Charles Morkot – one time engine driver of the Flying Dutchman

Charles Morkot never appears to have lived in Swindon. Perhaps his two sons made a case for his burial in Radnor Street Cemetery following the dramatic circumstances of his death.

Charles Morkot was born in 1832 at Goring, Oxford, the son of agricultural labourer James and his wife Ann. Like his father, Charles began his working career as an agricultural labourer. However, the UK Railway Employment Records 1833-1956 (available to view on Ancestry) record that Charles began work as an Engineman with the GWR on April 24, 1856, shortly after his marriage to Susan Jane Hinton Shrimpton on April 5.

At the time of the 1861 census Charles had moved his family to Aston, Warwickshire where he worked as a Railway Engine Fireman. He progressed his career to become an Engine Driver and for sometime was employed on the record breaking Flying Dutchman loco. The Flying Dutchman was in operation between 1849 and 1892 travelling from Paddington to Exeter (and later Penzance) reaching speeds of 60 miles an hour in 1876.

Good Friday 1898 and George was enjoying his day off working in his garden at 5 Primrose villas, Kingston Road, Southall. He got up early and told his daughter Nellie that he was off to collect some manure for the garden from the stables at the “Three Tuns.” Returning with the wheelbarrow he told Nellie there were two more loads for the taking, and set off again.

Nellie told the Coroner’s Court that she saw him bring the three barrow loads home. She went into the garden where her father had been planting potatoes and spoke to him. She then saw a pint bottle with a Whitbread’s label on it, and remarked. “You have a little bottle here.” He replied, “Yes; the man in the yard said, ‘Here, Charlie, have a drink.'” He told her not to take it indoors, as it was a drop of beer. Nellie left him to his gardening and went back into the house.

Within minutes Charles staggered into the kitchen. The Whitbread bottle contained not a swig of refreshing beer; Charles had taken a fatal gulp of carbolic acid. Charles asked for a drink of water after which he appeared unable to talk again.

James D. Windle, the attending doctor, said he knew Charles had ingested carbolic acid by the smell on his breath. He washed out the patients stomach but Charles died from ‘coma and failure of the heart produced by poison.’ He had drank about one-third of the bottle. Less than a teaspoonful would have been fatal.

Annie Sanger, wife of the landlord of the “Three Tuns,” William Gladman, cabman, and local resident Henry Woodward were all called as witnesses but no one had any information on the mystery man in the yard who had given Charles the fatal drink.

The Coroner thought the best thing would be to adjourn the case for a few days. The carbolic might have been purchased somewhere. In the meantime they might try to discover who gave deceased the bottle. If whoever did so would come forward and say so they would be out of the difficulty, but in the event of his not doing so, they must try to find him.

The report in the Middlesex County Times concluded:

‘The Coroner: It is a matter of great public importance. Cases in my experience are every now and then cropping up which can be traced to carelessness of some kind, and it will put people on their guard. There was more than that in the present case. Deceased had said “A man in the yard gave it me to drink”; had he meant suicide he would not have said that. There was somebody who gave him the bottle, but had not the manliness to come forward and say so. A few days longer may find it out. He might know nothing of this inquiry, and when it goes forth he may come forward and help to clear it up.

Dr Vere Benson re-opened the inquiry in the hope that further evidence might be forthcoming. Two new witnesses, Phillip Rouse, groom and a man by the name of Fox, employed by the District Council, were called to give evidence but neither could add any additional information.

The report continued:

‘The Coroner then put the three following questions to the jury: – (1) Was the cause of death, in their opinion, carbolic acid poisoning? (2) Did deceased drink it in mistake for beer? (3) Did the evidence given prove to their satisfaction how he came into possession of the bottle? To the first two questions, the foreman answered in the affirmative, and to the third a negative reply was given. The verdict was therefore as follows: “That deceased died from the effect of carbolic acid poisoning, but that the evidence was not sufficient to show how he came by it, and that death was due to misadventure.”

To this, at the request of the jury, was attached the following rider: “That the practice of putting carbolic into vessels other than bottles properly labelled is highly dangerous and reprehensible.”

Charles Morkot, 65 years old, of 5 Primrose Villas, Kingston Road, Southall was buried on April 15, 1898 in Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot C28. His wife Susan Jane Hinton Morkot was buried with him following her death in 1912. Other persons buried in the grave are Charles and Susan’s daughter Harriett Ellen Ham who died in 1954 and her husband Charles Ham who died in 1933. The cremated ashes of their daughter Nellie Lilian Jane Horley and her husband George G. Horley were interred in 1984 and 1963 respectively.

