Septimus Hyde – a tomb with a view

The re-imagined story …

I’ve been on some strange first dates in my time, but this one took the biscuit.

“It’s a lovely day. Let’s go for a walk round the cemetery,” she said, taking the initiative, as women so often do these days. When I was a youngster it was usual to ask a girl to go to the cinema on a first date, not to take a turn round a cemetery.

We paused at a crossroads where the meandering footpaths converged and she pointed out the grave of Trooper Cecil Howard Goodman. I was wearing the wrong glasses so she read the inscription to me.

“To the Memory of Trooper Cecil Howard Goodman 1st Co. Imperial Yeomanry who died November 11 1900 while fighting for his country in South Africa. Erected by his fellow clerks GWR Staff, Swindon, April 1901.”

I mentioned what an unusual headstone it was.

“He isn’t buried here of course, he’s in South Africa,” she said. “The headstone resembles the graves of the fallen soldiers buried in South Africa. There they heaped rocks on the grave to stop the wild animals digging up the bodies.”

How did she know such a bizarre fact?

The chapel was closed, but she could describe it perfectly.

“There used to be some lovely pews in there. Some said they were made in the Works. The council took them away a long time ago. Shame that.” We walked on.

“Poor Mr. Shopland – his was a tragic death,” she said pausing by a grave carpeted in primroses. I really hoped she wasn’t planning on going into detail.

At the end of the path, she stopped at a decorative headstone. Someone else she knew?

“Mr Septimus Hyde.” We paused while she read the inscription. “The story goes that he chose this plot because he could see his house from here.”

I looked around. The gardens on Clifton Street were clearly visible from this point, as the cemetery must be to those who lived in them. I assumed Mr Septimus Hyde must have lived there. I’m not sure how I’d feel about living alongside a cemetery.

“He must have had good eyesight,” she said, “he lived in Exmouth Street.” She looked at me with a twinkle in her eye. “Come on – I need a drink, and I don’t mean a cup of tea.”

This was the weirdest first date I had ever been on – but what can you expect when you’re pushing 80 – at least I’m not pushing up daisies.

The eldest child of Henry Hyde, a tailor and his wife Elizabeth, Septimus was born in Worcester on May 26, 1846. He married Elizabeth Sturge at St. Peter’s, Worcester on August 2, 1868.

The UK, Railway Employment records, 1833-1956 state that Septimus Hyde re-entered the GWR as a Foreman in the Carriage Body Makers Shop on August 5, 1871. At the time of the 1881 census Septimus and Elizabeth were living at 5 East Street, New Swindon with their three children Frank E., Septimus G. and Robert.

Death of Mr. S. Hyde

A G.W.R. Foreman

Deep regret was expressed throughout the GWR Works, at Swindon, on Wednesday in last week, and especially in the Coach Body Making Department, when it was known that Mr. Septimus Hyde had passed away at his residence, No. 58, Exmouth Street. Deceased, who was born on May 26^th, 1846, was during his long service as foreman of the coach body making shop, a very popular official. He was ever kind and thoughtful to his men, willing at all times to hear their troubles and to give them advice. As a foreman he will be greatly missed both by his employes and by the GWR Company, to whom he was ever a very faithful servant. Deceased had been unwell for some time past, suffering from paralysis of the brain, but in spite of his doctor’s orders to stay at home he would be at his post. So late as Saturday the 21^st he was in the works attending to his duties. Later in the day he had a stroke from which he did not recover, and passed away at noon on Wednesday, deeply mourned by all who knew him.

Deceased served his time with the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway Company at Worcester, a line afterwards taken over by the GWR Company. When out of his time he worked at various places until August 5^th, 1871, when he entered the service of the GWR at Swindon. Three years later, on August 8^th, 1874, he was appointed foreman of his shop, which position he held till the time of his death. The Royal train used for the Diamond Jubilee and subsequent journeys was made under his supervision. He leaves a grown up family to mourn their loss, his wife having predeceased him.

The deep respect in which the late Mr. Hyde was held in Swindon generally, and in the GWR Works in particular, was evidenced by the large attendance at the cemetery on Saturday afternoon, when the remains were interred in the family grave, where some eighteen months ago the deceased’s wife and daughter were buried. Hundreds of the employes at the works took part in the funeral procession, and a large crowd awaited the arrival at the Cemetery. From the home the body was taken to St. Saviour’s Church, where a short service was conducted by Canon the Hon. M. Ponsonby, who also performed the last rites at the graveside….

The coffin which was of polished elm, bore the following inscription: “Septimus Hyde. Died April 18^th, 1900: age 54 years.” A large number of wreaths and tokens of respect and sorrow were sent by his fellow employes and relatives.

All images of the Bodymakers Shop are published courtesy of P.A. Williams and Local Studies, Swindon Central Library

Granddad’s Museum

The re-imagined story …

As children my brother and I thought our granddad lived in a museum. His house was packed full of stuff; ornaments on every surface, paintings, prints and photographs and books, so many books.

Inside the house we had to manoeuvre our way around, careful not to knock anything over, but fortunately for us there was a long back garden where we played, whatever the weather. We were even allowed inside the shed if it was lashing down with rain.

