Page 3 - February 2016 Issue 301

FEBRUARY 2016
continued from page 1
67, was the Railway Gate Keeper.
In 1861, 67 year old Joseph Cox was still the Station Master, while 18 year old Job Herbert, who lived on Cox’s Lane, was a Railway Porter. Elias Middleton, 38, had taken over the reins of Station Master by 1871 and Nathan Clowes, John Russell, Edward Well, Ebenezer Lord and John Peet were Railway Labourers. At this time, the Railway Public House was mentioned for the first time, the publican being John Hubbard (age 69). On Census Day he was recorded as living on the premises with his wife, two sons and two grandsons. William Brown, 55, was recorded as the Innkeeper of the Railway Hotel ten years later. An interesting entry in the 1881 Census was that of Joseph Halford who was born in Broughton Astley and was a visitor at a house on Foston Lane on Census night. He was a railway engine driver.
A total of 19 local men and one woman (the Station Master’s 15 year old daughter) were employed by the railway company in 1891 and 18 men were employed in 1901. Their occupations included signalman, railway engine cleaner, railway clerk, porter, railway servant, wagon repairer, platelayer and labourer. Most of the men listed in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 Censuses lived in Countesthorpe but would have worked in South Wigston.
Apart from the street names and the name of the pub, there is little evidence of the railway and station that would have been a focus of village life whether you were an employee or travelled on the trains. (The fare from Countesthorpe to Leicester in 1934 was 6d single and 9d return!) Discover more about old Countesthorpe and its residents in the next edition of the New Countesthorpe Herald.
THE NEW COUNTESTHORPE HERALD 3
FOSTON CHRISTMAS
TREE FESTIVAL
The wild and windy weather over the weekend of our Christmas Tree Festival didn’t deter a large number of people enjoying the wide variety of trees brought and decorated by members of our congregation, friends and local schools and organisations. The refreshment and craft tent, which had to move into the church after a particularly wild phase of weather, was well patronised and the raffle was won by a delighted lady called Janet – it was a pleasure to deliver the hamper to her!
Thank you to everyone who supported us in any way — we raised over £1,100 towards the upkeep of the lovely old building.
Ann True
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