I took advantage of a dry spell in the recent turbulent weather to make a visit to the cemetery, my first this year.
Everywhere was look surprisingly unscathed by the recent tempest, although I didn’t venture far from the paths where I could see the work of the dedicated volunteers who have returned after the Christmas holiday.
It’s still rather early for the hardy little snowdrop to make an appearance, but I did see a single sprig of Lunaria, an old fashioned cottage garden plant more commonly known as honesty. And what more symbolic plant could there be for a burial ground, for at the end of life there can only be honesty.
As we begin this New Year of 2024 I hope you will permit me a little self-indulgence.
This blog is dedicated to remembering the ordinary people of Swindon. There are more than 550 stories on the Radnor Street Cemetery blog. Stories about shopkeepers, boilermakers, loco drivers, coachmakers, fitters and turners and the women who, perhaps surprisingly, were social workers, J.P.s, magistrates and business women, as well as wives and mothers.
We have readers from across the globe, although this might just be Noel, who has done a lot of travelling in 2023. Our cemetery walks led by tour guide Andy (who manages to fit them in around his cricket watching calendar) continue to attract on average 50+ people. Our team of gardening volunteers continues to grow under the leadership of Jon. There are 104 Commonwealth War Graves, which the team care for in their role as Eyes On, Hands On volunteers. In recent months they have discovered the graves of veterans of the Crimea and Boer Wars and even the Zulu War.
It is hoped that Swindon Borough Council, in this new era of heritage awareness and appreciation, will recognise the importance of Radnor Street Cemetery and join us in preserving the history of this special place.
The inspiration for this blog has come from several sources – firstly The Gentle Author who has been writing the Spitalfields Life blog for more than 14 years, posting daily stories about London’s east end. Then there is Sheldon K. Goodman of Cemetery Club fame, a cemetery aficionado par excellence. And finally my friend Mark Sutton who sadly died in 2022.
The Skerten family of undertakers had a presence in Swindon for more than 75 years. For most of that time they were busy in Radnor Street cemetery and the early burial registers reveal the many funerals they performed there.
Carpenter and joiner Richard Skerten married Ann Brown at St Paul’s Church, Bristol in 1844 and by 1851 they had moved to Swindon and a home at 32 Reading Street with their three young daughters.
By 1871 Richard was established as both a joiner and an undertaker but his business very nearly came to an end when a disastrous fire totally destroyed his Regent Street workshops. It happened on Friday June 15, 1877 when it was believed the heat of the sun ignited oils in the workshop. Neither the buildings, the stock-in-trade nor the workmen’s tools were insured.
However, Richard re-established his business at 1 Queen Street where his wife Ann and younger son Richard continued to run the family firm after his death in 1886.
Meanwhile, by 1881 elder son Arthur had established his own business at 5 King Street. On April 29, 1887 Arthur had the sad task of burying his twin baby sons Richard and Joseph just 3 and 4 days old respectively. Perhaps surprisingly the babies were buried in a public plot with three others – burial conventions were different then.
Probably the most extraordinary funeral Richard Skerten junior arranged was that of gipsy patriarch Timothy Buckland. For about a month the terminally ill Timothy camped in a field near the Wharf, Drove Road with some nine other vans and tents and 50 members of his family.
According to the Swindon Advertiser the funeral attracted several thousand spectators to the churchyard at Christ Church.
For the funeral the arrangements were placed in the hands of Mr Richard Skerten, undertaker, of New Swindon, and a hearse and eleven mourning coaches were engaged, the adult members of the family occupying the latter. The coffin was of French polished oak, with brass fittings, and bore the simple inscription on a brass plate “Timothy Buckland, died 8th Nov. 1890, aged 70 years.
Extract from theSwindon Advertiser, Saturday Nov 15, 1890.
When their time came all three Skerten undertakers were buried in Radnor Street Cemetery, which seems very fitting.
Richard Skerten senior was buried on May 20, 1886 in grave plot E8434 where he was joined by his wife Ann who died in 1902.
His son Richard was buried on December 11, 1911 in grave plot D1319 where his wife Ann joined him in 1936. Buried with them is their son-in-law Leslie Ernest Adams, their daughter Annie Amelia’s husband, who died at 1 Queen Street in October 1959.
Arthur Skerten was buried on February 9, 1934 in grave plot C1785 joining his 12 year old daughter Isabella May who died in 1907 and his wife Betsy who died in 1930.
William Cowan married Amelia Roberts at the parish church in Corse, Gloucestershire in 1879. It was a second marriage for both of them.
William had previously been married to Frances Weston who appears to have arrived in Swindon via Brixton after a few stops along the way (much as I have). She died in 1870 and is buried in Reading Cemetery.
Amelia had lived her entire life in the Gloucestershire parish of Ashleworth where she married John Roberts, a farmer of 40 acres, in 1827.
At her second marriage Amelia describes her status as that of ‘Gentlewoman’ an old fashioned term which has slipped out of usage but one I’d like to see revived! The definition of a gentlewoman is a woman who belongs to a high social class; one who is kind, polite and honest, cultured, educated and well mannered. Aren’t we all, ladies, aren’t we all?
