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Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies

Employees

Agricultural professions have historically dominated the working lives of the people of Bucks. They are not the whole story however. This guide intends to highlight those records held at the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies (CBS) mentioning people working away from the land. Included are records from local industries, councils, churches, schools as well as a variety of other bodies. Records from the landed estates of the county can be found in our ‘Estate Staff’ research guide. Please be aware that employee records frequently contain personal details. Many are subject to guideline closure periods of up to 100 years. It is worth checking with staff what is not available.

Where will information be found? Financial records: Practices differ from company to company, but the best place to find mention of individual employees is in wage books. If no wages books survive, it can be worth looking in other financial records but many will include just a total figure for wage payments without further details. ‘Personnel’ records: Some firms, particularly larger ones, maintained registers of their employees. These usually give details of when a person started and finished and sometimes information like their salary. Unfortunately, such records survive infrequently here. ‘Operational’ records: Staff can appear in records documenting the day to day activity of a firm. Companies like builders often include the number of hours particular labourers worked on particular jobs per week for instance. Staff magazines: You rarely get complete lists of an organisation’s staffing complement in a magazine, but the activities of the employees are frequently mentioned. Particularly fruitful are war era staff magazines, who occasionally publish rolls of honour.

Staff of E. Gomme of Wycombe during World War I (ref: D-GP/131)

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Factories Gomme/G-Plan of Wycombe Wage books, 1905-1947 (with gaps, reference D-GP 20-24) Apprenticeship indentures, 1912-1935 (reference D-GP/108) Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Company of Aylesbury Wage books, 1875-1899 (with gaps, reference D 131/7-11) Sick fund account books, 1881-1901 (with gaps, reference D 131/12-13) Wolverton Railway Works, Employee record cards (closed for 100 years, reference AR 5/2012) Hazell Watson and Viney of Aylesbury Staff magazines 1894-1896, 1914-1918, 1939-1946, 1949-1966 (reference D-HWV 13/5-12) Register of housing, 1954-1972 (reference D-HWV 14/1-2) Registers of employees engaged, 1874-1993 (reference D-HWV 15/1-3) McCorquodale and Company of Wolverton Employees magazine, 1961 (reference D 214/56/11) Redifon/Air Trainers of Aylesbury Correspondence relating to personnel & salaries, 1952-1973 (reference D 199/5-7) Iris Cars of Aylesbury Wages book, 1925-1927 (reference AR 106/2011) Negretti of Aylesbury Staff magazines, 1971-1977 (reference AR 46/2000)

Hazell, Watson and Viney factory, Aylesbury, banner celebrating 1500 persons employed (ref: D/HWV)

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Councils Aylesbury Borough Council Papers of Clerk relating to staff salaries, 1941-1947 (reference MB 3/10/5/113) Details of salaries of staff, 1926 (reference MB 3/10/5/217) File on nurses' salaries, 1943-1946 (reference MB 3/38/40) Declarations of British citizenship by ABC staff, 1940 (reference MB 3/10/5/36) Aylesbury Rural District Council Salaries account book, 1949-1950 (reference DC 2/13/1) Beaconsfield Urban District Council Analysis of officers' salaries, 1948-1960 and personal record sheets, 1969-1972 (reference DC 18/13/1-4) Bletchley Urban District Council Register of Monthly Salaries, 1956-1962 (reference DC 14/13/3) Buckinghamshire County Council Surveyor's Department Workmen's personal employment record cards, 1930-1951 (reference AR 116/1993)

Buckinghamshire County Council, Bledlow Children’s home Wages books, 1924-1931 (reference AR 87/1991) Chesham Urban District Council Salaries and superannuation registers, 1929-1947 (reference DC 16/13/1-3) Chesham Urban District Council, Wages books, 1941-1942, 1945-1946 (reference DC 16/13/6-7)

