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Visions Afar, The Journal of R.W. Carr 1905 - 2005
The life and times of a Yorkshire Railwayman, the elder brother of J.L.Carr, as told through his writings and journals.
ISBN: 0-9546225-1-0
Compiled by: J.D. Bramley and A.R. Gamble.
Publisher: Home Farm Publications, Home Farm, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Leeds, LS25 6AD and Grove Business Services Ltd., 16 Lay Garth, Rothwell, Leeds, LS26 0TW.
Printed by: Write Books.
Covers: Printed card
Size: 263 x 188 mm
Pages: xiv, 205 pp
Content: This is the autobiography of Raymond Welbourn Carr, J.L. Carr's older brother, who was born in York on 9th November 1905 and died in Scarborough on 8th September 2005, aged 99 years and 11 months (almost). He worked as a Clerk and Stationmaster in a career on the railways from 1922 to 1970. The book contains his notes and recollections of his parents, upbringing and life working on the railways. His diaries and notebooks were edited and published after his death by two of his friends, A.R. Gamble and J.D. Bramley, whose own book In Them Days has a section on J.L. Carr. The book was reviewed in the Northern Echo in 2007.
The Carrs' father, Joseph, was the eldest of 12 children, who married Hannah Elizabeth Welbourn, one of nine children, two of whom died in childhood, so they had 19 aunts and uncles. Raymond and Joseph had two older sisters, Ethel Blanche (b 1900) and Kathleen Winifred (b 1902). Another brother, named Wilfred (b 1898), died in childhood.
Front cover
The names of several characters in Carr's novels appear in Raymond's memoires. Their father's first job, at the age of 18 years, was with the North East Railyway at Fangfoss station. Mr Croser was a Porter at Thirsk Junction station who also cut boys hair for 2d. Hettie (Ethel) was Carr's Aunt on his Father's side of the family who never married and became a housekeeper to a Methodist minster in Alderney. When she died her estate was divided among her sisters, only.