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.
Radnor Street Cemetery 