The photograph of the Burson family grave (see below) was taken several years ago. I now realise someone must have cleared and cleaned it around that time. When I tried to find it recently, thinking it would be an easy task, I was surprised to discover the memorial dulled and dirty. Is it the pollution in our air, less obvious than the smoke of factory chimneys and coal fires of the past, that causes such discolouration?
This is the story of Arthur William Burson who was born in Steventon, Berks, the son of farmer Richard Burson and his wife Louisa. In 1871 Richard was farming 140 acres and employing six labourers and two boys at Sutton Courtney, but Arthur appears to have been unwilling to follow in his father’s agricultural footsteps.
By 1881 Arthur had moved to Swindon and was working as a grocer’s assistant, living above the shop at 57 Bridge Street. In 1888 he married Emily Anna Solway and at the time of the 1891 census the couple were living at 52 Fleet Street where Arthur appears to have his own business.
Ten years later and the family business was at 94 Commercial Road. By now the couple have three daughters, Edith, Elsie and Hilda, fourth daughter Grace was born in 1903. The family later lived at 69, Bath Road.
When he died in 1934 a lengthy obituary published in the North Wilts Herald described him as ‘A.W. Burson J.P. – Swindon Business Man Who Once Owned Seven Shops.’
Death of A.W. Burson J.P.
Swindon Business Man Who Once Owned Seven Shops
A Swindon man who rose from a lowly position behind a grocer’s counter to become the owner of seven prosperous shops in Swindon, in one of which he had served as an assistant, is the history of Mr Arthur William Burson, of 69 Bath road, Swindon, whose death occurred last Friday.
There is however a poignant side to his death in that it has robbed him of the opportunity of seeing the completion of the Stratton Green Baptist Chapel, towards the building of which he had given £1,000 as a memorial to two of his children.
Mr Burson, who was well known as a prominent Baptist, died after an illness which had lasted more than three months. He was suffering from bronchial trouble, when heart trouble supervened.
Born at Steventon.
In 1861, Mr Burson was born at Steventon, Berks, and at an early age was apprenticed to the grocery trade at Reading. His connection with Swindon started in 1880 when he was engaged as an assistant in the grocery busines of H. Freeth and Son. For five years he remained in this position, and then made his first venture into business ownership. In partnership with the late Mr Thomas Harry, of Swindon, he opened a shop in Abergwynid, near Maesteg, South Wales, and this business was carried on by the two for five years.
Then, however, he returned to Swindon. With Mr Harry, he became joint proprietor of the business in which he had served as assistant – H. Freeth and Son, and conducted no fewer than seven shops in the town.
The business continued in their joint ownership for two years until the death of Mr. Harry, when Mr Burson assumed sole control. As proprietor of the firm of H. Freeth and Son he continued to take an active part in the conduct of the business until 1926 when he retired.
Gift to Town Gardens
In the year of his retirement, and more or less as a token of gratitude for the prosperity which he had achieved in Swindon, Mr Burson presented to the town the clock over the bandstand in the Town Gardens.
Though he was one of the oldest members of the Swindon Bench of Magistrates, having been a member since the Bench was first appointed in 1907, it was by reason of his religious activities that Mr Burson was better known. He was baptised in 1880 at the Baptist church which stood in Fleet street, and which is now demolished.
On returning to Swindon he continued his association with the Baptist faith in the town, and became connected with the Baptist Tabernacle, which had replaced the former church in Fleet Street.
For many years he was also superintendent of the Gorse Hill Baptist Sunday School, and was also treasurer, and teacher in Baptist Sunday Schools in Swindon for over 50 years.
Former Town Councillor.
At the time of his death he was one of the elders of the Baptist Tabernacle, treasurer of the Tabernacle Sunday School and held a similar post in connection with the Swindon Colportage Association. A prominent teetotaller since the age of 18, he was one of the oldest members of the Tabernacle Temperance Society.
He held a seat on the Town Council from 1900 to 1909, and again from 1911 to 1921 continuous.
While in Wales Mr Burson married a Miss Salway, who was a native of Somerset. Mrs Burson survives him. They celebrated the 46th anniversary of their wedding last Easter. There were four children, all daughters, of whom two are dead. One died in 1913, and the other two years ago. The two surviving daughters are Mrs Dadds, [Dadge] of Bath road, and Mrs Higgins, of Broome Manor lane.
Early this year Mr Burson came forward with an offer of £1,000 towards the cost of the new church at Stratton Green as a memorial to his invalid daughter, on whom the money had been settled as a future provision for her. Announcing his gift, Mr Burson said, “She had been taken and I should like her memory to be enshrined in the new building.”
The cheque for £1,000 was signed by Mr Burson and handed over to the Stratton Baptist officials about six weeks ago, during Mr Burson’s final illness. The Swindon Advertiser is informed, therefore, that the gift will not be affected in any way by the death of the donor.
It has now been suggested by those connected with the Stratton Church that, as a gesture of gratitude to Mr Burson for his gift, the new church shall contain a memorial window to the two daughters of Mr Burson who had pre-deceased him.
The Funeral
In the presence of a large congregation of mourners, the funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon.
The first portion of the service was conducted at the Baptist Tabernacle and the interment took place in the Radnor Street Cemetery.
Extracts from the North Wilts Herald, Friday May 25, 1934.
Arthur William Burson, 73 years, of 69 Bath Road was buried on May 23, 1934 in grave plot E7588. His wife Emily Anna died in March 1950 and was buried with him his this impressive grave plot.
Radnor Street Cemetery 