You might also like to read the story of Charles Morkot’s daughter-in-law.

Celia Morkot – the first woman employed in the Works

Edith and Samuel Whiteman in pictures

It is always a wonderful surprise to find images and family memories about those buried in Radnor Street Cemetery. This week I came across a photograph on the fantastic Local Studies Flickr page and a comprehensive, illustrated family tree on Ancestry posted by Steve Clements.

My first find was a studio portrait of Edith Jemima nee Ricketts and her husband Samuel John Whiteman published courtesy of Brian Timbrell. The couple look young, despite Samuel’s impressive beard, and I wonder if this photograph might have been taken on the occasion of their marriage (look at Edith’s nipped in waist!). Edith and Samuel were married at St. Stephen’s Church, Kensington on April 17, 1876. They were both 24 years old.

Samuel was born in 1851 in Chippenham, the son of George, a smith, and his wife Elizabeth. Edith was also born in 1851 in Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, the daughter of Richard Ricketts and his wife Elizabeth.

At the time of the 1881 census the couple lived 8 Read Street with their two children Edith and Francis (a second son Lancelot was born in 1883) and two boarders Robert Dean and Caroline Hewer who were possibly members of Edith’s extended family from Down Ampney. Samuel worked as a clerk in the GWR Works. In later years Edith worked from home as a dressmaker.

The couple lived at various addresses across Swindon – in 1891 they were at 178 Clifton Street and in 1901 at 51 Curtis Street. In 1911 they lived with their daughter and her family at 14 Curtis Street before moving to 7 Curtis Street where Edith died in 1923. She was buried on August 1 in a public grave, plot C482. Samuel outlived Edith by a further 16 years. He died in 1939 and was buried on November 11 in a public grave, plot C696. His last address was 4 Temple Street.

Edith and Samuel pictured with their little granddaughter Eileen Edith Young

Sadly, as both these graves are public plots there is no headstone on either of them, so it is especially pleasing to remember Edith and Samuel with photographs.

A Veteran Forester

Death of Mr S.J. Whiteman of Swindon

The funeral took place on Saturday of Mr Samuel John Whiteman, aged 88 years, of 4 Temple street. He had been in ill health for some six years and had been confined to his bed for the past 12 months.

Mr Whiteman was born at Chippenham and came to Swindon when a young man. When 19 he entered the service of the GWR Co., being employed as a clerk in the Q Shop, and later in the Accounts Department. He retired from the Works some 35 years ago, and was for some years in the employ of Mr. L. J. Chappell, then owner of the Swindon Motor Coy., retiring on his 72nd birthday.

Mrs Whiteman died 16 years ago. He is survived by one daughter and two sons, also three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Mr Whiteman was one of the oldest members of Court Briton’s Pride, North Wilts District A.O.F.

The first portion of the service was held at St. Paul’s Church by the Rev. M.C. Melville (curate) and the interment was at Radnor Street Cemetery.

The Chief mourners were: Mr Frank Whiteman and Mr Lancelot Whiteman (sons), Mr R. Dean (brother-in-law), Mr J. Dean (nephew), Mr E.H. Elliott and Mr B.W. Phillips (friends).

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs A.E. Smith and Son, of Gordon road.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, 17 November, 1939.

Charles and George Pettifer – builders


Image of Albert Street and Little London published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Charles Pettifer married Elizabeth Hawks in the summer of 1847. They were both born in Bampton in Oxfordshire and they set up home in the village at a house in Lavender Square where they were living at the time of the 1851 census. Isn’t that a lovely address – Lavender Square? I bet it’s all quaintly Cotswoldy now. In 1851 there was probably no running water, the privy was at the bottom of the garden and it was cold and damp.

Charles and Elizabeth first appear in Swindon on the 1871 census. Charles had previously worked as a cordwainer (a shoemaker) but once he arrived in Swindon he states that his occupation was that of a mason. That might sound like an astonishing career change, but as his father was a stonemason I’m guessing he had learned the trade alongside him. In 1871 Charles and Elizabeth were living with their two sons George 23, a bricklayer and Alfred 17, a bricklayer’s labourer, at 2 Eastcott Lane.

