Job Description

[Middlesea John]

Hi

My wife is working on her family tree and is currently looking at her late father's working life on the railway. Ron worked for 50 years on the LNER, then BR, starting as a messenger boy progressing through the usual route to become a driver. We have his Service history, provided by the Driver Manager at York on his retirement in 1992 and we understand the job titles at each promotion - except for one. At the age of 17, in 1945, he was promoted from Passed Cleaner to U/E Fireman. Is there anyone out there who can tell us what a U/E Fireman was ? He only lasted in this job about 6 weeks after which he became a fireman (yes whilst he was still only 17 !)

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you.

[The Stationmaster]

It might be unestablished - i.e he had not been allocated to particular post but was in effect supernumary.

[Rail-Online]

Hi

My wife is working on her family tree and is currently looking at her late father's working life on the railway. Ron worked for 50 years on the LNER, then BR, starting as a messenger boy progressing through the usual route to become a driver. We have his Service history, provided by the Driver Manager at York on his retirement in 1992 and we understand the job titles at each promotion - except for one. At the age of 17, in 1945, he was promoted from Passed Cleaner to U/E Fireman. Is there anyone out there who can tell us what a U/E Fireman was ? He only lasted in this job about 6 weeks after which he became a fireman (yes whilst he was still only 17 !)

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you.

 Just a thought but could it be Un-employed?  Possibly just local shorthand for between jobs?

 

Tony

[lanchester]

 Just a thought but could it be Un-employed?  Possibly just local shorthand for between jobs?

 

Tony

If it's just for 6 weeks could it be 'under examination' ?

[Richard E]

In modern 'management speak' I'd take it to be "Under Evaluation" i.e. probationary but 6 weeks seems a short time for that.

 

I think, on reflection that the "Under Examination" comment is a reasonable explanation but I'd never dismiss anything from the Stationmaster given his many years of service and knowledge.

[The Stationmaster]

In modern 'management speak' I'd take it to be "Under Evaluation" i.e. probationary but 6 weeks seems a short time for that.

 

I think, on reflection that the "Under Examination" comment is a reasonable explanation but I'd never dismiss anything from the Stationmaster given his many years of service and knowledge.

 

If he was entered in the grade then that would be the date on which he passed as competent in the grade and that date would be critically important as it would be his Seniority Date.  However noting that he was a Passed Cleaner (and therefore already competent as a Fireman) it might well be that he had performed sufficient turns as a Fireman to be automatically given the grade on a permanent basis (a standard procedure) - again establishing his Seniority Date but because he had achieved the grade on that basis there would not necessarily be a vacancy for him hence he remained unestablished until a vacancy came up.

 

It would be useful to know if he was a Passed Cleaner and a Fireman at the same depot or whether after the 6 weeks he went elsewhere to take up a vacancy?