Genealogy Chat

Stoker Rocket Service is. My great grandfather was supposed to be in the army in 1874 when his daughter was born. I have just received her birth certificate today and this was given as his occupation. Is it something to do with munitions as he was in the 2nd Batt 3rd Buffs Regiment around this time. Hope you can help me. Margaret

I'll get corrected here I'm sure but I think the rocket service was a way of sending mail across water i.e. tied to a rocket!!

Hi Zoe, Sounds good to me!! lol He was stationed near Dover at the time, so I expect it may have had something to do with the defences around that coast. Margaret

apologies - I've just been googling and it appears the Rocket Post was around the 1930s - unless your guy was a very forward thinker

Its the Stoker part that intrigues me. Were the rockets blasted off from a gun perhaps? I Googled but nothing that made sense to army and 1874 came up! Margaret

perhaps it was rocket as in train and he was an engine stoker - I;m sure dover was one ofthe main terminals for trains

I've Asked Jeeves, and the nearest to my job description is - Stoker - tends the fire of an engine boiler. Would the boiler fire the rockets?! I agree with the railways though, they did build a new terminal round about that time in Dover, but I have a feeling that he was still in the army. Could be wrong! This is nearly as bad as the Sagger Makers Bottom Knocker! Margaret

I'm usually quite good at posting links that don't answer the question. Look at this http://www.lsars.eurobell.*co.uk/bronz79s.htm next to the name of Palmer.

OK Geoff, Now you have got me intrigued! It says it can't find your addy. Have you missed something off? Margaret

You did remember to remove the * I suppose?

Absolutely Geoff!! Tried it 3 times with the http and without. No joy. Margaret

the letters after the www are LSARS Just copy and paste the URL, then remove the *

Is it when they put the shell into the cannon and then tamp it down???

Oh Geoff!! I was typing l not L!! I will try again. Hi Denise, That sounds feasible. It is bugging me now. I need to know what it is!! lol Margaret

Hi Geoff, Got it!! Very interesting. Especially as my own father was given some sort of citation when he was in the RLS, but not for bravery I might add. I did wonder when I saw his occupation whether or not he had moved onto boats, although if he was still in the Buffs his movements in 1874 would have put him in Dublin! Could that be? Margaret

apparently in the Raj in India the Rocket service was a steam paddle boat service. I expect the name was ironic. But they would have had stokers

I found the Bangladeshi one earlier but thought it too recent to be of ineterest According to the brochure of the Bangladesh Inland Waterway Transport Corporation, which operates the steamers, the Rocket Service started in 1956 when the country was still East Pakistan in order to connect Dacca with other major cities in the "riverine districts" by "quick, safe and comfortable journey."

Thank you Robin and Geoff, The plot thickens!! Did they have paddle steamers around Folkstone/Dover in 1874 I wonder? Margaret

If i remember rightly ,is not a stokes rocket the device used by the coast guard, used to fire a line to a ship in distress? is this perhaps the occupation you were looking for?.i don,t know when this device was first used ,but your date looks about right.Fred.

Hi Fred, That sounds quite feasible too! I think he must have left the army in 1874 as he was in the East Kent Regiment of Foot (Buffs) in 1870. More rifles than rockets I would have thought, and it was very near to Folkstone/Dover where he lived ie Hougham, so it is possible that he worked for the coastguard when/if he came out of the army. Thank you again. Margaret