Schoolboy, Servant, GWR Apprentice: The Memoirs of Alfred Plumley 1880-1892

In 1890, after strings were pulled by his kindly mistress at the big house, 16-year-old pageboy 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. Highspirited 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. AUTHORS: Alfred Jones worked for the GWR for 45 years from the late nineteenth century until approaching the Second World War. David Wilkins is a writer and collector who runs an antiques and collectibles business. He acquired Jones’ memoirs at auction and has lovingly transcribed them for this book. SELLING POINTS: . Transcribed from an original memoir, bought at auction by the editor, David Wilkins . Written by author Alfred Plumley in his final years vividly describing his youth working for GWR . Rare material, eloquently and humorously written, offers a unique look at this period in railway history . Revealing life at a quiet country station in Somerset and the contrast when posted to the ‘great city’ of Bristol . Memoir focusses on teenage years of the author’s life, but he went on to serve the GWR for 45 years . With contemporary illustrations 32 b/w illustrations