Richard Bailey Railway Connections

It is amazing the people you meet doing genealogy. I've come across many distant relatives and we've helped each other with our common research interests. Just a short while ago I had one of these connections with a 4th cousin once removed related through a common ancestor Richard Bailey.

Richard Bailey was born about 1802 in Leigh, Rutland, England. He married Elizabeth Underwood (1808-1888) and together they had at least 6 children; Lydia, Thomas, Eliza, Mary, William Robert and George. The family lived in Whymondham where Richard was a gate/ lock keeper for the Syston and Peterborough railway.

The earliest record I could find of Richard was the 1841 census, where is first mentioned as being a lock keeper. The 1851, 1861, 1871 show his occupation as being the same. The family lived in the gate house which unfortunately is no longer standing.

Through my family connection I was able to see this great articles and photo that another relative had posted on their online tree. The articles detail the cause of Richard's untimely death, a railway accident. For reasons unknown he fell on the tracks and was run over by the train which was travelling about 20 miles an hour. An inquiry determined the cause of death was an accident.

I was so excited to find this information and it wouldn't have been possible without the help of others!