Robert Dibbs and TRIP week

If you worked for the Great Western Railway in the Swindon Works, you joined the Mechanics’ Institution. The requirement was pretty much essential and the benefits extensive and if you weren’t a member you could not go on TRIP. Not a trip or the trip but TRIP.

TRIP began with a day’s outing to Oxford in 1848 for some 500 members of the Mechanics’ Institution. At its peak in 1924 29,000 people travelled in 31 trains numbering 520 coaches to seaside (and other) destinations across the UK.

It’s fair to say Swindon pretty much emptied during TRIP. With the Works closed, some shops cut their prices, others cut their opening hours. But who would have guessed that TRIP would impact upon a funeral.

Robert Dibbs, the landlord of the Red Cow Inn in Princes Street, died suddenly during the night of 11/12 July 1888 and was found by his daughter sitting in his armchair in the bar-parlour ‘quite dead.’ An inquest returned a verdict of ‘death from heart disease’.

Before moving to Swindon Robert Dibbs had previously served in the Mounted Police in London. He had subsequently joined the Swindon Troop of the Wilts Yeomanry where he held the rank of sergeant and as such was accorded a military funeral. However, there was a problem – it was TRIP week.

The Swindon Advertiser reported in the Saturday edition July 21, 1888:-

The mortal remains of the late Mr Robert Dibbs were interred with military honours on Monday afternoon. Deceased had been a member of the Swindon Troop of the Wilts Yeomanry ever since its re-establishment, five years since, having been promoted to the rank of sergeant. Previous to his coming to Swindon, Mr Dibbs had been in the Mounted Police in London for several years. Not only did the members of the Swindon Troop of Yeomanry attend the funeral, but also as many members whose service could be enlisted of the Swindon Companies of Rifle Volunteers. And it was most unfortunate, from more than one point of view, that the funeral should have occurred during the Great Western “Trip” week, seeing that the greater part of the Volunteers were away from the town, and were thus prevented from attending. Every endeavour was made to obtain the services of a band, but without success, for only portions of the various bands of the town were available, and the consequence was that the musical part of the military funeral service had to be dispensed with. Notwithstanding that the circumstances were against a good muster turning out to pay respect to their late brother in arms, yet the numbers, both of the Yeomanry Cavalry and the Volunteers, were far in excess of what might have been expected.

Image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Robert Dibbs was buried on July 16, 1888 in grave plot E8312 which he shares with his son George Dibbs who died in 1895.

Read about the phenomenon that was - TRIP The Annual Holiday of GWR’s Swindon Works by Rosa Matheson.

George Charles Mozley and the 32nd (Cornwall) Light Infantry

A short while ago I mentioned a plaque inserted above the houses on Rodbourne Road inscribed Lucknow Terrace. The naming of this terrace was to commemorate the Siege of Lucknow and published here is the obituary of George Mozley who served in India during the defence of Lucknow.

George Mozley/Mosley was born in Bristol in about 1831 and enlisted with the 32nd (Cornwall) Light Infantry in 1846 serving in India from about 1848 to 1858.

At the time of his death The Swindon Advertiser was given details of his military career which was published along with an account of his funeral in the Saturday, January 22, 1887 edition.

Following his discharge from the army George married Amelia Ann Dann in Plymouth in 1862. By 1870 George and his young family had arrived in Swindon where they lived in Quarry Cottages at the time of the 1871 census. By 1881 they had settled in No 3 Stanley Terrace, Rodbourne where George was working as a Watchman in the GWR Works.

He died at his home 11 Linslade Street, Rodbourne in 1887. After serving his country during a long military career, George was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery in a public grave plot B1314, which he shares with four others.

Military Funeral – An old pensioner, named George Charles Mosley, having died at his residence, Linslade-street, Rodbourne Road, orders were issued to the members of the F and G Co’s (New Swindon) Rifle Volunteers to attend the funeral, which took place on Saturday, at the Cemetery. The volunteers assembled at the Drill Hall at 2.15 and in addition to the two companies mentioned, there were also present a number of the K and M Co’s (Old Swindon). The band of the Battalion under Bandmaster J.H. Lay, were in attendance. The men, under the charge of Sergt. Instr. Holman, having been marched to the late residence of the deceased, the funeral cortege – the mourners being the widow and family – proceeded to St. Mark’s Church, where the first part of the burial service was conducted. The Rev. H.D. Butler (curate) officiated, and he also concluded the service at the cemetery. During the journey from the deceased’s late residence to the church the band played Beethoven’s ‘German Dead March.’ Whilst from the church to the cemetery the ‘Dead March,’ in ‘Saul’ was played. The thoroughfares through which the procession passed were lined with spectators, and hundreds of persons witnessed the interment. The usual three volleys were fired over the grave, the firing party of twelve men being in charge of Sergt. Daniels and Corpl. Bull.

