In December 1930 more than 200 men retired from the Great Western Railway Works, an event of such importance to warrant a detailed article in the first January edition of the North Wilts Herald published in 1931.
The names and addresses of those men forced to retire under the introduction of the 66 years age limit were recorded in appreciation of their long years employed in the Works.
Mr E.T.W. Robins – A large number of different interest have claimed the attention of Mr. Robins. He has had 52 years’ service as a fitter with the GWR Co., and has been a chargeman for 37 years, working as a fitter in the B Erecting Shop.
He is now 66 years old. A Londoner by birth, he has lived in Swindon since he was a child.
Mr Robins was one of the first secretaries of the Swindon Hospital Saturday Fund in 1894 and 1895, and has also been a member of the Hospital Management Committee.
He has done a great deal of church work at St. Mark’s, Swindon.
He is a member of the Foresters (Court Britain’s Pride). He was at one time secretary of the Swindon Chrysanthemum Society.
Swindon Veterans of Industry – North Wilts Herald, Friday, January 2, 1931.
Agnes and Edward Thomas William Robins are pictured to the right of the photograph
Edward Thomas William Robins was born in March 1864 and baptised at St. Stephen’s Paddington June 26, one of Thomas and Henrietta’s 11 children. The family appears on the 1871 census as living at 16 Reading Street.
Edward married his first wife Hannah Williams on February 10, 1889 at the Independent Church, Victoria Street. Following her death he married his second wife Agnes Thomas at St. Mark’s on April 17, 1897. The couple had two sons Thomas Arthur and Cecil.
Edward Thomas Wm Robins died aged 82 years and was buried on March 25, 1947 in grave plot B3102 where Agnes joined him when she died in 1948.
Radnor Street Cemetery 