Robert Laxon – first secretary of the Medical Fund

I was surprised to find these two decorative headstones when I started researching Robert Laxon and Jason Johnson, two of the early settlers in the railway village. I had wrongly made the assumption that they would not have left enough money to pay for something like this. But the more I looked into their lives the more interesting I found these two men.

This is the last resting place of Robert Laxon who died at his home No 2 Faringdon Street on January 16, 1890 aged 86.

Robert was born in Lowestoft on May 10, 1804 and grew up in Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk. By 1835 he had married his wife Maria (who is buried here with him) and the couple were living in the parish of St Pancras in London.

The couple had a large family – two sons and six daughters, the youngest three children were born in Swindon. Robert’s sons, Robert and Frederick both became coppersmiths while the girls worked as dressmakers and tailoresses. Matilda had worked as a Pupil Teacher and in the 1871 census Maria describes herself as a bookseller, but eventually all the women earned their living by sewing.

The UK Railway Employment Records state that Robert’s service with the GWR began in December 1838 at Paddington where he worked as a coppersmith and that he was Foreman in K Shop of the Loco factory by June 24, 1843, the first to hold that position.

Robert held another first – in 1853 he was the first secretary of the Medical Fund. He also belonged to both the Oddfellows and the Ancient Order of Foresters, two Friendly Societies, which provided insurance, pensions and a banking service for members, so he was a careful and a canny man. When he died he left £878.

The employment records state that Robert left the GWR employment on January 16, 1890 – the date that he died. Did he continue working until his death? It is quite possible.

Robert Laxon pictured in old age

Death of an Old Forester. – On Thursday last, there passed from our midst, one of the oldest Foresters in Wiltshire, in the person of Bro. Robert Laxon, at the ripe old age of 85 years. Bro. Laxon was one of the founders of Forestry in Swindon, being one of the opening members of Court Briton’s Pride, No. 1597, of which Court he remained a member till the time of his death. For nearly 50 years he took an active part in the work of Forestry, not only in Swindon, but in the district round about. Bro. Laxon honourably filled the various offices of his Court for many years, holding the important office of treasurer. On Tuesday last, by the wish of his friends, he was accorded a Forester’s funeral. The brethren met at the Court House, the Union Hotel, at 2 o’clock, and having donned the funeral regalia of the Order, marched to Bro. Laxon’s house; the procession being headed by the D.C.R. Bro. T. Smith and Bro. J. Mitchel, P.D.C.R. At the house the workmen from the K shop (where Bro. Laxon was foreman), the foremen from the GWR Works, and other friends joined the procession, which numbered upwards of 100. At the grave the Forester’s funeral service was read by the D.C.R., Bro. T. Smith. Afterwards the brethren marched back to the Court House, where they separated. Bro. Dean, D.S., Bro. Baker, D.T., and Bro. G. Thomas were unavoidably absent.

In the year 1840 Mr R. Laxon was employed by the firm of Braithwaits, the engineers in London. The GWR Company being in want of a coppersmith, borrowed Mr Laxon from the above firm, to work for them at Paddington. After a month or two the railway company took him into their employ entirely. For some time he remained at Paddington, eventually being sent by the company to work at Swindon in the year 1844 (the Swindon Works being then in its infancy). Mr Laxon was placed in charge of the coppersmiths shop, their being two coppersmiths and one apprentice employed here at that time. After a short time, Mr Laxon was made foreman, which honoured position he has held till the time of his death.

Swindon Advertiser, January 25, 1890.

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Jason Johnson – a homegrown railwayman