The deceased, who had been a pensioner for many years, and was late of the 32^nd Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, had had a remarkable career. He enlisted on Feb 29^th, 1846 in the 32^nd Regiment Light Infantry under the command of Col. Carmichael. He was present with the Mooltan Field Force, under the command of Major General White, C.B., in the first siege operations in September 1848; at the action at Soori Roond, Nov. 7^th, 1848; at the taking of the suburb of Mooltan on 27^th December, 1848, the storming of the city, January 2^nd, and the surrender of the fortress on January 22^nd, 1849. He was present at the surrender of the fort and garrison of Chenote, February 9^th, 1849; joined the army of the Punjaub, under the command of General Lord Gough, commander in chief, February 20^th, 1849; was present at the battle of Goojerat, February 21^st 1849; served against the Othman Kheil tribes in the Ranzee Valley, under Brigadier General Sir Colin Campbell, C.B., in the months of March, April, May and June 1852; and was present at the action of Chinhut, June 30^th, 1857. He was at the defence of Lucknow from July 1^st to November 22^nd; at the battle of Cawnpore on the 6^th December; and at the capture of Forts Deigham and Tyrhoole in July, and Dondpore in October, 1858.

He was discharged after 24 years service, with a pension of 1s 2½d per day, having received three war medals, one medal for good conduct and long service, and a gratuity of £5. For 18 years since his discharge deceased had been employed in the GWR Works at Swindon.

We are asked to state that the relatives of deceased desire to return thanks to Major Dean for sanctioning the funeral under military honours, and also to the volunteers for their attendance.

The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, January 22, 1887.

This image of Linslade Street is published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

George’s wife Amelia died in 1919 and is buried in grave plot C3516 with her son George Henry, his wife Elizabeth and their daughter Violet.

Thomas Simpson and the missing portraits

There can’t be many people who have received a portrait of themselves when they leave a job – but what I want to know is what happened to those two paintings presented to Thomas Simpson in 1885.

Death of Mr Thos Simpson

50 Years in the Railway Service

We regret to announce the death of Mr. Thomas Simpson, which occurred at his residence, Summerville, The Sands, Swindon, on Sunday last.

Deceased, who was 67 years of age, had been ill for the past four years, and his end was not unexpected. Up to two years ago he held for some years the responsible position of outdoor locomotive and carriage superintendent in the GWR Company’s employ, and it was only owing to his continued ill-health that he retired from harness, the kindness and sympathy always exhibited by the deceased towards his men won for him the respect and esteem of all who knew him, so much so that on his retirement he was presented with a very handsomely illuminated album and a Bank note.

Mr Simpson started his long railway career on the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway in 1851. Three years later he was transferred to the Great Western Railway. On being offered the post of foreman on the Vale of Clwydd Railway (now part of the L. and N.W. system), Mr Simpson left the GWR in 1859 to fill the post at Denbigh. After spending six years there he returned to the GWR Company as foreman of their Wolverhampton Works. In 1868 he was appointed manager of the Locomotive Works at that station, a position which he held to the satisfaction of all, and the news of his promotion of the important post, in 1885, of outdoor superintendent of the locomotive and carriage department at Swindon gave general pleasure to his many friends. This post he retained until his retirement in the September of 1897.

Whilst at Wolverhampton he gained great favour amongst the employees, and on his removal to Swindon he was the recipients of an illuminated address, accompanied by two valuable oil paintings of himself and Mrs. Simpson, a fine marble clock and ornaments, and a very fine silver tea and coffee service. This alone is quite sufficient to show how faithfully deceased discharged his duties.

The Evening Swindon Advertiser, Tuesday, October 10, 1899.

Views of a Spectator

If, like me, you enjoy walking through old cemeteries and reading the inscriptions on the headstones you will find the views of this ‘Spectator’ thought provoking. At the beginning of 1881 the cemetery question was upper most in the thoughts of many Swindonians.

