A return visit to Clifton Street

Victorian Swindon was the product of some daring speculative building. Streets grew up in rows of terraces as local builders bought up small plots of land. Sadly, today there are few remaining examples of the early names these builders gave their rows of terraces.

Built in 1883 by James Hinton, number 141 Clifton Street began life as 5 Graham Terrace. The first owner was Alfred Reynolds, a coach builder obviously keen to invest in the Swindon property boom, who bought the property from James Hinton in 1884 and speedily sold it on.

On May 13, 1884 schoolmaster Samuel Snell paid £200 for No 5 Graham Terrace. The deeds provide some fascinating details of the property and a glimpse of the Kingshill area in the middle of development.

The house at 5 Graham Terrace, Clifton Street is described as being ‘lately erected.’ The parcel of land on which the property was built had “a frontage to the said Street and being of the width throughout of fourteen feet eight inches.” It was bounded “on the South Western end by a back road ten feet wide as the same is made or intended to be made parallel with Clifton Street.”

Samuel Snell didn’t live long in the house on Clifton Street before moving into the school building at The Willows, The Sands with his family, two assistant masters, three domestic servants and nine boarders.

John T. Mayell, a 24 year old boilermaker from Brierly Hill in Staffordshire was the next owner and moved into 141 Clifton Street with his wife and baby daughter. In 1889 he took out a second mortgage on the property with Swindon solicitor Walter H. Kinneir, which he had repaid by 1901. John lived in the house for more than ten years.

By 1899 the street was built up along its entire length saving a few empty plots on the bend of the road opposite the Clifton Hotel. The new road mentioned in the 1884 deeds is Exmouth Street.

In 1911 the property came on the market again. Jabez Bull was the owner occupier and he sold the house to Charles Frederick Farr, an engine erector who lived just up the road at number 159. Although now commonly known as Clifton Street, prospective buyers were reminded that the property had once been known as 5 Graham Terrace.

James Hinton, New Swindon Local Board member, had land laid out between Dixon, Stafford and Clifton Streets by 1879. In 1883 he built numbers 136-145 Clifton Street and the following year he built numbers 70-81 on the same street.

In 1880 James Hinton sold an 11½ acre plot in the middle of the Kingshill estate to Swindon’s two Local Boards for the building of the town’s much needed new cemetery.

He later served as Vice Chairman of New Swindon Local Board and became Mayor of Swindon in 1903-1904. Hinton Street in Gorse Hill was named after him. James Hinton died in 1907 and was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery.

Thomas Mullett – a Gas Work labourer

The last time we find Thomas Mullet on official documents is in the 1901 census. A Gas Work labourer Thomas lived at 146 Morrison Street with his wife Jane and three of their children – George 23, a furnaceman, Rose 19, a dressmaker and Mary 18, a shirt machinist.

Morrison Street – the Mullett family lived in the end house

Swindon

Thomas Mullett of 146 Morrison Street has succumbed to the effects of injuries sustained in an accident in the GWR Works a fortnight ago.

Deceased mounted a wall for the purpose of lighting a lamp, and fell on a quantity of rough stones his head being cut open. He received attention at the GWR Hospital and subsequently went home. After a while however erysipelas and internal complications supervened and death took place on Wednesday.

Western Daily Press Friday October 5, 1906.

Thomas Mullett aged 56 was buried on October 6, 1906 in grave plot D137 where he lies alone.

After her husband’s death Jane took stock of where her own life was going. Just two years later she had made up her mind and set sail for the USA. In 1920 she was living with her daughter Rose and son-in-law William H. Hobbs in Onondaga County, New York State.

Jane died in 1939 and is buried in Sherrill, NY, a long way away from Morrison Street and Thomas in Radnor Street Cemetery.

Thanks to Between the Bridges – The Early Days of Rodbourne – by David Lewis

Many thanks to George Hobbs who has provided some additional information.

Rosa Lily and William Hedley Hobbs were my paternal grandparents. I found Jane Mullett’s grave marker in the cemetery in Oneida, NY. I also found the gravestone for her daughter Mary Jane and her husband George Peck. The Peck’s daughter Ivy Lilian and her husband Wilford St. Auburn are buried here as well. Lastly, the St. Auburn’s son Alan and his wife Delores’ remains reside here as well.

