then rejoined. It ends in the 1960s when that branch appears to have been dissolved. the workers named generally appear to have been involved in railway operation and maintenance rather than wagon building and repair. The latter workers were part of Shildon Works NUR No 2 Branch.

Typed List of Unionised Shildon Workers from the latter decades of Shildon Works

This digital image document is of one of two lists of BR employees that was shown at our Shildon Works 40 exhibition on 30 June 2024. Several people asked to browse it, thought it was too fragile to handle. Its owner allowed us to photograph it to put it online. It lists workers working from several locations around the North East, stating their job. It's quite a large file so may take some time to show on screen - be patient.