A cemetery should be a wooded garden, with walks and avenues and glades according to its size, and not, as in most villages now, a stonemason’s yard, studded with squat temples and tombs, or with tall, meaningless headstones so mouldy that it would be nearly impossible to read the inscriptions, even if the undertakers did not have them made as illegible as possible, in order to “make business” of the work of cleaning them out. These headstones are the destruction of all beauty or solemnity in a graveyard. Nothing uglier or more meaningless in form has ever been conceived by man, and nothing worse adapted for exhibiting an inscription. If they are upright, they gradually sway out of the perpendicular with their own weight; and if they are flat, they destroy the reverential vegetation which else, without means, watchfulness or exertion, would, but for the stones, clothe the surface of the grave. They are, besides, utterly needless. What is required by each grave is a number cut in granite – cut solid, we mean, not out of granite – a number distinguishable for centuries, and referring to a granite tablet, which need not be more than six inches by a foot, with an inscription identifying, describing, and, if you will, praising the dead. – Spectator

The Swindon Advertiser, Monday, January 3, 1881

Swindon Borough Council workers have recently done a grand job at the cemetery. I am sharing here some photographs taken by Kevin a CWGC and dedicated Radnor Street Cemetery volunteer.

This path clearing project is a work in progress by our own dedicated volunteers

Martha Ann Croom – farmer at Lower Walcot

Among the fitters and turners, the boilermakers and the carriage makers buried in Radnor Street Cemetery lie the farmers. Richard Strange, tenant at Mannington Farm, is buried with members of his family in a triple grave plot numbered E8463/4/5 and Martha Hale from Creeches Farm in Hook, Lydiard Tregoze is in grave plot E7999 and most recently I have discovered the Croom family, originally from Somerset, who farmed at Walcot Farm.

The 1891 census records three properties in the Walcot Tything. Henry Thorne and his family occupied the ‘farmhouse’; Ernest E. Cox was at Walcot Farm (3) and Robert Croom at Walcot Farm (2). Lower Walcot Farmhouse remains to this day, renamed Bailey’s farm after its long association with the family of butchers who signed a lease with Fitzroy Pleydell Goddard in 1916. It seems likely that this was where Robert Croom and his family lived in the 1890s.

Robert Croom and his wife Martha Ann nee Crees shared ancestral links to Witham Friary near Frome, Somerset. Both came from large, farming families. Robert was the son of James Croom and Elizabeth Ann nee Crees and grew up at Quarry Hill Farm in Witham Friary while Martha Ann Crees was the daughter of Benjamin Crees and Charlotte nee White and grew up at Brook House Farm, Westbury, Wilts. As you can see the Crees and Croom families intermarried.

Robert and Martha Ann married in 1866 and in 1871 were living at Grange Farm, West Lydford in Somerset where they farmed 200 acres and employed 9 men and 3 boys. Within a couple of years they had moved to Draycot Foliat, Wiltshire and by 1891 they were at Walcot Farm, most probably Lower Walcot. Following Robert’s death on October 14, 1892 Martha carried on in business with the support of sons James, Edward, Henry and youngest son Archibald Ernest Crees Croom.

Walcot under construction, but which of the farms is pictured in the distance?

It is difficult today to picture the numerous farms that comprised our town but several were still in existence until the 1952 Town Development Act was adopted. Swindon Corporation acquired 1,000 acres of land for building to the east of the town, swallowing up long held Goddard family property, including Lower and Upper Walcot Farms. The housing estates at Walcot cover former farmland that included ancient fields once named Glazemore Ground and Chantery Green.

Martha Ann Croom died in 1899 at Walcot Farm and was buried in grave plot D43 where she was later joined by her 5 year old granddaughter Ethel Lilian Croom who died in 1911. Lilian Croom, Martha Ann’s daughter-in-law, died in 1927 and was also buried in D43. Then in 1949 Martha Ann’s youngest son Archibald Ernest Crees Croom (husband of Lilian and father of Ethel) died at Liddington Wick Farm, Coate and he too was buried in plot D43.

George Cripps – Primitive Methodist Minister

George Cripps was born on May 2, 1839 in Badbury and baptised on May 26 at Chiseldon Parish church. He was the son of James and Sarah Cripps and when aged just 15 he dedicated himself to a life of Christian service. Within months of his conversion he was preaching on the local circuit and embarked upon a long career as a travelling preacher. He began his ministry in Witney in 1861 travelling the country and serving in various circuits including those at Andover, Thetford and Ipswich before returning to Swindon in 1897.

In 1866 he married Ursula Ellen Bayman and the couple had six children, two of whom had sadly died before 1911. Their son Raymond George Cripps married Beatrice Maud Raggett, a member of another prominent local Primitive Methodist family, and went on to become Mayor of Swindon in 1938-39.

