Tag: boilersmith

William Thomas Long – boilersmith

Death Notice – Swindon Advertiser Friday, December 31, 1909.

Long, Dec 24, at the residence of his daughter, 16 Curtis St. Swindon, William Thomas Long, aged 73 years.

When William Thomas Long died in 1909 his personal effects were valued at more than £900 – worth around £100k today. He had spent a lifetime working as a boilersmith, most of that in the Great Western Railway Swindon Works.

William Thomas Long was baptised at Holy Rood, the old parish church in Swindon, on July 31, 1836, the son of baker John Long and his wife Louisa. He grew up in Newport Street where his mother took over the business as Pastry Cook following the death of his father.

By 1861 William was a married man with two young daughters living in Newton Abbot where he worked as a boilersmith. William and Ann would complete their family with another five daughters plus Margaret born in 1879 who is first described as ‘granddaughter’ and later as ‘daughter.’

Yet, there is still so much we don’t know about Ann and William.

Looking down Eastcott Hill

For more than 20 years they lived at No. 8 Eastcott Hill – they may even have owned the property; Swindonians were renowned for investing in bricks and mortar.

Ann died in September 1884 aged 48. When his wife died William had been able to purchase a grave plot in Radnor Street Cemetery where an impressive headstone was later installed; not everyone could afford to do this. He didn’t remarry after Ann’s death, which was is also quite unusual. He still had young daughters at home but presumably the elder ones took over the household duties and childcare; perhaps he could afford to employ a maid-of-all-work.

Ann was buried in grave plot E8306 on September 12, 1884 where William joined her in 1909. The cremated remains of their grandson William Clarence Heath and his wife Alice Ruth were interred in the same plot some 60 years later.

Remembering the ordinary people of Swindon.

Henry John Spackman – boiler inspector

I can’t help wondering what kind of life Lizzie Florence Spackman had and whether she had much influence in the decisions made on her behalf. She grew up in a railway family and married a railway man, but could she have anticipated how her life would turn out.

Lizzie was born in 1874, the middle daughter of William and Elizabeth Richards’ three girls. By 1881 Lizzie’s mother had died and the three young sisters were living with their father and two elder half brothers in Carfax Street. In 1898 she married Henry John Spackman, a Boilersmith. He was 25 and she was 23.

Henry and Lizzie lived at various addresses in Rodbourne and Westcott during the early years of their marriage. Their eldest daughter Dorothy was baptised at St. Marks’s Church on December 11, 1899 when the family lived at 22 Ford Street. Their second daughter, Norah Winifred, was baptised at St. Augustine’s on December 3, 1903 when they lived at 6 Bruce Street. Then at sometime around 1909 the family left for India where their third daughter, Marjorie Johanna was born in 1910 in Madras. Lizzie would live in India for the next 17 years until they returned to 13 Summer Street, Rodbourne in 1927.

What an adventure? Or was it a nightmare? Did Lizzie love India or was she homesick for Swindon? Once back in England the family settled down in Chiseldon, where Henry was obviously busy – but what about Lizzie? Did she enjoy her new life in the Wiltshire village or did it seem grey and lacklustre after the vibrancy of India? What was on the Spackman family menu – roast beef and Yorkshire pudding or curry?

There’s a lot about Henry in the following report, which is fair enough I suppose as it is his obituary. But I can’t help wondering what kind of life Lizzie had.

Photograph of the former railway works taken from the cemetery

A Broken Link,

Death at Chiseldon of Mr H.J. Spackman

The funeral of Mr Henry John Spackman, who died at The Gables, Hodson road, on Sunday, took place yesterday.

Mr Spackman, who was 62 years of age, was employed in the Great Western Railway Works, Swindon, as a young man. At the age of 25 he went to Madras as a boiler inspector and at a later date was appointed chief foreman. He remained in India until November, 1927, when he returned to England to go into retirement at Chiseldon.

Mr Spackman who had taken a great interest in the Chiseldon Hospital Carnival and in all forms of sport, played for Swindon Town on the Croft, and he was the possessor of a Wilts Cup medal. He gained this while playing for Trowbridge Town against Swindon. He leaves a widow and three daughters. Two of his daughters are married, they are Mrs C. Woods-Scawen, of Madras, and Mrs B. Lillie, of Shanghai. His other daughter, Miss Nora Spackman, resides with her mother at Chiseldon.

The funeral service at the Parish Church, Chiseldon, was conducted by the Vicar (the Rev. C. Foster Palmer) and the interment was in Radnor Street Cemetery, Swindon.

The family mourners were Mrs Spackman (widow), Miss N. Spackman (daughter), Mrs Webb (sister), Mr W. Spackman (brother), Mrs G. Tucker (niece), and Mrs A. Hunt (cousin).

Others present at the church were Mr. and Mrs H. Howell, Mr Hargreaves, Mr and Mrs H. Hewlett, Mr A. Hewlett, Mr J. Walters, Mr E. Walters, Mr H. Walters, Mr Phillips, Mr C. Frost, Sergt. A. Cook, Mr R. Culverwell, Mr R. Finn, Capt. Johnson, Mr H. Drewitt, sen., Mr H. Drewitt, Mr. C. Goldsmith (representing the 18 Overseas Club) Mr F. Blackford, Mr. Lucas, Mr H. Cavill, Mr F. Horsington, Mr A.A. Jarman, Mr and Mrs B. Davis, Mr C. Dommett, Mr D. Richards, Mr W. Long, Mr and Mrs W. Oakey, Mrs Beamish, Mr Gilbert Whiting, Mrs Dench, Mr Street and Mr A. Green.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr John C. Liddiard, of New road, Chiseldon.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, 8 March, 1935.