Eton Urban District Council Wages account books, 1946-1973 (reference DC 11/13/1-26) British Restaurant Wage Books, 1951-1963 (reference DC 11/13/27-35) Great Marlow Parish Surveyor of the Highways Disbursement Book with labour details, 1838-1840 (reference PR 140/21/6) Wing Rural District Council Salaries account book, 1941-1948 (reference DC 7/13/4) Wages books, 1936-1956 (reference DC 7/13/5-9) Wolverton Urban District Council Register of Employees, 1912-1947 (reference DC 12/10/4) Wolverton Urban District Council Wage Book for War Work, 1942-1943 (reference DC 12/27/6) Wooburn Parish Council Wages account book, 1960-1977 (reference AR 48/1999) Wycombe Borough Council Record sheets of water department employees, 1946-1947 (reference MB 2/37/1) Wycombe Rural District Council Appointments and salary register, 1901-1948 (reference DC 8/13/1)

Aylesbury Borough Council sewage workers (ref: PHX 98/2)

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Hospitals Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital, Aylesbury Probationer Certificates, 1902-1930 (reference H2/6/2) Salary accounts 1935-1948 (reference H2/6/4) Register of month salaries, 1942-1948 (reference H2/6/5) References for honorary medical staff, 1948 (reference H2/6/6) Buckingham Hospital Wages books, 1928-1948 (reference H8/1-2) Marlow Cottage Hospital Correspondence with Charity Commissioners including details of employees, 1947 (reference H9/8) Chesham Cottage Hospital Wages Book, 1947-1948 (reference H10/5) St John’s Hospital, Stone (formerly County Lunatic Asylum) Salaries registers, 1897-1921, 1930-1931, 1940-1941 (reference H1/4/1-4, 7-9)Wages register for workmen, 1910-1912, 1920-1924 (reference H1/4/4-5) Staff list, 1926-1958 (reference H1/4/12) Dates of attendants entering service, 1901-1946 (reference H1/4/10) Certificates of service counterfoils, 1910-1932 (with gaps, reference H1/4/11) St Mary’s Hospital, Amersham (formerly Amersham Institution) Wages books, 1943-1948 (reference G/1/51-58) Slough Emergency Hospital (formerly Slough Poor Law Institution) Analysis and expenditure journals, 1919-1944 (reference G/8/H/9/1-9)

Chesham Cottage Hospital (ref: phChesham 354)

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Builders Steevens and Son of High Wycombe Labour and materials journal 1918-1928 (reference D 88/13) J. George and Son of Whitchurch General ledger with details of labourers employed, 1933-1943 (reference D 116/1-2) Wages book, 1939-1962 (reference D 116/12-17) Bird Brothers, of Milton Keynes Village Wages books, 1880-1941 (reference D 164/5-7, 14-17) Joseph King of Quainton Labour and materials book, 1885-1889 (reference D 165/6) T. Grace of Quainton Labour and materials book, 1906-1910, 1922-1926 (reference D 165/7-8) Webster and Cannon of Aylesbury Wages book, 1898-1902 (reference D 170/16) George Darlington of Amersham Wages book, 1920 (reference D-X 893/2) Mills Temple Mills, Marlow and Wraysbury Mill A list of men employed at Temple Mills, Marlow and Wraysbury (reference D-GR/6/18-19), 1803. Soho Mill, Wooburn Copy of illuminated testimonial to the Directors of Thomas and Green with the names of around 250 employees, some illegible, 1919 (reference D-X 1953) Glory Mills, Wooburn Wage books, 1888-1950 (reference D 265/1/1-14)

Page from list of men employed at Wraysbury mill (ref: D-GR/6/18-19)