George retired to Swindon where he worshipped at the Prospect Place Primitive Methodist Chapel. In 1901 he and Ursula were living at 134 Goddard Avenue. George died at his home on August 25, 1920 and was buried in grave plot D300 which he shares with Ursula who died in 1918.

A lengthy obituary written by Joseph Burton was published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine in 1920 – extracts can be read below:

After a period of further preparation, involving much thought and prayer, he commenced his life’s work as a minister of the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in 1861. The Witney Circuit pledged him, and he laboured with considerable success and acceptance on the Sturminster Newton, Faringdon, Andover, Newbury, Basingstoke, Thetford, King’s Lynn, Wangford, Ipswich, Tunbridge Wells and Guildford Circuits.

There were many preaching places on most of these circuits, covering a wide area, and sometimes necessitating a walk of fifteen or sixteen miles each way. Besides the ordinary week-night work, our brother frequently preached three and four times on the Sabbath. He built five chapels and reduced debts on others. It seemed to be his lot to have to grapple with such cases, but with indomitable perseverance and tact, he generally succeeded. At Ipswich, where I first formed his acquaintance, he waited upon a gentleman with the intention of getting financial help, but was unable to see him. He called again—twenty times—before he was granted an interview. The gentleman said: ‘‘I believe you have been before.” Our brother replied that he had called twenty times, and should call again unless he got what he desired. The gentleman bade him sit down, and retired to another room. Presently he brought a cheque for £20—a pound per visit—as a reward for his pertinacity, and, told him whenever he needed help, he could call again.

The same zeal was in evidence for winning souls. Well do I remember as a probationer, the Saturday evening open-air services, with sometimes opposition, sometimes police interference; but if we were moved from one place it was to begin again elsewhere: the singing and exhortations went on, and, we had reason to believe, were made a blessing to souls.

He got the Free Church ministers to join him in a mission in connection with our Rope Walk Church, and as they proceeded down the Rope Walk, headed by a brass band, it was the signal for a tremendous opposition that required the whole of the town’s police, except two, to quell. But not before much damage was done. They smashed the windows of the chapel, brick-ends falling on to the platform, and those who had ventured inside the chapel had to be got out by the back door and through the caretaker’s house. Happily no one was seriously hurt. The windows were boarded up, and the mission proceeded for some weeks, leading ministers and friends of other Churches taking part. The riot was due to a misapprehension that the Salvation Army were beginning their mission in the town, but it turned out for great good, many souls professing conversion.

It was while on the Tunbridge Wells Circuit, under the strain of heavy chapel liabilities, and special services—including mid-day services to men during their dinner hour—that his health broke down. His condition was so serious that his medical adviser ordered a sea voyage to New Zealand on a sailing vessel. In a crisis of this kind, one sometimes discovers that: some of God’s servants have been watching the struggle. It was so in his case. One friend secured his passage, others sent useful presents for his comfort on his voyage, and almost weekly, during an absence of eleven months, never failed to minister to his wife and family. On his return it was found there was very little improvement in his health. The Conference of 1887 stationed him at Guildford, from whence he superannuated in 1892, having travelled thirty-one years. He settled down in Swindon. Though broken in health and a great sufferer, he served nine years on the Swindon Board of Guardians, and preached in nearly all the, Free Churches in the town. His wife, never strong in health, but a great helpmate on his circuits, ideal in the home, hospitable and very kind, predeceased him in 1918. Most of the time after her death he was obliged to remain indoors, and latterly was confined to his room suffering from a complication of diseases—uncomplaining, bright, cheerful and hopeful in spirit, and heartily responsive to prayer and spiritual conversation.

Image published courtesy of My Primitive Methodists

Archdeacon Samuel Christelow – missionary

Samuel James Christelow was born in 1883 the son of John Christelow,- a boilermaker, and his wife Priscilla. He was baptised at St Mark’s Church on November 30, 1879 and grew up at 42 Wellington Street, a property that remained the family home for more than 70 years. After several years working in the railway factory, Samuel Christelow travelled to Zimbabwe where he was ordained. In 1938 the Rev Christelow returned to Swindon for an extended holiday with his family. A reporter from the North Wilts Herald interviewed Rev Christelow at the home of his sister and brother in law in Goddard Avenue.

Home From South Africa.

