Free Railway Travel Pass - by Peter Keen
(continued from CUTTINGS, 4.11 and 5.1)

Readers will no doubt remember our report of the discovery of a free travel pass, dating back to 1859, in Warrington Reference Library, and the follow-up letter from Dr. John Tolson giving details of one of the people named, Superintendent Arthur Sinclair, together with a wealth of other information. The identity of the person receiving the pass, which had been read as C.E. Duffield Esq., of Prescot, was not known, and it looked as if we might never learn anything further about him.

However, following the appearance of CUTTINGS 4.11 on our website, Mrs Margaret Kennedy has e-mailed our Chairman to reveal her thoughts on the matter. She had carried out some research at Kew, looking at the minutes of the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway Company. Prompted by the website, she looked through her notes and found a reference to Superintendent James retiring, and Arthur Sinclair taking over the post in 1843. Then she turned up the entry"1854 : Mr. Sinclair intimates his desire to resign and will do so as soon as the Board can make other arrangements." This was no early retirement (he would have been only 31 at the time) since we learned from Dr. Tolson that he was in fact appointed General manager and Secretary of the St. Helens Railway in 1854, and was later Secretary and Treasurer of the St. Helens Canal and Railway Company in 1860.

Mrs Kennedy then goes on to suggest that the name on the pass, C.E.Duffield, has perhaps been misread. She had found in the 1881 Census for Lancashire a Mr. Charles E. Driffield , aged 57, born in Prescot, living at 10, Scarisbrick Street, North Meols, Lancashire, a Solicitor and County Coroner.

On examining a photocopy of the pass which we have, it was found that the name could have been Driffield. If so, the free pass could have been granted to allow him to carry out his official duties regarding accidents on the Railway and Canal.

As we have the correct name, the correct home town, Prescot, and an occupation which might require him to travel the railway, it seems increasingly likely that Mr. Driffield was granted travelling facilities by the company in his official capacity.

[Ed: At this point Peter speculated about whether a man of 35 would hold the position of Coroner in 1859, and wondered whether that was the end of the story, or might a family history enthusiast give us clear indication of whether we have found the true identity of Mr. C.E.Driffield. Soon after this item was written up, a notice was posted to the Lancashire Genealogy List on the Internet, and within hours came confirmation: in the Lancashire Post Office Directory, 1858, Charles Edward Driffield, Esq., is listed at his private residence at Church Street, Prescot, and at his Offices in Fazakerley Street, Prescot as Solicitor and County Coroner for West Derby District, and Agent to the County Fire and Provident Life Offices. A further Internet enquiry has already found him presiding over an Inquest in the Bird i' th' Hand, Hindley, near Wigan - not far from my home in Ince. Perhaps one concerning the St. Helens Canal or Railway will turn up soon...]

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