This page is one of a series introducing railway staff who worked in and around Stoke-on-Trent before 1939. They’ve been researched as part of the ‘Tracks through Time’ initiative – which you can read more about here.
The workers featured were largely selected from staff who appear in the Railway Work, Life & Death project database of accidents to pre-1939 British and Irish railway workers.
Please note that a fuller life story is under preparation – coming soon!
Shunting was a dangerous activity on the railway in the past – as Alfred Hollis discovered in 1926.
Shunting involved coupling or uncoupling goods wagons or passenger carriages, to make up trains. 100 years ago it was largely done by hand – in this case, by Arthur Hollis, a goods guard on the London, Midland & Scottish Railway. It meant that staff were close to moving vehicles.
On 25 June 1926, Arthur was joining two wagons at Cliffe Vale. It was a skilled activity. The coupling slipped from the pole Arthur was using, meaning his hand jerked upwards – and was crushed between the wagon buffers. His hand was cut and he lost a finger and part of his thumb.
Though this injury meant Arthur’s work coupling wagons was over, he remained working for the
Railway. He became a porter.