This page is one of a series introducing railway staff who worked on the south coast of England before 1939. They’ve been researched as part of the ‘Portsmouth Area Railway Pasts’ project – which you can read more about here, including accessing details of the other railway workers featured.
Research was undertaken from November 2024-July 2025, by a small group of volunteers from the Havant Local History Group, working with the University of Portsmouth’s History team. The work was funded by the University of Portsmouth’s Centre of Excellence for Heritage Innovation.
The workers featured were selected from staff who appear in the Railway Work, Life & Death project database of accidents to pre-1939 British and Irish railway workers.
Robert Arthur Dalley was a railway number taker. He died in 1909, aged 39, when his legs were run over by a train near Blackfriars Road bridge, Southsea.
Robert was born in Portland, Dorset, but the 1871 census has the family at 45 Chance Street, Portsea. Robert’s father Richard, a general labourer, sadly died in 1880 when Robert was ten years old.
In 1884 Robert started work at Portsmouth goods station (situated beside what is now Portsmouth and Southsea station), having been given a reference by his school. In 1891 Robert, his widowed mother Harriet, his brother William, a railway shunter, and his sister Fanny, a stay maker, were living at 40 Lucknow Street, Portsea. By 1901 Robert was living at 98 Percy Road, Portsmouth, with his wife Frances, a tailoress, and their only daughter, Elsie Elizabeth Dalley, aged 5.
The Fatal Accident 7 August 1909
After checking an incoming train as it passed near Blackfriars Bridge, Southsea, on the morning of 7 August 1909, Robert apparently tried to jump onto the brake van in the middle of the train. His foot slipped, he fell onto the line and the wheels of the train passed over his legs below the knee. One leg was severed and the other badly injured. He was given first aid before being taken to the Royal Hospital, Portsmouth, where his injured leg was amputated. The Hampshire Post stated that his wife got to the hospital in time for Robert to say to her, “This is a wind-up to our holiday”. He died later that evening.
At the inquest Walter Edwards, a guard on the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway, “saw the deceased throw up his arms and fall under the brake van”. He thought Dalley’s foot had caught the disc signal when he tried to jump onto the van. The brakes were immediately applied and Dalley was extricated. Inspector Frederick Myall said that Dalley had been employed by the company for 25 years and bore an excellent character. He would have been unlikely to break any regulations.
A verdict of ‘Accidental Death in the execution of his duty’ was returned. Only a short time before Dalley’s brother, a railway employee, had several ribs broken while employed on the line. He had only just returned to work.
Robert Dalley’s Funeral
There was a very large attendance at the funeral service, with the chief mourners being Dalley’s wife and 14 year-old daughter. Messrs Baker, Foster, Holland and Noker bore the coffin to the graveside in Kingston cemetery, where Inspectors Adams and Myall were present. About 20 checkers, signalmen and other members of Portsmouth Town Station goods staff attended. The deceased was a member of the Henry Gundy Tent of Rechabites, who promoted abstinence from alcohol. About 60 members, wearing their regalia, gathered at the graveside. District Superintendent Cull took part in the service and Mr A Joliffe from the Band of Hope Union laid a wreath.
The Henry Gundy Tent held its own memorial service in memory of Brother Robert Dalley, the Presiding Officer. They bore witness to his sterling character and worth. A vote of sympathy was sent to Mrs Dalley and her daughter Elsie.
Elsie Elizabeth Dalley 1895
The News of 20 October 1923 announced the marriage of Elsie to Harold Victor Street at Albert Road Wesleyan Church in Southsea. In 1939 they were living in Portsmouth, where Harold was a postman driver. They later moved to Poole, Dorset, where Elsie died in 1977. Their elder daughter, Margaret Frances was born in 1925 and baptised at the Albert Road Wesleyan Methodist. She married Norman Leonard in Portsmouth in 1949 and later moved to Winchester. They had two sons.
Ann Griffiths
Ann has lived in Havant for over 50 years. She is a volunteer genealogist at The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre.