The GWR Company doctors came and left, but the Swinhoe family of physicians were a constant presence from 1859 until 1918.
George Rodway Swinhoe was born on December 15, 1867 at 4/5 London Street, a property in the railway village which served as both accommodation for the GWR company doctor and as a surgery. George was the sixth child and first son of George Money Swinhoe and his wife Diana.
A member of the Royal College of Surgeons (England) and a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (London) Dr George Rodway Swinhoe was appointed to the medical staff at the GWR in 1893. His name appears in the Register of Staff alongside such railway luminaries as Charles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer; Wm Arthur Stanier, Principal Assistant to the Chief Mechanical Engineer and Frederick George Wright, Chief Assistant Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent.
In 1894 he married Mary Canning Gertrude Glass and the couple had two daughters.
Dr Swinhoe died at him home on November 10, 1929. The following obituary was published in the North Wilts Herald.
Death of Dr. G. Rodway Swinhoe
Popular Swindon Medical Man
Useful Career
Dr George Rodway Swinhoe, of The Close, Church Place, Swindon, passed peacefully away at his residence at 6.40 on Sunday evening.
He had been in ill health for some time, but was only taken seriously ill a week ago. On the previous Monday he was engaged in his professional duties as consulting surgeon and examiner to the GWR Company at Swindon.
Dr Swinhoe was 61 years of age and had lived in Swindon practically all his life. “Roddy” Swinhoe, as he was popularly known to a host of friends, was a son of the late George Money Swinhoe, who came of a very old Northumbrian family.
Dr. G.M. Swinhoe was born in Calcutta, and he went through the Crimean War, but came out of the ordeal unscathed. He came to Swindon as chief medical superintendent on the GWR Medical Fund staff, on the special recommendation of the late Sir Daniel Gooch.
Appointed to the Staff.
At a later period the medical staff comprised Drs. Swinhoe, Howse and Bromley. The last named died in 1894, and Dr. G. Rodway Swinhoe was then appointed to the staff. Dr. Howse retired in 1899, and Dr Rodway Swinhoe became chief assistant to his father, whilst his brother, the late Dr. Astley Swinhoe, became third assistant.
The father and two sons carried on the three chief positions on the GWR Medical Fund staff til 1905, when Dr. Astley Swinhoe died.
In 1908 Dr George Money Swinhoe died, and Dr. G. Rodway Swinhoe was appointed to the office of Chief Medical Officer, a position which he held till the year 1917.
Dr “Roddy” Swinhoe, who was the eldest of a large family*, was a zealous and most able physician and surgeon. He was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons (England) and a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (London). His post on the GWR Medical Fund staff and with the GWR was an onerous and responsible one.
Services During the War
During the war Dr “Roddy” rendered valuable medical services. He was previously in the old Swindon Volunteer Corps, afterwards taken over by the Wilts Territorials. Then he was promoted to the rank of Major in the RMTC.
In Charge of Labour Battalion
For a period of the war Dr. Swinhoe was in charge of a Labour Battalion in the Park and Drill Hall. Later he was in charge of a private military hospital at Bowood, Calne, which was placed at the disposal of the authorities by the late Lord Lansdowne.
Dr Rodway Swinhoe was also a keen worker in connection with the GWR St. John Ambulance Association, and was the experienced lecturer to the classes for a number of years. For his services he was, on his retirement, made an Honorary Associate of the Grand Priory of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
Interest in Sport
Always a lover of clean, good sport, Dr. Roddy was closely identified with the Swindon Amateur Swimming Club, the Swindon Amateur Athletic Association, the Gymnastic Societies, and many other sports associations. In his younger days fishing and shooting were his hobbies, and he used often to tell some good stories at dinners of various societies to which he was always invited.
The Funeral
The funeral took place on Wednesday.
The first portion of the service was conducted in St. Mark’s Church by Canon A.G. Gordon Ross (vicar). Canon Ross also read the committal sentences at the graveside in Radnor street cemetery.
A long list of mourners included family members, and representatives from the GWR Company and the Medical Fund Society.
Many beautiful floral tributes were placed on the grave.
The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr A.E. Smith, of Gordon Road.
North Wilts Herald Friday, November 15, 1929
*He was the 6th child but the eldest son
Dr George Rodway Swinhoe was buried in a large grave plot numbered E8228/29/30 which he shares with his parents and three brothers.
You may also like to read:-
George Money Swinhoe – Swindon doctor
Radnor Street Cemetery 
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