Walter George Watts – killed instantaneously

Walter George Watts was known to family and friends as George. The son of Charles and Elizabeth Watts he was born in Horton, Wiltshire and began his working life at 14 years old as a farm labourer in Haydon Wick. Perhaps he was still employed on the land in 1910 – there is little information to be discovered about Walter’s life – only the report on his death.

In 1932 the Prevention of Accidents booklet was published with ‘posed’ photographs of potentially dangerous situations for those working on the railways. But it seems likely George wasn’t a railway employee. The railways were (and continue to be) dangerous places, even if you didn’t work on them.

A recent view of Montagu Street, Rodbourne

Fatality on the GWR near Swindon

A fatal accident occurred on the Great Western Railway between Swindon and Purton, about midnight on Wednesday. Two men were walking along the railway towards Swindon, and after they had passed two trains, which were meeting each other, one of them missed his companion, Walter George Watts, of 119 Montague Street Swindon. He made a search for him and eventually found his dead body by the side of the line. He had been struck by one of the trains and was killed instantaneously. The body was removed on a light engine to Swindon to await an inquest. The unfortunate man was 24 years of age and met his death on his birthday.

Western Daily Press, Friday August 12, 1910.

Walter George Watts was buried on August 15, 1910 in a public, unmarked grave, plot B2401. He was buried with two others; Jacob Fry who died in 1895 and was probably unrelated and Walter’s father Charles Watts who died in 1913.

With thanks to David Lewis – Between the Bridges – The Early Days of Rodbourne.

If you are researching your railway ancestor you may also like to visit the Railway Work, Life & Death website.

Elizabeth Jane Hardy – Exhumation of Swindon Woman

The sad story of Elizabeth Jane Hardy who died at the Wilts County Mental Hospital in Devizes in 1934 and was buried there in error.

Exhumation of Swindon Woman

Re-Burial in Radnor Street Cemetery

The Late Mrs Hardy

Early on Friday morning, in the presence of about half-a-dozen people, the body of Mrs Elizabeth Jane Hardy, aged 82 of Swindon, was removed from the grave in the hillside cemetery at the Wilts County Mental Hospital at Devizes, where it has been for just over a month.

The exhumation, by request of the Home Secretary, Sir John Gilmour, who granted the order, was carried out “As quietly as possible,” and only three members of the public were present at the re-burial at the Radnor Street Cemetery, Swindon, an hour later.

Secret Proceedings

And so at last satisfaction has been secured in connection with the unfortunate mistake that led to Mrs Hardy being buried in the Mental Hospital grounds against the expressed wish and without the knowledge of her 82 year-old husband, Mr Samuel Hardy, of 4, Euclid Street, Swindon.

Not a single relative was afforded an opportunity of attending the first burial, or of sending a few flowers down to the hospital, and immediately he heard of what had taken place, Mr Hardy and other members of the family, who naturally, were greatly distressed, vowed that they would not rest until an exhumation order had been secured.

In order to avoid any kind of public demonstration, the proceedings on Friday morning were carried out with the utmost secrecy.

The exhumation order was issued on Monday through Mr A.E. Withy, who has been acting for Mr Hardy, and the Mental Hospital authorities were immediately notified. Last Thursday afternoon the arrangements for lifting the body were completed, and Mr F.N.W. Baker, son-in-law, accompanied by Mr D.S. Smith (son of Mr A.E. Smith, the undertaker) motored down to the hospital cemetery on Friday morning.

The grave had been opened by the time they arrived, and when the coffin was disinterred Mr Baker expressed a wish that the lid should be raised in order that he might identify the body. This was done.

Those present at the exhumation included Dr. J.W. Leech, acting medical superintendent of the hospital, Mr J. S. Deavin, Clerk, and the Rev. Dudley, hospital chaplain.

The Mourners

The elm coffin was then enclosed in a magnificent oaken shell, and brought in a hearse to Swindon.

Just after nine o’clock, following a short service conducted by the Rev. Bertram E. Woods, of the Methodist Central Mission, Swindon, the re-burial took place in the Radnor Street Cemetery, in the grave which was originally opened for the public funeral that had been arranged to take place on Tuesday, 3 April.

The mourners present were Mr Samuel Hardy, husband; Mrs F.N.W. Baker and Mr Baker, daughter and son-in-law; Miss Joan Baker, granddaughter; Mr and Mrs Walter Timbrell, niece and nephew; Mrs Butt, Mrs Tylee and Mrs Selby, nieces; Mr and Mrs F. Baker, and Mrs Trowbridge, friends.