For a description of this amazing photograph visit the flickr page, Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Charles had already set up in business by then and in 1875 he was joined by George. In the early days the Pettifers worked almost exclusively at the top end of Victoria Road, then called Victoria Street North. In 1872 they built houses and a workshop in that area and in 1877 they built a house, stable and workshop on the corner of Victoria Street North and King John Street and several cottages in Albert Street.

They continued in partnership until around 1881. Charles died in 1889 and was buried in grave plot E8304 on October 14.

George married Ruth Hill, a widow, in 1884. They were married for thirteen years when George died in 1897. They do not appear to have had any children. Ruth married again in 1900. Her third husband was George Popjoy, a joiner, so possibly a colleague of her second husband, George Pettifer. Ruth died on May 11, 1905 and was buried with George Pettifer (her second husband) in grave plot D33.

You might also like to read:

William Crombey – builder

James Spackman – a well-known builder and contractor

Job Day – Clerk of the Works

William Crombey – builder

There is no entry for builder William Crombey in the comprehensive Architects and Building Craftsmen with Work in Wiltshire compiled by Pamela M. Slocombe and published by the Wiltshire Buildings Record in 2006. In that excellent book Roadways published in 1979 by Peter Sheldon & Richard Tomkins, Crombey Street is given a construction date of 1891 and a description that William Crombey was a local building speculator who developed much of the Rolleston Estate.

His death warranted just a brief mention in the Swindon Advertiser and so far I haven’t been able to discover an obituary, yet a search through the local newspapers reveal just how busy Mr Crombey actually was.

Crombey Street area of Swindon – Market bottom left

New Swindon Local Board

New Streets and New Buildings

The following plans were presented and passed:- Three new streets on the Rolleston Estate, to be known as Deacon Street, Curtis Street and Cromby Street; hotel and stable in the new road, for Mr W Cromby; nine shops and dwelling houses in Commercial Road for Mr W. Cromby; six houses in Lorne Street for Mr W. Bennett; one cottage in a new street at Gorse Hill for Mr C. Davis; alteration to the Three Cups Coffee Palace, Regent Street, for Mr S.B. Foss; additions to house in Dover street, for Mr E. Chamber; two new cottages in a new road abutting on to Rolleston Street and Eastcott Hill, for Mr E. Chambers; a house and shop and seven cottages in Maxwell Street, for Mr C. Williams; an assembly room for Mr A.E. Withy, to be erected near his house; one house in Gordon Road, Princes Street, for Mr J. Webb; eleven houses in Dean Street, for Mr T. George; fourteen houses in Deacon Street, ten in Cromby Street and two in Curtis street for Messrs Cromby and Horsell; additions at rear of 35, Regent Street, for Mrs S.J. Coleman; four houses in Victoria Road, for Mr H.C. Cook. One plan that of a house and shop to be erected in Groundwell Road, for Mr J.E. Campbell, was disapproved, owing to no sewer being shown on the plan.

Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, July 26, 1890.

So, why has William Crombey received so little attention in the history of the building of Swindon? Perhaps one reason could be that his day job was that of an Engine Driver.

William was born in Houghton le Spring, Durham in about 1825. He first appears in Swindon on the 1861 census when he was one of three boarders lodging at 15 Fleet Street. By 1881 he was lodging with Anne Elizabeth Harvey at Park Hotel, Cambria Bridge Road and in business with her brother-in-law Edwin Harvey. The partnership was dissolved ‘by mutual consent’ in March 1884. However, this was not the only partnership in which William was involved as he was also working with John Horsell. This partnership was dissolved on March 1, 1891, which is hardly surprising as William was obviously terminally ill and died on March 13.

His personal estate was valued at £1,463 1s 6d and probate was awarded to George James Harvey of Newport the son of his landlady Anne Elizabeth Harvey and nephew of his old business partner Edwin Harvey. William does not appear to have married or left any family. He was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery on March 16, 1891 in plot E8003.

William’s various properties came on the market on May 2, 1892 and were auctioned by Messrs Bishop & Day. These included No 1 Brunel Street ‘a freehold dwelling house and shop at the corner of Brunel and Cromwell Streets; adjoining Regent Street (the chief thoroughfare), and near the New Market; a spacious and lofty Building readily converted into Commodious Business Premises;’ No 23 William Street which contained a ‘palisaded forecourt,’ a spacious Corner Shop, Bakery and Residence No 1, Cambria Bridge Road; A Capital Shop and Residential Premises, No 2, Cambria Bridge Road; A Capital Shop and Residence, No 3, Cambria Bridge Road and A Capital Shop and Premises, with a slaughter house, No 4. Cambria Bridge Road.

