Charles Hurkett was born on August 3, 1888 and baptised at St. David’s, Carmarthen on August 26. Charles was the son of John Hurkett, a Bat. Sergt. Maj. 3rd Brigade, Welsh Div R.A., and his wife Frances. At the time of Charles’s birth the family were living at Glen Cross Villa, Johnstown, but by 1891 they were living at Lympstone in Devon and by 1901 they had arrived in Swindon.
Charles died in 1907 and his grave is marked by a very distinctive memorial. I thought that perhaps Charles was employed in the GWR Works and that maybe colleagues had made this unusual memorial. However, when you look at the back you can see it has the imprint of Affleck and I think it is more likely that Charles worked at the Affleck foundry in Old Town.
William Affleck was born in Gateshead and served his engineering apprenticeship at Hawkes & Son, a large engineering works and iron foundry in the town. He later joined the prestigious Lambeth based engineering firm of Maudsley and Field before moving on to a job with the Great Western Railway at Paddington and eventually coming to Swindon. By 1853 William had struck out on his own, establishing a foundry and engineering works in Prospect.
While there is still more to discover about the Hurkett family it seems we may have solved the mystery of the unusual memorial.
Charles died on April 25, 1907 aged 18 years of age. He is buried in plot B2607 with his parents.
Radnor Street Cemetery 
Many of the late 19th and early 20th century grave markers look like that here in France. Sadly they are rusting now. I presume they were cheaper than stone, standard moulds with just the details to personalise.
LikeLike
Hi Maria – that’s very interesting to hear. Charles Hurkett’s is the only known one of its kind in Radnor Street Cemetery – of course there may have been others.
LikeLike
I’ll send you some photos when it’s cooler. We’re just round the corner from Radnor cemetery when we are in Swindon.
LikeLike
Hi Maria – we met when you were last back in Swindon.
LikeLike