Samuel Carlton – held in esteem

The GWR provided for their workers from the ‘cradle to the grave’ or so the history books would have you believe.

The Mechanics’ Institution out of which came so many fine things – a library for the use of the working man, opportunities for further education and so many other initiatives to improve the lot of the working class – well that was down to the men employed in the Works.

The men were also quick to acknowledge those they respected, contributing from their hard earned wages towards a memorial. A walk around the cemetery will quickly reveal an inscription to that effect on numerous headstones.

Close to the chapel is a magnificent pink granite obelisk above the grave of Samuel Carlton with the inscription – ‘This Memorial was erected by Officials and Workmen of the Great Western Railway and other Friends, To mark the esteem in which he was held during the 32 years he was Manager of the Locomotive Works at Swindon.’

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Death of Mr S Carlton

Swindon has lot another well-known inhabitant in the person of Mr Samuel Carlton who died on Tuesday night, after but a brief illness, the result of a chill.

As the manager of so large an affair as the locomotive department of the GWR Works at Swindon for over 40 years, Mr Carlton was necessarily brought into contact with many thousand of workmen, and these are scattered all over the world, and will learn with regret of the death of their old chief, who died in harness so shortly before his intended retirement on a pension from the company he has served so long and well.

The deceased gentleman had a blunt style with him, that stood no humbug, but those who knew him knew that a kind heart was within. The greatest evidence that can be afforded of his proper treatment of those under him is the fact that during the long number of years he has had control of a large body of skilled workmen such a thing as a strike or dispute as to wage has never occurred.

Every object for the social well-being of the men met with ready support from him, as musicians and others will be most ready to acknowledge. In fact, Mr Carton had the making or unmaking of many an institution that perhaps will not realise this properly until some other chief, without the knowledge of humanity possessed by Mr Carlton may shew it them. But we hope this will not be the case.

A life-long worker, for he is said to have started work at eleven years of age, the deceased was able to appreciate the difficulties of a workman’s life and to thoroughly understand his requirements. He, like his old chief, Mr Joseph Armstrong, rose with the GWR Company. He served his apprenticeship in the engineering departments of the L. and NWR Works at Edge Hill (Liverpool) and Crewe, and, having subsequently spent 10 years in the same service, left it for an appointment under Messrs Pearson and Co., marine engineers, of Liverpool. On resigning his position he was engaged by the Vulcan Foundry Co., at Warrington, and at length, in 1855, accepted a position under the company of which he has been the trusted chief and adviser for over 40 years.

Mr Carlton was first engaged by the GWR Company for their works at Stafford Road, Wolverhampton, under the direction of Mr Joseph Armstrong. A short time after his employment there he was selected as foreman of the fitting, erecting, and machine shop; and in 1864, Mr Carlton followed Mr Armstrong, who had removed there, receiving the appointment of manager of the Locomotive Department, which he filled up to his death.

Since his appointment to the charge of the department, the number of employees had doubled. Besides being one of the oldest of the company’s officials, he was one of the ablest and most practical, and he had much to do with the extensions and developments of the company’s system during late years.

His original genius was shown in his authorship of several railway patents, including fastening for securing engine, carriage and wagon tyres to the wheels – a system now largely used both at home and in the colonies.

When it is remembered the great extension the GWR Co. has made of its mileage by amalgamation and otherwise during the period of Mr Carlton’s service, it will be readily understood how much the company has had to rely on such officers as he. In local affairs of a public character, Mr Carlton had no particular ambition, although at one time he was a member of the New Swindon Local Board. His aim had more in concerns more directly associated with the workmen, such as the Swindon Building Society, the Mechanic’s Institute, the Park, etc.

In 1891 he was the recipient of a beautiful framed address from the foremen of the department under his control congratulating him his restoration to health, and hoping that he would be spared for many years to come. He leaves a widow and seven children to mourn their loss, and we are sure the thousands of workmen who have worked under him, and the inhabitants of the town generally, will join in sympathy with their great trouble.

The funeral will take place today (Saturday), at the Cemetery, the procession leaving the deceased’s residence at noon, for St Mark’s Church. It is expected a vast concourse will attend at the cemetery which will be reached at one o’clock.

The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, March 28, 1896.

Funeral of the late Mr. Samuel Carlton – The remains of the late Mr Samuel Carlton, whose demise was recorded in our last issue, were conveyed to their last resting place in Swindon Cemetery on Saturday last, in the presence of an immense concourse of people.

The funeral cortege left deceased’s late residence, Marlow House, at noon, and proceeded to St Mark’s church, where the first portion of the service was conducted by the vicar, the Hon. Canon Ponsonby, assisted by the Rev. A.G. Ross (curate).