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Merchants Kelly’s Directories are a good source for lists of small merchants and tradesmen. Messrs Grace of Tring (Hertfordshire), corn and seed merchants and millers Wage book, 1921-1966 (reference D 109/61-67) Francis Coales of Newport Pagnell, grain and feed merchants Wage books, 1922-1960 (reference AR 76/1977/40) Salary sheets, 1961-1973 Timothy East of Aylesbury, fell mongers and coal merchants Wages and salaries book, 1944-1949 (reference AR 81/2006) Webb and Sons of Chesham, brush manufacturers Wages books, 1884-1940 (reference AR 19/2003) Register of employees, 1859-1916 (reference AR 19/2003) Register of young people employed, 1883-1896 (reference AR 19/2003) Odell’s of Newport Pagnell, ironmongers Time books, 1895-1905 (reference AR 57/1978/152-155) Prisons County Gaol, Aylesbury Return of names of turnkeys and other officers in County Gaol, Aylesbury, c.1839 (reference D-LE/H/12/12/22) HMP Aylesbury Registers of officers, 1903-1925, 1947-1969 (reference HMP-A/3/1-4 & 6) Register of officer appointments and transfers (reference HMP-A/3/5) Registers of temporary officers, 1919-1955 (reference HMP-A/4/1-15) Officers’ superannuation papers, 1904-1948 (reference HMP-A/5/1) Officers’ pay book, 1912-1915 (reference HMP-A/5/2) Register of absences (reference HMP-A/5/3)

HMP Aylesbury, c.1900 (ref: phAylesbury 823).

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Schools Registers of permanent teachers, 1903-1930 (whole county, reference AR 26/1988) Annual registers of teachers' salaries, 1935/36, 1940/41, 1945/46 (whole county, reference AR 26/1988) Register of salaries of officers and clerks, 1930-1945 (whole county, reference AR 26/1988) Langley Marish School Board Monthly vouchers for staff salaries (reference E/123/X/11) Langley Marish School Board Annual return of the school managers for Central School, Horsemoor Green Infants and George Greens Infants with names and salaries of staff, 1904 (reference E/123/X/28-30) Dr Challoner's School, Amersham Master's half-yearly receipts for salary, 1823-1896 (reference CH 2/FV/5) Aylesbury Grammar School Staff salaries account books, 1944-1953 (reference CH 3/FA/1/9-14) Caretakers and groundsmen wages book, 1950-1952 (reference CH 3/FA/1/15) Registers of Staff, 1903-1958 (reference D 231/9) Salary books, 1919-1952 (reference D 231/10) Applications for vacant posts, 1952-1966 (reference D 231/11) Royal Latin School, Buckingham Audited annual statements of accounts inc particulars of staff qualifications and sal-aries, 1921 (reference CH 4/FA/1) High Wycombe Borough Education Committee Salaries ledgers, 1910-1945 (variety of schools in High Wycombe, reference E/249A/L/5-15)

The old Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe (ref: phHighWycombe 278)

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Other Court of Quarter Sessions Lists of magistrates and other officials, 1763-1967 (with gaps, reference Q/M/1-39) Buckinghamshire Constabulary Examination Book (containing personal particulars of recruits to the Buckinghamshire Constabulary), 1857-1930 (reference BC/4/1-6) Casualty Book (listing men who have resigned or been dismissed from the Buckinghamshire Constabulary), 1870-1968 (reference BC/4/7-8) British Telecommunications Research Limited/Plessey Limited Staff magazines, 1950-1987 (reference D 172) Dagnall Parish Register of services including salaries of paid church officials, 1902-1909 (reference PR 69A/2/4) Elizabeth Eustace's Charity, Princes Risborough Account book including list of labourers employed, 1820-1821 (reference CH 27/FA/2) Wethered’s Brewery Brewery establishment books, 1914-1924, 1946-1959, 1962 (reference D 253/1/27) Brewery wage books, 1857-1889, 1942-1952 (with gaps, reference D 253/1/28-29) Farm wages books, 1843-1880 (with gaps, reference D 253/1/30)

Statement of male employees of 16 years and over, Apr 1917 and Mar 1918 (reference AR 99/2001, box 6) List of male employees 18-41, undated but post Mar 1917 (reference AR 99/2001, box 6)

Wethered Brewery wages book 1858 (ref: D 253/1/28/1)

Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies, October 2012