Edmund skillings was born 7th july 1902 at sutton bridge and his fifty year railway career began in 1916 at the age of fourteen, as a lad porter at weybourne station. At the end of the first world war he became a junior clerk and shortly after in march 1919 he was transferred to lenwade and then on to tydd, thorney, wisbech, fakenham and finally ending up in stalham in 1924. His stay there was ended by the general strike upon which he returned to wisbech. In the following years he became a relief clerk covering terrington, thursford, melton, holt, cromer and yarmouth. Early in 1927 he was posted to south lynn, initially on a temporary basis. To deal with the rail traffic bringing in the building materials for the construction of the sugar beet factory. This appointment was to become more permanent and he remained at south lynn until 1946. Later that year he was promoted to station master at south lynn before taking up the same roll at bourne and eye green. In january 1953 he was to take up his final appointment that of the prestigious roll of full time station master at the royal station wolferton. Which was to take him through to his retirement in 1966. Mr skillings ‘departed’ in 1987 whilst living at hunstanton.
Preparing for Christmas
Left to right; Valerie Barrett, Diana Jackson, David Bennett, Bert Harrison, Jimmy Crowe and Mr Skillings
BBC Interview with Mr Skillings
Click to view Actual Rehearsal Script
