1911 Census Occupation.

Mez1982

Hi Everyone,
I found my Great Grandad on my dad 's side on the 1911 census and his occupation is listed as 'Miles Man M J W R'. I've tried a google search but nada..
Just wondering would anyone here have any idea what it was? I was thinking maybe something to do with railway.... but I really have no idea!
Thanks in advance,
Mary.

Victor

Mez1982 wrote: »

Hi Everyone,
I found my Great Grandad on my dad 's side on the 1911 census and his occupation is listed as 'Miles Man M J W R'. I've tried a google search but nada..
Just wondering would anyone here have any idea what it was? I was thinking maybe something to do with railway.... but I really have no idea!
Thanks in advance,
Mary.

Perhaps MGWR - Midland Great Western Railway? I've not hear of 'miles man' before, but it may be what is now called a permanent way inspector - they walk the railway checking for problems. https://www.google.ie/search?q=%22Miles+Man+%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=1mQEVaGuCoW17gbXk4CgAg#q=%22Miles+Man%22+railway

The MGWR mostly operated in the Dublin-Sligo-Clifden (Galway) triangle.

shanew

there's a quite a few people with that occupation - over 600, although there could be a few false matches in there. see here

Spot checked a couple to see where they were located - one close to the line from Kilorglin to Valentia, another in a townland the line runs through between Claremorris and Ballyhaunis

Mez1982

Thank you both for the info. He was located in Cadamstown in Kildare. In 1901 he resides in Tangeragree in Carbury and he's listed as a labourer so he must have gotten this job when he moved to Cadamstown or maybe the reason he did move.

Can't post the link but his name was Edward Clancy.

Peregrinus

Yup, a railway miles man was the railway equivalent of the roadmender. He was responsible for patrolling and inspecting a particular section of railway, doing any routine maintenance that could be done by one man, and reporting anything that required work that he couldn't complete himself.