Swindon Advertiser April 23, 1892.

You might also like to read:

John Horsell – builder and licenced victualler

Henry Charles Cook – builder

Thomas and John George – leaving their mark on Swindon

William and Albertina Haynes

This magnificent Celtic Cross shouts wealth and must have been a pretty expensive monument in its time.

The Celtic Cross design combines the ancient Celtic circle symbol with the Christian cross, and was usually a free standing stone monument. In Ireland examples have been found dating back to the 7th century.

In the mid 19th century there was a Celtic Revival when monuments like this became extremely popular and the Celtic Cross has since become associated with graveyard memorials. The Celtic Cross on the Haynes grave includes the letters IHS symbolising the Greek spelling of Jesus Christ.

This is the final resting place of William and Albertina Haynes. In their retirement the couple lived at Longford Villa one of those impressive Victorian properties on Bath Road.  William died on September 17, 1922 and Albertina on January 30, 1931.

William had grown up in Fairford where his father worked as a confectioner.  He moved to Purton to begin an apprenticeship in Edward Kempster’s grocer’s shop, which is how he met his future wife.  Albertina was the daughter of Richard Newman who was a Beer House Keeper in Purton.

The couple married in the summer of 1879 and by the time of the 1881 census they were living at 5 Westcott Place where they ran a grocer’s shop.  William employed two assistants including his younger brother Hubert.

By 1891 the establishment had grown somewhat. The couple had six children and employed three grocery assistants and two domestic servants.

Researching the census returns I think the Haynes grocers shop was in the large premises on the corner of Westcott Place and Read Street, which has various signs outside today.

When William died in 1922 he left £65,473 9s 8d worth several million pounds today, an impressive amount of money for those post war times and more than enough to pay for this magnificent memorial.

You might like to visit Swindon Bottles for information about many other Swindon based firms.

James Lott – Ironmongers

James Lott opened his ironmongery business in around 1873. By 1881 he was living above the shop at 91 Regent Street with his wife Ellen and their four young children. However, the changeable fortunes of James Lott saw him forced to declare himself bankrupt in 1889.

But by 1891 business was booming again when James was based at numbers 50 and 51 Regent Street. In 1907 he was advertising “the most varied and up-to-date stock of Brushes, Copper Flower Vases and Kettles, Cutlery, Electro-plated Goods, Curb Fenders, Fire Irons and Brasses, Expanding Wood Trellis, Wire Netting, Garden Arches and Tools, General and Furnishing Ironmongery of every description.”

The 1911 census lists him as living above his shop at 5 Temple Street with his wife Ellen and youngest daughter Maud, an elementary school teacher. Temple Street today is unrecognisable from the busy shopping thoroughfare it once was linking Commercial Road with Regent Street. Temple Street has been the scene of several major reconstruction projects in the past 100 years. Today it is the site of work in progress on a Premier Inn due for completion later this year. Pictured below is the large gap left following the demolition of the Baptist Tabernacle.

This image of the site of the demolished Baptist Tabernacle is published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

And it is still possible to find evidence of James Lott’s work in the pavements around town.

Death of Mr J. Lott

An Old and Respected Swindon Tradesman

The death has occurred of Mr J. Lott, head of the firm of Messrs. Lott & Sons, of Regent street, Swindon.

Mr Lott was one of the oldest tradesman in Swindon. Born near Holsworthy in Devon he came to the railway town in the early ‘70s, and by his energy and enterprise built up the present extensive business.

Mr Lott was connected with the Gooch Lodge of Freemasons, of which he was a Past Master, and was much respected in the town.

The funeral has been fixed for Monday. Mr. Lott was 76 years of age.

Swindon Advertiser Saturday, 10 December, 1921.

Late Mr J. Lott,

Masonic Funeral at Swindon Yesterday

The funeral of Mr J. Lott, of Swindon, took place yesterday afternoon. The Rev. J.E. Rogers officiated, and the masonic ovation at the graveside was delivered by the Rev. W.L. Waugh, Provincial Grand Chaplain.

The mourners were Mr. J.D. Lott and Mr C.R. Lott (sons), Mr E.W. Lott and Master Stanley Smith (grandsons), Mr J.W. Smith (son-in-law), Mr E.W. Daniel (Hendon) and Mr J. Daniel (nephews), Mr A.S. Deacon, Ald. E. Jones, Mr S. Chappell, Mr T. Butler, Mr F.C. Phelps, Mr A.R. Bray (Bristol), Mr W.E. Chappell, Mr J. Wilmer and Mr H. Mitchcock.

