Brunel Medal – Radnor Street Cemetery

The re-imagined story …

I always knew those girls would do well, especially little Irene. She was always so attentive and eager to learn.

The turn of the century was an exciting time to be a woman; plenty of new opportunities to be had and women everywhere were pushing the boundaries that had constrained them for too many years.

I began my pupil teacher training at Queens Town Infants School in 1891. Among the girls who joined with me was Edith New who would go on to play a significant role in the Votes for Women campaign with Mrs Pankhurst and her daughters.

Queens Town School opened in 1880, an impressive red brick building built alongside the old canal. Perhaps not the most salubrious of settings, but the school served the Queens Town community well. By the time I began my pupil teacher training there ten years later a girls’ school had been built on the site.

However, there were still anomalies in the teaching profession. Women teachers who taught infants and girls were paid less than men who taught boys, an inequality that Miss New would later campaign to change. But the Swindon School Board was a progressive organisation that set high standards of which young Freda and Irene took best advantage.

When we gained our teaching certification Miss New moved to London, but I stayed closer to home. I followed the Dening sisters careers with great interest. So many of the girls I taught did well, but perhaps none more so than Freda and Irene Dening. I always knew those girls would do well, especially little Irene. Always so attentive and eager to learn.

The facts …

Freda and Irene were born into a railway family. Their father Richard was a steam engine fitter and along with their brother Henry, the three children were all born in Swindon and grew up at 61 Hythe Road.

Freda entered the service of the GWR in 1912 when she was 15 and Irene joined the workforce in 1914 when she was about the same age.

Freda began work in the statistical section of the engineer’s office at Marlow House and was one of the first girls to be employed in the clerical department of the Swindon Works. She studied shorthand and typing at Swindon College, going on to become a shorthand typist in the Works. But her ambition didn’t stop there. She went on to study for three years covering accounting and business methods, the law of carriage by railway, the basis of railway rates and charges.

Her sister Irene was equally ambitious and worked as secretary to the Stores Superintendent. She also went on to study and both women won the prestigious Brunel Medal.

The Brunel Medal was awarded to Students in the railway department of the London School of Economics who, in not more than four years, obtained three first class passes in examinations held in connection with courses approved for the purpose.

The women’s elder brother Henry was also awarded the Brunel Medal, so they were a pretty extraordinary family.

In an interview with the Swindon Advertiser Freda said:

“I really loved my job and it opened many doors to opportunity that my sister and I would not of otherwise had. There were very few women in the railways in those days and it was a fascinating place to be.”

But there were sacrifices to be made. Neither women married nor had children. Of course, this may have been by choice. These days an ambitious woman would probably expect to be able to have it all – as an ambitious man can!

Freda retired early to care for her elderly parents while Irene had a career that spanned nearly 45 years.

Both sisters ended their days in the Cheriton Nursing Home. Irene died on February 25, 1982 aged 81 and Freda on March 18, 1994 aged 96. Their cremated remains are buried here with their parents.

My thanks go to Dr Rosa Matheson who first drew my attention to the Dening sisters in her magnificent book The Fair Sex: Women in the Great Western Railway.

I frequently take Radnor Street Cemetery visitors to the grave of Freda and Irene Dening. These two sisters enjoyed a long career in the Great Western Railway at a time when it was unusual for women so to do. I must admit that I have made little attempt to find out much about their father, until I came across a note of his retirement in the Great Western Railway Magazine.

Richard Dening was born on April 20, 1866 in Winsham, Somerset, the son of Nimrod Dening, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Sarah Anne. He married Alice Louie Hunt in 1890 and the couple began their married life together at Clarence Street, Townstal, Devon.

Richard entered employment in the GWR on July 28, 1891 and is recorded as being Assistant Foreman in Fitting No 3 Shop. The family can be found on the 1901 census living at 61 Hythe Road with their three children Henry 9, Freda 3 and 7 month old Irene.

You can read about Richard’s career below:

Mr R. Dening, who for over four years was foreman of Nos. 3, 15, 15A, 18 and 19D shops, carriage and wagon works, Swindon, has retired from the Company’s service. He was held in high esteem, and widespread regret was felt on his retirement. At a smoking concert at the Great Western Hotel on April 18, a large company assembled to pay tribute to Mr Dening’s popularity. Mr. C.J. Coleman presided, and several interesting presentations were made. These consisted of an armchair and a grandfather clock, together with a handbag for Mrs Dening, from the men in Nos. 3, 15, 15A, 18 and 19D shops, and a set of four woods from the foremen and clerical staff. Tributes to the interest which Mr. Dening had taken in the shops were paid by Mr. S.J. Owen (who made the presentation), and Messrs H. Burchell, W. Clements, A. Fleming, F. Spackman, W. Watts, W. Blanchard, W. Newman, G. Dunn, A.E. Carter, C Thompson, T. Greenwood, and C. Garrett.

Mr Dening entered the Company’s service in July 1891, and commenced work in No. 15 shop. In 1906, he was appointed assistant foreman, and became head foreman in September, 1926. For 21 years he had been connected with the GWR Locomotive and Carriage Department Foremen’s Association, having occupied the positions of auditor, assistant secretary, secretary, vice-president, and finally president. For ten years he was also a member of the GWR Sick Fund Society committee, being chairman for eight years, and a member of the revision committee appointed to deal with the society’s financial position. In connection with his association with the Sick Fund Society, Mr. Dening helped in the formation of a benefit societies’ council, of which he became the first president. He is greatly interested in bowls, and is a vice-president of one of the clubs in Swindon.

Mr Dening’s son and two daughters attained outstanding educational distinction in each winning the Brunel medal at the London School of Economics, Mr H.R. Dening secured the medal in 1920, and Misses F.E. and I.A. Dening in 1921 and 1922, respectively.

Great Western Railway Magazine

Richard Dening died aged 85 years in the Cheriton Nursing Home. He was buried on February 13, 1953 in grave plot D187. His wife Alice Louie Dening died at her home, 60 Goddard Avenue, aged 90 years. She was buried on March 18, 1958 with her husband. Their daughters Freda and Irene were buried with them. Irene died in 1982 and Freda in 1994.

Tag: Brunel Medal

Freda and Irene Dening – winners of the Brunel Medal

Richard Dening and another Great Western family