Great Great Great Grandfather, Thomas Owens

Great Great Great Grandfather, Thomas Owens worked in the Welsh iron industry and lists his job in 1841 as, "Baller." Here's the description for that job:

Baller ; iron industry worker
"When the metal begins to melt it is the business of the puddler to watch it from time to time until it is ready for what is technically called BALLING, i.e. dividing the metals into separate balls or quantities or puddle-rolls; which having been done, are handed over to the shingler, who has the direction of a large and heavy hammer worked by steam or water power, and the rough hot metal is, by repeated blows brought to a more compact form for the rolling mill."

From the Employment Commission reports 1842

Great Great Great Grandfather, Paul Brown

Great Great Great Grandfather, Paul Brown tells us that he was born in Scotland. However, by 1816 he was living in the vicinty of Newcastle upon Tyne in Northumberland, England. I wondered what would prompt him to move. But then I discovered that as early as 1804, a man named Richard Trevithick was hired by Christopher Blackett, owner of Wylam Colliery near Newcastle, to produce a locomotive that would replace the use of horse-drawn coal wagons. Other Newcastle inventors were also experimenting with steam engines. So, just about the time Paul Brown was living in Newcastle, a new industry was birthing. Is it possible that my long-ago ancestor was a train enthusiast and moved to Newcastle to be part of this new and exciting industry? Unfortuantely, Paul seems to have missed much of the heyday of early Northumberland railroading. By 1823 Paul and his family had moved and were living in Glamorgan County, Wales. Still, I wonder, since he lists his occupation in 1841 as "machine man," if he might have had something to do with the early machining of the new prototype steam engines. Interesting thought!

See http://www.northeastengland.talktalk.net/page68.htm#1813 for key dates in the developement of railways in northeast England.