The Freemasons, of which deceased was a Past Provincial Grand Officer, were represented by Brs. A.E. Bottomley, D.C.A Morrison, H.J. Hamp, E.O. Twitcher, A.G. While, J.S. Protheroe, T. Mundy and D.A. Lane. Deceased’s employees also attended.

The floral tributes included one from the widow, and others from sons, sons and daughters-in-law and grandchildren, the Wiltshire Lodge of Freemasons and the staff at Regent street.

In Memory of Mary Jane Gunter

I thought I would rescue the identity of the woman buried in this grave before the inscription disintegrated completely. It turned out this was the easy bit.

At the time of the census 1881, a few months before she died, Mary Jane and her husband Joseph were living at 40 Prospect Hill where Joseph worked as a furniture broker. Joseph was 29 years old and Mary Jane was 23. The couple had married on December 18, 1880 at the parish church, Cirencester, less than a year before Mary Jane died. The burial registers record that Mary Jane Gunter lived at 14 Haydon Street when her funeral took place on November 21. She was buried in grave plot A404, only the 62nd burial to take place in what was then a new cemetery.

Ten years later, on the 1891 census returns Joseph described himself as a widower working as an Engine Fitter’s Labourer and lodging with the Hand family at 128 William Street. Life didn’t treat Joseph kindly. In 1901 he was a patient at the district asylum in Devizes. In 1907 he was a patient in an asylum in Dorset where he died in 1910.

I then checked the grave plot details to see if Joseph was buried with Mary Jane, but what I discovered was not what I had expected. Although a privately purchased grave with a substantial memorial in place, 22 years later the plot was reused.

Charles Hitchings a grocer and shopkeeper lived with his wife Elizabeth and their family at 38 Belle Vue Road where he died suddenly on Sunday July 5, 1903. Mr W.E. Nicolson Browne (county coroner) held an inquest where it was heard that the deceased complained of pains near his heart after which he shortly fell dead. A verdict of “Death from syncope” was recorded and on July 8, 1903 39-year-old Charles Hitchings was buried in plot A404.

And then 35 years later grave plot A404 was used for the third and final time. Charles Edward Iles aged 74 and formerly of the Rolleston Hotel, died in the Stratton Infirmary and was buried on October 5, 1938.

Was there any family connection between Mary Jane and the two men later buried with her? Am I missing a clue somewhere?

You might also be like to read:

Charles and Elizabeth Hitchings and their famous granddaughter

Elizabeth Williams – a forceful character

Image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Opportunities for women to serve in public office in the 19th century were few and far between but in 1894 significant changes came about. The Local Government Act of that year removed restrictive property, gender and status qualifications, enabling single and married women to vote and stand for election on the newly constituted urban rural district councils.

The local government reforms also extended to the Poor Law Board of Guardians, a bastion of male dominance, responsible for apportioning poor relief and in charge of the local Workhouse.

On January 2, 1895 the new Board of Guardians met for the first time. The Returning Officer laid before the Board his certificate of the result of the Elections of Guardians and Rural District Councillors with the names of four women among their number; Miss Elizabeth House, Mrs Elinor L. Buller, Mrs Elizabeth Williams and Mrs Maria Matthews. Three of these remarkable women are buried here in Radnor Street Cemetery.

The first four women elected to the Highworth & Swindon Poor Law Board of Guardians came from widely different backgrounds.

Elizabeth Williams was born in Wanborough in 1846 in a house attached to the Shepherd’s Rest public house. She was one of ten children, nine daughters and a son Henry who died aged 10. Her father Thomas Edwards, was an agricultural labourer and by the age of 15 Elizabeth was working as a general servant in Upper Stratton. Elizabeth married Henry Williams, a gas and water fitter and they had three children. The family lived at various addresses in Swindon and at the time of Elizabeth’s election to the Board of Guardians they lived at 23 Oxford Terrace, Faringdon Road.

Elizabeth served on the Ladies Workhouse Visiting and Boarding Out Committee for many years and in 1901 she was elected on to a new committee set up to address the payment of the Foster Children’s Quarterly Clothing Allowance. In 1902/3 Elizabeth also served on the Finance and House Committee where she objected to the proposal to award the Workhouse Master Mr Kilby seven guineas for his services in the preparation of Dietary Tables.