Archdeacon’s Five Months’ Leave

Native of Swindon

After a trip from South Africa aboard the Llanstephan Castle, the liner in which a mystery illness caused four deaths on the way, Archdeacon Samuel Christelow, of Southern Rhodesia, has arrived in Swindon on five months’ leave.

Swindon born and bred – he is an old Sanford-street scholar – Archdeacon Christelow has been working in the mission field in South Africa for 30 years, that time being spent in periods of five years in the Dark Continent broken up by spells on leave.

Plenty of Travel.

The diocese of Southern Rhodesia includes part of Bechuanaland, Mashonaland and Matabeleland, and the Archdeacon is also Director of Missions for the whole diocese. This mission work affords him plenty of travel – chiefly by car – throughout the whole territory in which are one and a half million natives and 65,000 whites. The whites are chiefly concentrated in Salisbury and Bulawayo. A good deal of translation work occupies Archdeacon Christelow’s attention, for he has an excellent knowledge of the languages of the country. He speaks Chishona, the language of Mashonaland, Zulu in Matabeleland, and Sechuana, which is spoken in Bechuanaland. “I learned the languages fairly quickly,” he told me. “I used to have to go off on trips lasting several weeks with natives who could not speak a word of English, so of course I had to learn. Most of my journeys then were done on foot, although I sometimes had a horse, but these animals were inclined to get horse sickness. We had to take all food with us to last for journeys of several hundred miles, covering about 25 or 30 miles each day. Occasionally, of course, I was able to shoot some game.”

Native Problems

Of the changes which had taken place in his 30 years’ experience of the country, Archdeacon Christelow said: “The attitude of the Government towards mission work has changed. It is much more sympathetic and shows it in various ways; among them it has started a scheme for providing medical aids for there is very little medical work indeed, most of it having been done by the missionaries, who also had to fill the roles of dentists, builders and carpenters. “The Government has also begun a series of clinics. Extracts from the North Wilts Herald, Friday, 4 March, 1938. samuel-james-christelow

Widowed and retired he returned to Swindon where he lived with his sister Rosa at 125 Goddard Avenue. He died in St Margaret’s Hospital in 1972 and is buried in plot D1587. You might also like to read: Up at the Castle

The Summer Cemetery

Listening to Storm Jocelyn battering Britain, I’m looking forward to kinder, calmer climes. While the bluebells hunker down and the ox-eye daisies rest their roots, let’s revisit the summer cemetery. With our guided walks paused during the winter months, we are compiling our 2024 calendar of events – dates to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, you might like to check out our video page where you can see Noel’s sunny reports from New Zealand.

William Henry Waister – an interesting career recalled

Sometimes there is little I can add to the words written in an obituary. This is a lengthy report but well worth reading.

Death of Mr W.H. Waister

Interesting Career Recalled

Honoured by the German Emperor

Many Swindonians will hear with regret of the death of Mr William Henry Waister, of Clifton House, Swindon, which occurred on Saturday, after a long illness.

Mr Waister, who was 66, had been in failing health for the last five years, and during that time his sister-in-law, Mrs Clarke, had resided with him. Three weeks ago he went to Weston-Super-Mare, in the hope that the change would be beneficial, but when he returned home on Thursday his state of health was about the same, and he passed away as stated. Deceased leaves two sons and two daughters. The elder son is in the service of the GWR and occupies the position of Assistant Divisional Locomotive Superintendent at Newport, while the younger son is in Canada. Of the two daughters one is married and resides in London. Mr Waister’s wife, who was a daughter of Mr. William Elliott, of Wolverhampton, pre-deceased him 11 years ago.

Mr Waister’s association with the GWR was a long and honourable one, and was marked by the bestowal of many more honours than fall to the lot of the average railway official. Under the age limit he retired from the Company’s service at the end of 1912, and was succeeded by Mr W.H. Williams, who for some years had acted as his assistant. For 15 of the 48 years he was connected with the GWR he occupied the position of Chief Outdoor Assistant to the Locomotive, Carriage and Waggon Superintendent, and when he retired into private life he took with him several tokens of the high regard in which he was held, opportunity being taken of the occasion by the members of his own personal staff, over 60 in number, to present him with a handsome silver salver. The presentation was made, in felicitous terms, by Mr T. Piggott (chief clerk in Mr Waister’s department) and many tributes were then paid to Mr Waister’s services and high personal qualities.