The shed was a microcosm of the house, but without the china. There were racks and racks of old fashioned tools but no one seemed to worry that we might sever a limb or drive nails into each others eyes.

One day we found a wooden model train in a box under the workbench. I remember how we stared at one another apprehensively. It looked like a toy, but could we play with it or was it another museum piece? We just didn’t know. We decided we would play with it, only very carefully, and if it got broken we would say it was like that when we found it.

It was actually pretty robust. Not big enough to sit on, although we tried that, but sturdy. The wheels turned and the bell on the front moved, but that was about it really. We sat our Action Men in the cab and created war time scenarios, but there wasn’t a lot you could do with it really.

Clearing granddad’s house after he died was a nightmare. Our poor parents spent weeks and weeks at the job. I would have liked longer to go through it all, but there just wasn’t the time and I couldn’t store anything in my small, one bed flat.

The shed was one of the last things we tackled and this yielded some of the biggest surprises. The tools my brother and I had looked upon as instruments of torture turned out to be real museum pieces, some of them dating back to the 18th century.

When I saw the train for the first time in years I realised it was a model of the famous King George V loco made in the Swindon Works in 1927. Perhaps the owner of the tools, or one of his descendants had made the model. Sadly there was no way of finding out who. The Carriage and Wagon Works employed hundreds of skilled carpenters and throughout its history Swindon had numbered countless building firms, large and small.

As we bagged and boxed and dumped so much of granddad’s treasure I wondered how he had come by it all, especially those tools. And who had made the model of the King George V loco, which now sits on the coffee table in my lounge.

The facts …

This memorial was revealed several years ago during a major bramble clearance exercise in Radnor Street Cemetery by Swindon Borough Council.

This is the final resting place of Sarah Leighfield, her husband William and their son-in-law James George Plank.

Sarah was born in Swindon in c1851 and married William Leighfield in 1871. William was born in Wootton Bassett in c1851 the eldest son of James and Ann Leighfield.

By the time of the 1911 census William and Sarah were living at 91 Curtis Street with four of their children. William, aged 61, was by then working as a Wood Sawyer in the railway works. His son Robert was a Coach Painter in Motor Works, Alfred and Albert were both House Decorators and Ernest also worked as a Coach Painter.

1915 Curtis Street photograph published courtesy of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

His younger brother Richard James Leighfield established a successful construction business at 1 Witney Street. In 2015 the Royal Wootton Bassett based firm celebrated their 130th anniversary.

Sarah died in April 1911 and was buried on April 13 in plot E7339. William died in June 1915 and was buried with his wife on June 9. The last person to be buried in this plot was their son-in- law James George Plank, their daughter Emily’s husband. J.G. Plank died at St Margaret’s Hospital on July 3, 1955.

The King George V Loco, designed by Charles B. Collett and built in the Swindon Works in 1927, was the prototype for Great Western Railway’s (GWR) King class. It was the first of a thirty strong fleet built in Swindon from 1927-1930 to meet the demands of rising passenger numbers and heavier carriages.

Photo of King George V published courtesy of STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon.

Joseph Wilkinson – a link with Swindon’s Past

Sometimes an obituary is written so evocatively that there is little I could possibly add. This is the story of Joseph Wilkinson who moved to Swindon in the 1870s and worked in the new Carriage and Wagon Works under Joseph Armstrong.

Death of Mr Joseph Wilkinson

A Highworth Octogenarian

Link with Swindon’s Past

By all the older generation of Swindonians, and especially by those who have been connected with the GWR Works, the news will be received with unfeigned regret that Mr Joseph Wilkinson, formerly a foreman over the Wagon Works, has passed away at Highworth, at the ripe age of 83 years.

Mr Wilkinson was an interesting link with Swindon’s past. Born at Marshe (Yorkshire), in 1828 he migrated at an early age to Chester where he followed his occupation as a coach builder. Thirty-five years ago he came to Swindon with the late Mr. Holden, and took up the position of foreman over the new wagon works, under Mr. Armstrong. Mr Wilkinson held the foremanship continuously for many years. Until 13 years ago he enjoyed capital health, even for his advanced age, and then, acting under medical advice, he retired at the age of 70 years. It is interesting to note that Mr. Wilkinson is believed to be the first foreman who received a pension under the superannuation scheme, which was initiated shortly before his retirement.

Upon his retirement the old gentleman went to live at Highworth, where he was liked and respected by all with whom he came in contact. Since this time Mr Wilkinson’s health had been gradually failing. He had been ailing off and on every since; and a couple of months ago he was taken ill with heart disease. Dr. Powell and Dr Lewty did all that medical skill could devise but inspite of their attentions Mr Wilkinson passed away on Saturday evening.

While he was in Swindon, Mr. Wilkinson took an active interest in the affairs of the Faringdon Street Wesley Church, where he was an assistant class leader but since his removal to Highworth failing health prevented him from participating in this branch of public service. His first wife predeceased him by 28 years, and it was while in Swindon that Mr Wilkinson married his second wife. Thirteen years ago Mr. Wilkinson’s second wife also died; but a family of one son and three daughters are left to mourn their loss.

The Swindon Advertiser, Friday, May 19, 1911.

Joseph Wilkinson was buried on May 17, 1911 in grave plot A641 where he joined his first wife Eliza who died in 1883