Elizabeth was a devout Primitive Methodist and strictly teetotal. Her great granddaughter Mrs Hazel Grace tells of how Elizabeth once tried to stop the male inmate’s Christmas beer allowance, a matter recorded in the Minute Book on November 20, 1901 during a discussion about the Workhouse Christmas dinner. The amendment ‘that no Beer be given but that Tea, Coffee or aerated waters be substituted,’ was proposed by local businessman Henry Raggett and seconded by Mrs Williams. However, the amendment was defeated by 16 votes to 12 and the inmates received their Christmas cheer.

In later years Elizabeth lived with her granddaughter’s family and Hazel remembered her great grandmother as a forceful character.

Elizabeth Williams died in 1948, aged 102. She is buried here, her grave marked by a headstone in the shape of an open book, symbolic of a love of learning and religious faith.

You might also like to read:

The trail blazing Maria Matthews

William Drew – Swindon architect

The re-imagined story …

Tonight I shall raise a glass to Mr William Drew, although sadly not in The Lamb and Flag, a favourite watering hole of mine back in the day. When it came to pubs William Drew knew what he was talking about.

You youngsters might remember The Litten Tree in Fleet Street but of course that building was never designed as a pub, oh no, that property began life as the North Wilts Conservative and Liberal Unionist Club. It was built by Charlie Williams in 1897, the year of the old Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. You can see the commemorative plaque if you look up – past the blocked gutters and peeling paint.

They say some developer has got a plan for the building – well, they all have don’t they?

Death of an Architect. – The death occurred at Swindon on Monday of Mr William Drew, senior member of the firm of Messrs W. Drew and Sons, architects and surveyors. The deceased gentleman was at one time a very familiar figure in Swindon and the neighbourhood, but during the past three or four years he has more or less been confined to his house by illness.

Deceased was in his 68th year, and was one of the oldest members of the Society of Architects, having been admitted in 1887. He commenced practice at Highworth, where he remained for 12 years, and then removed to Swindon, where he has always earned and received the esteem and regard of his patrons and of all with whom he has had business or social relations. As a hotel valuer he was known over a wide district, while the results of his skill as an architect are to be seen in many large buildings in Swindon and the surrounding neighbourhood.

For over 30 years he has held the responsible position of architect to Messrs T. and J. Arkell, of Kingsdown Brewery, and he designed the majority of that firm’s licenced houses at Swindon, Faringdon, Lechlade, Cirencester, and many other towns and villages in the district.

Amongst other large buildings for the plans of which Mr Drew was responsible were the Clarence Street Schools (at that time amongst the finest in the west of England), the Rodborne Road Schools and enlargements, the Gorse Hill Schools (the first in the district conducted on the central hall principle), the Upper and Lower Stratton Schools, the Rodborne Cheney and Haydon Wicks Schools, Mr E. Arkell’s residence at Kingsdown, the Conservative and Unionist Club in Fleet Street, Faringdon Post Office, the Primitive Methodist Chapels at Rodborne Road and Stratton St. Margaret, the Cricklade Road Baptist Chapel and many others. Mr Drew prepared the plans of the original sewage tanks at Rodborne for the New Swindon Local Board; he developed the Kingshill Estate for Mr J. Hinton, the first street laid out being Clifton Street; and he also laid out and developed the Even Swindon Estate for Mr J. Morrison. –

The deceased gentleman has been assisted in the conduct of his business by his sons, Messrs Edward and William Drew, and they will continue to act in the same capacity as their late father.

The Faringdon Advertiser, Saturday, May 20, 1905.

*Rodborne is a spelling error in the original text.

As a valuer his services were constantly in demand, and no man was more conversant with the growth and growing importance of Swindon during the past forty years.

Deceased never took any part in the public life of the town, preferring a quiet life. In politics he was a staunch Conservative, but the only occasion on which he took an active part in the political arena was in support of the late Sir Daniel Gooch, when he was returned for the old Cricklade Division.

Mr Drew leaves a widow and family of nine children:- four sons and five daughters – for whom the deepest sympathy will be felt in their bereavement.

Some few years ago deceased took into partnership in his business two of his sons, Mr Edward Drew and Mr William Drew, by whom the bulk of the work has been carried on during their father’s long illness.

