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LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Central Goods Yard: mrcgy915d

Close up showing a typical gang of yard labourers at work off-loading timber from the open wagons

Close up of image 'mrcgy915' showing a typical gang of yard labourers at work off-loading timber from the open wagons. The status of a person was very much evident through the headgear worn. A flat cap indicates a labourer whilst a trilby would be worn by their foreman. Elsewhere on the railway, a bowler hat and top hat would be used to signal the status of very senior people. Another indication of status was the wearing of a jacket. Everyone involved in manual labour has taken off their jacket whilst the men wearing trilby hats have not. Its worth noting too that a waistcoat was worn by all men as a matter of course although some labourers wore aprons whilst other wore overalls.

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