Amelia and William’s marriage was of a relatively short duration, which was probably unsurprising given their ages – William was 79 and Amelia 70 when they married.
Amelia died at her home, 23 King William Street, and was buried on August 7, 1882 in grave plot E8636. William died in 1889 aged 89 years and lies buried with Amelia.
The cemetery volunteers have been busy this weekend and Kevin has discovered another interesting character and a rather magnificent memorial by the chapel. Mr Nicholas Webb Baker is buried in a ‘black-lined brick grave’ according to the newspaper report.
The Late Mr N.W. Baker
A Veteran Forester
The Funeral
The numerous friends of Mr N.W. Baker of 33, Rushey Platt, Swindon, will deeply regret to hear that he passed away suddenly on Friday morning, at his residence. He had been ailing for some time, but was not seriously ill. Had he lived till to-morrow he would on that day have celebrated his 73rd birthday.
For the long period of 44 years, Mr Baker was time-keeper in the GWR Works, retiring from that post about six years ago.
By members of the AOF deceased was well known and highly respected throughout North Wilts. For a great number of years, he was Treasurer of the North Wilts District AOF which position he held at the time of his death. He was Secretary of Court “Briton’s Pride,” AOF for 36 years, and only retired from that office a month ago, owing to failing health.
Deceased leaves a widow and seven grown-up children – five sons and two daughters – for whom the deepest sympathy will be felt.
Bro. Baker was elected to the post of Treasurer of the North Wilts District, AOF, just 20 years ago, viz., in 1883 he succeeding Bros. J.W. Painter. Prior to that time, Bro. Baker was for a few years – from 1876 to 1879 – District Secretary, retiring in 1879 when Bro. T. Hill was elected.
The funeral cortege left deceased’s late residence, No 33 Rushey Platt, at four o’clock. The coffin, which was covered with beautiful wreaths, was conveyed in a hearse, the chief mourners following in carriages, while there was a large and representative number of Foresters, representing Courts in Swindon, Aldbourne, Avebury, Faringdon and Highworth.
The officiating minister was the Rev J. Jones (Primitive Methodist Superintendent), and the Foresters’ Burial Service was most impressively read by Bro. Tom Smith, PD.C.R. and District Trustee.
The remains of deceased were interred in a black-lined brick grave, and the breast-plate on the coffin bore the following inscription:
Nicholas Webb Baker,
Died July 31, 1903,
Aged 72 years.
Extracts from the Swindon Advertiser, Friday, August 7, 1903.
And it seems likely this was the former home of Mr Baker.
Nicholas Webb Baker died at his home, Rushey Platt House, on July 31, 1903. He was buried on August 4 in Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot D1557, which he shares with his wife Elizabeth.
The new Swindon Cemetery opened in August 1881 and by the end of that year 94 funerals had taken place.
The first burial was that of Frederick Gore whose funeral was furnished by Richard Skerten. With premises at 1 Queen Street, New Swindon, Richard Skerten was a Joiner and Undertaker employing three men and one boy in 1881. His son Arthur, based at nearby 5 King Street, was also a carpenter, joiner and undertaker (these occupations frequently went hand in hand.)
Edward Hemmings at 22a Fleet Street looked set to be busy with the opening of the new cemetery until his own unfortunate demise when he became the 5th person to be buried there in August 1881. His brother Frederick took over the business in 1882 and makes a regular appearance in the registers thereafter.
Probably the undertaker most associated with Radnor Street Cemetery is Henry Smith and the family business he established. Omnipresent in the cemetery from the 1880s and throughout the 20th century, the firm of A.E. Smith continues in business to this day with premises at Queens Drive, Swindon.
And then there were Memorial Cards and mourning attire and monuments and memorials and yes, there was a Swindon business to provide all of these services.
Olif Young died at her home in Hythe Road in 1907 aged 80 years of age. I wonder how she approached her own death. She had had plenty of preparation. Olif’s husband was the Rev Frederick Rowland Young, a Unitarian Baptist Minister and spiritualist about whom much has been written. But was the Rev Young a charlatan as some suggest and that his Doctor of Divinity degree may have been fraudulent.
Olif Wilson was born in Dover, Kent in 1827. By 1851 she was married to the Rev Young and living in Diss, Norfolk with her five year old daughter Juliet and her 10 year old brother Thomas Wilson. However, the Rev Young does not appear to be at home on that census night.
The Unitarian Church – image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon, Central Library.
During the 1860s Frederick arrived in Swindon when he quickly ingratiated himself into Swindon’s society. In 1861 he built the Unitarian (Iron Church) in Regent Street, which later proved too large for his small congregation and was removed. In 1875 he built the Free Christian Church in Regent Circus. In 1871 he lived with his family in Rose Cottage, Drove Road where he held spiritualist meetings and ‘terrifying’ seances, before moving to a house he built next to the church in Rolleston Street.
The Rev Young was a prolific writer, producing lectures and a pamphlet entitled ‘Hints How To Make Home Happy’ which included chapters on ‘Courtship Days’ and ‘Thoughts for the Honeymoon.’ He also founded and edited The Christian Spiritualist.
