Catalogue description Railway Benevolent Institution: Records

The Institution was founded in May 1858, as a result of a resolution put to a meeting of railway clerks on 5 March 1858 at Camden Town, Middlesex, held for the purpose of establishing a fund for the support of widows and orphans of railway salaried officers. The provisional committee, appointed at this meeting, formulated a set of rules which confined benefits to destitute orphans and to the children of needy railway officers, and to money grants made to the widows of qualified members of salaried officers employed on the railways, these being secretaries, managers, superintendents, engineers, accountants, clerks, etc., those in other posts such as porter, guard and engine driver being included later. A board of management was also later elected on 8 May 1858. Although railway employees paid a subscription to belong to the Institution, it relied very heavily upon public support.

In 1880 the Special Benevolent Fund was raised to relieve cases of distress amongst officers and servants, whether members of the Institution or not, and the widows and orphans of those killed in the performance of their duties.

In 1875 an orphanage for the children of railway servants was opened at Derby, and in 1947 a home in Dorking, Surrey, was opened for aged railwaymen and their wives or widows.

The Institution is now a registered charity and was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1949.