Mr. Waister was a Tynesider, and, following some experience in the Marchioness of Londonderry’s workshops at Seaham Harbour, he was in 1865 apprenticed to the mechanical engineering in the GWR Works at Wolverhampton. As time went on he made satisfactory progress in his passage through the various departments, and after having acted as relieving foreman he eventually became Chief Draughtsman. In 1885 Mr Waister was transferred to Swindon to take charge of the Drawing Office, and a year later he became Locomotive Superintendent of the Swindon Division. In 1888 he returned to Wolverhampton in the capacity of assistant to Mr. George Armstrong (the Superintendent of the Northern Division) and as manager of the Stafford Road Works. His second stay at Wolverhampton extended over a period of nine years. In February, 1897, on the retirement of Mr. Armstrong, he became superintendent of the Northern Division, and the following October witnessed his return to Swindon as Chief Running Superintendent, under the late Mr. W. Dean, and from June, 1902, until the date of his retirement he was under the Chief Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent (Mr G.J. Churchward).

Mr Waister had a very interesting career. He served under no fewer than six General Managers, and it worthy of note that from 1886 onwards he accompanied practically every royal train running over the GWR system. He was with the train in which the German Emperor and Empress and their suite travelled over the line in 1907, and the Kaiser then conferred upon him the Order of the Red Eagle. He also accompanied the Czar and Czarina on their journey from Wolverhampton to Basingstoke in October, 1896. For the services he rendered in arranging accommodation for Royal personages he several times received the thanks of the General Manager and Chief Superintendent, and it is also interesting to note that he was one of the recipients of a medal from the Company commemorating the reign of the late Queen Victoria.

Mr Waister’s organising and administrative abilities were little short of remarkable, and for the services he rendered in connection with the removal of troops from one part of the system to another for the purposes of manoeuvres and mobilisation he received the thanks of the War Office on more than one occasion.

Funeral

The remains were laid to rest in Swindon Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon the funeral being attended by several of the deceased gentleman’s old colleagues and representatives of the Great Western Railway Company. The Vicar of Swindon (the Rev. C.A. Mayall) conducted the service in the Cemetery chapel and also performed the last rites at the graveside. The coffin, which was of polished elm with brass furnishings, was covered with beautiful wreaths, and the inscription on the breast plate was as follows:-

William Henry Waister

Died October 3, 1914.

Aged 66

Extracts from the North Wilts Herald, Friday, October 9, 1914.

William Henry Waister was buried on October 6, 1914 in grave plot E7949, a plot he shares with his wife Annie Maria who died in 1902. Their daughter, Lilian Waister, died in Newport in July 1950 and was buried with her parents here in Swindon.

This is all that remains of the Waister family memorial.

Clayton Joyce – bungalow builder

Clayton Walter Joyce was born in Moredon in 1863 the second son of Charles Joyce, a mason and builder, and his wife Pamela. Clayton started work in the GWR Works and when he married Emily Jones in 1888 he stated that his occupation was that of mechanic. But inevitably he went into the building trading, working as a bricklayer from at least 1891.

In 1925 Clayton began work on properties in Telford Road, Rodbourne Cheney. He built two bungalows both completed in 1926. That same year he built a bungalow for Mr Keene and began work on a house and shop completed in 1927. In 1927 he went on to build four bungalows, one for Miss Perry, one for Mr Walker and two for Mr G. Mabberley, the man who commissioned his first build in 1925. In 1928 he built a bungalow (nearest shop) and then in 1932 another bungalow in Telford Road for Mr A.J. Thorne in the recently renamed Cheney Manor Road.

This image is published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library from the Ordnance Survey Revision Point series of photographs. Could this be one of Clayton Joyce’s bungalows?

By the 1920s Telford Road in Rodbourne Cheney had become a desirable residential area. Builders active in the area include Tydeman Bros who built a house for Mr Keefe in 1928. Our friend James Hinton (who owned the land on which the cemetery was laid out) was also busy in the area and had been for sometime, according to an entry in Architects and Building Craftsmen with Work in Wiltshire Pt 2., James Hinton – Swindon Telford Road, Harcourt Road, Cobden Road, Ferndale Road, new streets and back roads 1905.

Another view of Cheney Manor Road courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library. Could the bungalow on the right be a Clayton Joyce build?

In 1928 the Swindon Borough boundary was extended to incorporate Rodbourne Cheney and Telford Road was renamed Cheney Manor Road.

Clayton’s wife Emily died in 1925 and was buried on January 31 in grave plot D210. At the time of the 1939 census Clayton was living with his son and his family at 9 Suffolk Street. He died at Ogbourne Hospital in 1945 aged 82 and was buried with Emily on February 7.