The Funeral

The mortal remains of the late Mr William Drew, were laid to rest in the Swindon Cemetery on Thursday. The funeral cortege left deceased’s late residence in Victoria Road at half-past three. Deceased was a man of great weight – considerably over 20 stone – and the remains were enclosed in an elm shell, within a coffin of immense size, of polished oak, with massive brass fittings. The inscription on the breast-plate was as follows:- “William Drew, born 29th October, 1837; died 15th May, 1905.”

The coffin was conveyed in a hearse, and there were six mourning carriages.

At the graveside there was a large assembly of sympathising friends, the funeral service being conducted by the Vicar of Swindon, the Rev. Canon Estcourt.

The funeral arrangements were satisfactorily carried out by Mr J. Williams, of Bath Road, Swindon, assisted by his son, Mr Fred J. Williams.

Extract from the obituary published in The Swindon Advertiser, Friday, May 19, 1905.

For more and better photographs of this building you might like to visit Duncan and Mandy Ball’s website.

David Watson – railway and political pioneer

The re-imagined story …

When David Watson heard about the new railway town being built in Wiltshire, he decided to apply for a job.

He packed his apprenticeship indentures in a leather pouch, kissed his wife and his two daughters goodbye and set off from his home in Scotland. He intended making the journey of 500 miles on foot.

That was the story handed down through generations of railwaymen. Today such an epic effort is unfathomable. In 1843 the railway network was in its infancy and the road system was basic and hazardous. Today a journey by car travelling on the M6 would taken an estimated 7 and a half hours and even a train journey would take more than 8 hours. How long did it take David Watson and which route did he follow? Did he hitch a ride with a passing carter or did he travel part the way by stagecoach? Did he stop to sleep on route at a roadside inn or did he shelter in the hedgerow over night? Did he really walk 500 miles?

New Swindon 1847

The facts …

Death of Mr David Watson

A Swindon Octogenarian

The news of the death of Mr. David Watson which occurred on Wednesday at the residence of his son, Mr. Alex. Watson, 24 Cambria Place, will be received with keen regret by a host of friends amongst the older generation of Swindonians. Mr. Watson was 89 years old about a month ago, but, notwithstanding his great age, he had until recently been a familiar figure in that part of the town near his home. As recently as a week before his death, the old gentleman was seen out, but on Friday he had an attack of bronchitis, to which he succumbed shortly after noon on Wednesday.

A fine, burly figure of a Scotsman, Mr. Watson was born at Cragie, near Glasgow, in 1824. Serving his apprenticeship as a fitter in Dundee, he came to Swindon as long ago as 1843, and obtained employment in the GWR Factory. For about 30 years, the old gentleman, whose hearty and genial manner soon won him a large circle of friends, was chargeman over the fitters in the R Shop, and even after advancing years compelled him to give up the chargemanship he continued to work “Inside.” Indeed, it was only 11 years ago, in ’99, when Mr Watson had reached the age of 79 years, that he finally left the GWR Company’s employ, thus severing a 56 years’ connection with the Railway Company.

Mr Watson had been a member of the ASE for about 71 years, being superannuated by that Society when he gave up work. One of the first members of the Mechanics’ Institution and Medical Fund Society he was President of the latter on one occasion in the “fifties.”

In politics, the deceased was an ardent Liberal. During the whole of his residence in Swindon he had staunchly supported the Progressive cause, and took a prominent and active part in local contest in the old days.

Mr Watson, it might be mentioned, was one of the earliest contributors to the columns of the “Advertiser.” He was living in Swindon when this paper was founded in 1854, and he was a friend of the late Mr. William Morris, the founder, and, for nearly forty years, editor of this paper. Amongst his most treasured possessions was an old copy of the Swindon Advertiser, dated June 31st 1859, containing a report of a speech given by Mr Watson when presiding over a “Bobbie Burns” Centenary dinner at the Union Hotel, Swindon.

Mr Watson leaves three sons and two daughters out of a family of eleven, to mourn his loss.

The funeral of deceased will take place in Swindon Cemetery tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.

The Swindon Advertiser, Friday, April 15, 1910.

At the time of the 1851 census David and Elizabeth and their five children were living at 7 Reading Street. By 1881 the widowed David was living at 31 Sheppard Street, his four sons were all working as engine fitters in the railway factory.

David Watson aged 89 of 24 Cambria Place was buried in grave plot B2967 on April 16, 1910. He was later joined by his son Alexander and daughter-in-law Eliza.

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