The coffin was borne on a shillibeer, eight foremen from the GWR Works acting as bearers. Following the coffin were 13 mourning coaches, in which were the chief mourners including deceased’s widow and sons and daughters. About 500 mourners followed on foot, there being present representatives from all the shops in the Works. At the cemetery there was a vast concourse of people to witness the concluding portion of the service, which was conducted during a blinding hailstorm which proved most discomforting to the mourners. The grave was literally covered with beautiful wreaths and crosses.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, Saturday, April 4, 1896.

Samuel Carlton was born in Manchester on December 15, 1829. He trained as an engineer and in the 1861 census he was living in Wolverhampton. He had moved around the large railway centres during his early career as can be seen from the birthplaces of his children in 1861. The eldest was born in Crewe, the next in Liverpool and the two younger ones in Wolverhampton.

Samuel Carlton joined the GWR and worked under Joseph Armstrong at Wolverhampton. He came down to Swindon with Armstrong soon after the 1861 census. At the time of the following census ten years later Samuel was living at a house called Elm Villa, a former inn, on Wellington Street. He describes himself as a Civil Engineer and Manager of the Railway Works.

Samuel retired in 1895 and died the following year after what appears to be a very short illness.

Samuel Carlton is buried here with his wife Adelaide and his daughter Alma. There is also a dedication to his son Thomas William Carlton, Captain of the Honourable Artillery Company who died on a voyage to South Africa and was buried at sea.

Thomas and Beatrice Rose

What drew my attention to this headstone was the couples’ surname, Rose, and the rose motif on the top.

Thomas Rose was born in 1836 in Leamington Spa, the son of a cabinet maker. By 1869 he was living here in Swindon and the UK Railway records show he entered the GWR Service as a Railway Carriage Maker that year.

At the time of the 1881 census Thomas and Beatrice were living at 11 Faringdon Street. By this time Thomas was a Foreman Finisher earning £2 18s a week – enough to support his six children with a few pennies to spare to employ a young servant girl, 13 year old Emily Drew. It’s always tricky comparing historic wages with money value today, but a wage of £2 18s in 1881 would have the purchasing power of about £1,200 a week today.

Thomas’ sons all followed him into the Works. Eldest son Thomas became a fitter as did George; William became a carriage trimmer and Frank completed a seven year apprenticeship to become a pattern maker. Frank began his apprenticeship in 1869 aged 14 on a daily rate of 10d which increased to three shillings a day in year seven.

Thomas died in 1904 aged 67 and Beatrice two years later aged 66. Both of them left a will. Thomas left effects to the value of £200 to his wife. When Beatrice died she left £150 1s 5d.

Thomas’ funeral took place on June 4, 1904 when he was buried in grave plot D1568. Beatrice was buried with him on January 5, 1907.

Silas Fry – Primitive Methodist

Silas Fry and his wife Lydia were a pretty dynamic couple. When Silas died in 1925 the North Wilts Herald published a lengthy obituary detailing his many accomplishments, which included his work as a member of Swindon Town Council, his membership of the old Gorse Hill Cricket Club and his lifelong membership of the Primitive Methodist Church.

Primitive Methodist Chapel, Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill

Silas was born in 1874, the son of Oliver Fry, newsagent/grocer and Primitive Methodist preacher, and his first wife Esther Ayliffe. He grew up in Gorse Hill and never moved away, living with his wife Lydia at first 110 Chapel Street and then 71 Cricklade Road where he died on June 14, 1925.

Death of a Swindon Councillor

Mr Silas Fry’s Many Activities

The Funeral

The death occurred on Sunday of Mr Silas Fry, a member of the Swindon Town Council and a well known figure in many departments of public life in the town.

A few months ago Mr Fry, who was 51 years of age, underwent a serious operation at a Swindon nursing home, and he made such good progress afterwards that strong hopes were entertained that he would make a complete recovery, but he suffered a relapse.

A son of Mr Oliver Fry, who was prominently identified with local government affairs, deceased was at one time a member of the Swindon and Highworth Board of Guardians, and on his retirement from that body he was succeeded by his wife, who is still an active and useful member. In November 1922, Mr Fry was elected to the Town Council as one of the representatives of North Ward, and in that capacity he rendered much useful public service. He served on the Watch and Pleasure Grounds Committee, being this year’s vice chairman, and other committees of which he was a member were the Sewage and Allotments, Works and Streets, General Purposes and Emergency, and the Swindon and District Hospital Board.

Deceased had been organist at the Gorse Hill Primitive Methodist Church since he was nine years of age, and when the services were conducted in the old chapel, now used as the Salvation Army Barracks. He was also Superintendent of the Sunday School, and president of the local Christian Endeavour. For 20 years Mr Fry was choirmaster, succeeding the late Mr J.J. Henly. He was also one of the pioneers of the old Gorse Hill Perseverance Cricket Club, which afterwards became the Gorse Hill Primitive Methodist. He was a keen cricketer, and played until four years ago.

Extracts from the North Wilts Herald, Friday, June 19, 1925.