The Rev Young was also a faith healer – his modus operandi was to run the flat of his hands along the arms and legs of his patients. Apparently he had more success with his female patients than his male ones.
Frederick and Olif remained in Swindon for some 20 years before Frederick left the church and they moved to Finsbury Park Road, where he died in 1893.
Olif returned to Swindon and lived out her days here. Was she prepared for her own death, I wonder? Did she greet it with joyful anticipation or dread that the dodgy Rev Young might be waiting for her?
Olif was buried on September 26, 1907 in grave plot E8678 where she lies alone.
Rev Young’s Free Christian Church in Regent Circus was later taken over by the Roman Catholic congregation, pictured here by George Puckey. Upon the completion of the Holy Rood Roman Catholic Church in Groundwell Road, the Nonconformist Chapel became known as the Victoria Hall and was home to the Swindon Museum.
This year we have welcomed some significant additions to the cemetery chapel.
August saw the installation of the Airspeed Oxford propeller once mounted on the front of the RAFA Club in Belle Vue Road.
Then in November we were the proud recipients of another war memorial. Scout leader Steve Milner has placed in our safe keeping a plaque dedicated to the North Wilts Boy Scouts Association. The Roll of Honour commemorates those former scouts who lost their lives in the Second World War. We were proud to have this displayed in the chapel on Remembrance Day 2023.
We have also kindly been donated an original piece of art work made by local artist Lynette Thomas. The mosaic was inspired by a guided cemetery walk Lynette came on in July, where she describes the cemetery as ‘a tranquil place and a haven for wildlife with beautiful stone carvings and grotesques.’ To see more of Lynette’s work visit the Artsite website and her Facebook page.
We frequently receive comments on the condition of the graves in Radnor Street Cemetery. ‘Why is the cemetery not better cared for? Why doesn’t someone look after the graves? It’s a disgrace!’
The cemetery is more than 140 years old. It opened in 1881 and was full by the 1970s when it was closed to new burials. Today the finances of the local authority are severely constrained and restricted to essential services only. Where once there was a team of groundsmen and gravediggers employed in the cemetery now only essential maintenance takes place.
The graves were once cared for by family members, but circumstances change, people move away and I’m guessing that is the case with the grave of little Albert William Howard. Has the memorial always stood at this angle where now the inscription is sliding into the soil? His parents were able to purchase a grave plot (not everyone could) and this substantial memorial must have cost a fair bit of money. The inscription begins ‘O how we miss him’ the names of his parents weathered and difficult to read. A death certificate might provide further details but without financial resources this is not possible. The burial registers have already provided essential information – there is probably little more to learn.
When Albert died in 1899 the family lived at 13 Medgbury Road, but by the time of the 1901 census this was the home of Arthur Doell, a weighbridge clerk, and his family. What happened to Albert’s parents? Why did they move away from Medgbury Road? Where did they go? More than a hundred years later it is hardly likely there is anyone left who even knows about Albert or where he is buried.
It’s easy to put a disparaging remark on a social media platform, but not very helpful. Better still, why not join our dedicated band of cemetery volunteers? Contact us via this blog and we’ll get back to you.
Albert William Howard was buried on October 28, 1899 in grave plot C45. The burial registers state that he was 4 years old – his memorial says he was 4½.
This week our volunteers uncovered a collapsed and partially buried headstone and in so doing revealed a whole family history.
The newly discovered inscription reads:
Thomas Pickett
Who entered into rest
March 19, 1903
Aged 65 years
Also of Lucy
The beloved wife of the above
Who died August 27th 1913
Aged 74 years
Also in memory of Elizabeth
Wife of Arthur Thompson
Their daughter
Who died March 20th 1948
Aged 77 years
Also Edith their daughter
Who died March 22nd 1955
Also two sons and two daughters
Interred in St Mark’s Churchyard
Thomas’s record of railway employment reveals he was employed as a fireman on February 4, 1864 on a daily rate of 3 shillings. By 1871 he was working as an Engine Turner and in 1873 as a Goods Engineman. He resigned on February 12, 1898 when he received a cheque for £70 ‘on account of old age.’ His service record includes a handful of disciplinary cautions and fines during a career spanning more than 30 years.
On the domestic front Thomas married Lucy Telling in 1858. By 1871 they were living at 42 Fleet Street with their three children Thomas 11, Emily 2 and Elizabeth 5 months. By 1881 they were at 15 Sanford Street with Elizabeth 10, Emily 7 (the earlier child by this name had died) and Edith 4 years old.
At the time of the 1911 census Lucy was still living at 15 Sanford Street. She states that she is a widow and that she has had 10 children of whom 4 are still living and 6 had died. She lives with her daughter Edith who states her profession as that of Head Teacher.
Lucy died at her home in Sanford Street on August 27, 1913. Her effects were valued at £208 15s with administration awarded to her son Thomas Pickett, also a schoolmaster.
Before and after photographs – an amazing discovery by our volunteers, enabling the story of the Pickett family to be told and remembered.
Radnor Street Cemetery 