Mr Hardy, in conversation with a North Wilts Herald reporter, said the members of the family were greatly relieved to know that their efforts had been successful, and they owed a great debt of gratitude to the many friends who had sympathised with them in this sad affair.

“We are particularly grateful to Sir Reginald Mitchell Banks,” added Mr Hardy. “When the appeal was made to him, he instantly responded, and despite the great call upon his time personally sought the Home Secretary in order to hasten forward the granting of a licence.”

North Wilts Herald, Friday, 11 May, 1934.

Elizabeth Jane Hardy was buried in grave plot D919 where her husband joined her when he died in 1937.

James Fox – accidental death

Fox family

James and Annie Fox

James Fox was born on February 28, 1851. He grew up at Salthrop Cottages, Wroughton where his father Richard Fox worked as a shepherd. By 1871 he had moved into Swindon and was lodging with his brother and sister-in-law at Eastcott Hill. James married Annie Herridge on December 24, 1874.

The UK Railway Employment Records 1833-1956 state that James entered the service of the Great Western Railway in April 1876. Two accidents occurred during his working career. The first was on January 28, 1894 which caused damage to wagons. The second on December 10, 1901 caused the derailing of an engine at Swindon. There could be various reasons for these accidents; the railway industry was a dangerous working environment yet employees safety was still an issue of personal responsibility. But far worse was to follow …

Frederick George Higgins, engine driver in the employe of the GWR Co., said he was shunting on September 6^th in the Swindon transfer yard. He and deceased were going ahead with one empty truck and a guard’s van. The van was at the back. They were not going more than three miles an hour. Deceased was attempting to get on the back van, and slipped. Deceased wanted to ride to go to the other end of the yard. He was not engaged upon the shunting operation. He (witness) saw the deceased slip. Deceased did not get a firm footing. He hung on with his hands, and his feet evidently caught in the crossings. The truck wheel went over the deceased’s foot, crushing it. The deceased was taken at once to the Hospital.

Dr Astley Cooper Swinhoe said he attended the deceased on Sept. 6^th. He found the deceased was suffering from a compound fracture of the lower part of the left leg. The leg was amputated at once. Two days afterwards gangrene set in, and the man died from exhaustion consequent upon the gangrene.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”

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Funeral of Mr Fox – Impressive Scene at Swindon Cemetery

The funeral of the late Mr James Fox, a GWR shunter, who died in the Medical Fund Hospital, last Thursday, took place in Swindon cemetery, last Sunday afternoon, in the presence of an immense concourse of people.

The funeral procession left deceased’s late residence, 163 Beatrice Street (whither the body had been removed from the Hospital), at three o’clock, arriving at the Cemetery almost half an hour later.

The coffin, which was covered with beautiful wreaths, was conveyed in a hearse, and the chief mourners, relatives of deceased, following in three mourning coaches.

Then there followed on foot about 100 uniform men from the GWR Station fellow workmen in various department with deceased, and these were headed by Inspectors Simpkins, Spurlock, Winter and Taylor. About 30 other members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (of which deceased was a member) followed, being headed by Mr G.E. Leonard (Chairman of the Swindon Branch) and Councillors J.H. Thomas and J.H. Mayell. Many members of the GWR Provident Society were also present, headed by Mr. W.H. Perry Court Pride of Wiltshire, A.O.F., of which Mr Fox had been a member for many years, were represented by Bros. T. Robinson (Secretary), N. Young, F. Williams, J. Lawrence, W. Timbrell and W. Comley.

It was a lovely fine afternoon, and by the time the procession reached the Cemetery, a crowd numbering some thousands had assembled. The greatest order was maintained throughout, and the service was impressively read at the graveside by the Rev. W.J. Scruby, Primitive Methodist Sup. Minister. Deceased was buried in the same grave as his wife, who died last April, and a son, who died some four years ago.

The coffin was of polished elm, with brass furniture, and bore the following inscription: James Fox, died September 13^th, 1904, aged 53 years.

Extracts taken from Inquest and Verdict/Funeral of Mr Fox Swindon Advertiser Friday September 23, 1904.

James Fox 53 years 63 Beatrice Street burial September 18, 1904 grave plot E7385

Photograph of the Fox siblings believed to have been taken on the day of James Fox’s funeral – Back left to right – Florence, Henry James, Tom, Elizabeth. Middle row left to right Annie Amelia, Emily, Alice. Front row left to right Winifred Ellen, Rose.

Railway Work, Life and Death project

There are copies of the Medical Fund Society Yearly Reports in Local Studies, Swindon Central Library and I recently published a blogpost about the Accident Hospital.

During 1885 there were 30 patients treated in the Medical Fund Hospital who had sustained injuries during an ordinary working day. Men like Henry Kent 44, a goods guard from Salisbury, who suffered fractured ribs and shoulder and died after 2 days in hospital. Thomas Tuck 38, a labourer from Wootton Bassett, who suffered a scalp wound but was discharged after 10 days in hospital. There are more details available about William Ball 56, a driver from Swindon, who fell off an engine while in motion and fractured two ribs and injured his head. He spent 29 days in hospital and was ‘discharged convalescent.’

Yesterday evening the Friends of Swindon Railway Museum’s monthly lecture, entitled ‘Into the Jaws of Death – working and dying on Britain’s railways 1900-1939,’ was delivered by Mike Esbester from the University of Portsmouth. The subject was the danger railwaymen faced on a daily basis whether working on the trackside or in railway factories such as Swindon Works.

In 1913 30,000 railway workers across the UK were killed or injured and yet responsibility was largely put on the men themselves – that they were careless!

In Mike’s presentation he talked about not just unsafe working practices and conditions but the pressure on workers to complete tasks at sometimes unrealistic speed; when wages were docked if targets were missed. Despite a railway inspectorate that highlighted dangers and trade unions that demanded change, railway companies were reluctant to act, and as Mike emphasised the onus was firmly placed upon the railwaymen themselves. Their personal safety was their responsibility.

In 2016 a joint initiative by the University of Portsmouth and the National Railway Museum saw the beginning of the ‘Railway Work, Life & Death’ project to try to make railway worker accident records more accessible and to see what could be learnt from them. These records are of interest not only to museums and archives professionals but to railway enthusiasts, family historians and the current railway industry. To date volunteers have transcribed around 50,000 surviving records, which are available to view on the project’s website.

Mike’s lecture was both compelling and revelatory. To discover more visit www.railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk.

And if you would like to join the Friends of Swindon Railway Museum visit their website. http://www.fosrm.org.uk/

Images of the Medical Fund Hospital published courtesy of https://swindonstory.uk/stories/gwr-hospital/

Charles Adolphus Sylvester Toogood

With such a distinctive name as Charles Adolphus Sylvester Toogood it should be easy to trace this gentleman, and up to a point it is. His employment records provide a birth date, December 13, 1869 and his entry into the GWR company as September 20, 1886. And from 1891 to his death in 1946 we can trace him through the census records. But there is a gap – something catastrophic appears to have happened to the family between the 1871 and 1881 census’s. It seems likely that Charles Toogood’s mother died before 1881; neither she nor his father Alfred can be reliably traced on the 1881 census. However, a ten year old boy by the name of Adolphus Toogood can be found in the Lyncombe & Widcombe Workhouse. Could this be Charles?

Charles married Florence Ann Greenaway at St. Mark’s Church on January 31, 1895 and the couple had five daughters, the youngest Pearl died before her first birthday.

The following account was published in the Great Western Railway Magazine when Charles retired in 1930.

Mr C.A.S. Toogood, of the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Department, Swindon, retired from the Company’s service on December 13, after nearly 44 years’ service, practically the whole of which was spent in the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon divisional superintendent’s office, at Swindon. With the abolition of the Swindon division in May 1922, Mr. Toogood, with others of the staff, was transferred to Bristol, but he returned to Swindon in December 1928 and has been attached to the accounts section since that time. Mr Toogood received a handsome timepiece and notes as a parting gift from his past and present colleagues.

Great Western Railway Magazine March 1930.

Charles Adolphus Sylvester Toogood died in 1946 and was buried on November 27 in grave plot C983 where he joined his wife Florence who died in 1937.

James Henry Sadler – much respected

Most of the time I am entrenched in Radnor Street Cemetery – but occasionally I venture out, sometimes to neighbouring churchyards and cemeteries. And sometimes my work with the Friends of Lydiard Park collides with Radnor Street Cemetery. I am presently transcribing the diaries of Hook farmer Elliot Woolford. On March 30, 1929 Elliot writes:

Saturday March 30, 1929

I went to James Henry Sadler Esq funeral at Lydiard Millicent this afternoon he was taken to Church on a farm wagon there was a lot followed he was much respected.

A short biography is published in the ‘Wilts Book’ discovered by Radnor Street Cemetery friend and colleague Mark Sutton.

Sadler. – James Henry Sadler, J.P., Lydiard House, near Swindon; son of the late Samuel Champernowne Sadler, J.P., F.R.C.S., of Purton Court, Wilts; born at Purton, August 17^th, 1843; educated at Hoddesdon, Herts, and Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. Landowner and agriculturist, farming some of his own property; Justice of the Peace for Wilts; member of the Wilts County Council since its formation, representing the Purton Division; Captain, Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (retired); Chairman of the Cricklade and Wootton Bassett Board of Guardians, and Rural District Council; formerly, and for some years Chairman of the Purton and Lydiard Millicent Parish Councils, North Wilts Liberal Association, and Swindon Chamber of Agriculture. Recreations: hunting, and shooting. Married, in 1879, Ann Matilda, daughter of the late T.P.W. Butt, of Arle Court, Cheltenham.

Photograph published courtesy of Duncan and Mandy Ball.

Accident Hospital

The Accident Hospital was opened in December 1871 and as the name suggests, that was its sole purpose in those early years. This postcard image published on the Local Studies flickr page has the annotation – ‘For use in case of accidents which are of daily occurance in the GWR Factory.’

On January 12, 1886 doctors Swinhoe, Howse and Bromley made their Accident Hospital Doctors’ Report to the Medical Fund Committee as follows:

Gentlemen,

The New Year of 1885, found us with three Patients in our Accident Hospital. Since then, twenty-seven new cases have been admitted, making a total of thirty for the twelve months. Of these, twenty have been discharged convalescent, six have died, and one is still under treatment and doing well.

We enclose tabulated list for your better information.

We are, Gentlemen,

Your obedient Servants,

Swinhoe, Howse, & Bromley.

Among the injuries treated during 1885 were leg fractures, a crushed foot and fractured ribs.

Of the six deaths that occurred in the hospital four of the deceased were buried in Radnor Street Cemetery.

Fireman Charles W. Nicholls aged 23 of 13 Medgbury Road died from having his ‘chest crushed in’. Charles Nicholls was buried on September 6, 1885 in grave plot A309.

George Turnbull aged 33, Charge Man in B2 Shop died from a compound fracture of the skull having spent 3 days in hospital. George Turnbull was buried on April 2, 1885 in grave plot A727.

Thomas Edwards who worked in the Saw Mill was admitted with a rupture and spent 40 days in hospital where he died of consumption. He was 33 years old. Thomas Edwards was buried on March 28, 1885 in grave plot A204.

William Collett of 40 Princes Street was admitted to the hospital suffering from extensive burns. He died 2 days later. He was 49 years old. William Collet was buried on March 26, 1885 in grave plot A628.

The Astill dynasty continued

Yesterday we met Ellen Victoria Astill. Today let me introduce you to three more Astill siblings. Quigley, Ella and Annie occupied consecutive placing in the Astill line up. Quigley was born in 1878, Ella in 1880 and Annie in 1882.

Annie Kathleen Wootton Hall Astill

Quigley, along with his brothers, attended King William Street School. There is no mention of the girls in the family attending this or any other school. There were several private girls’ schools in Old Town at this time, so perhaps they attended one of these.

Annie in particular must have had some further education as she later became a nurse. The 1911 census records her working as a Rescue Worker at a home for unmarried mothers and their babies in Ladywood Road, Birmingham.

Quigley Wallace Astill seated in deckchair and surrounded by family members

Quigley trained as a printer, presumably in the family firm. However he later went on to work for the Swindon Press where an accident lifting heavy machinery left him disabled.

Ella Alice Ward Astill

The unmarried Astill siblings lived at a couple of addresses in Old Town including 14 Springfield Road, but by the 1920s they were settled at 28 Avenue Road. We have already discovered Ellen living here in the 1920s. Quigley and later Ella and Annie also lived at this address.

Apparently Annie and Ella had a volatile relationship. In old age the two sisters were admitted to St. Margaret’s Hospital where they had to be accommodated on separate floors because they argued so much. Annie died on February 14, 1966. Ella died just a month later on March 17. With the death of her lifelong adversary she lost the will to live.

The two sisters were buried together in Christ Church churchyard where they joined their brother Quigley who died in 1957.

Many thanks to Rhonda in Australia and the late Eric Barrett from Wroughton for information, photos and family memories.