Tag: climate warming

Wilmer Bradford Wilmer – coal merchant

The re-imagined story …

I’m not sure about central heating – not that we’re going to be able to put ours on this winter! Personally, I don’t think you can beat an open fire. I can remember sitting in my nan’s house, all of us clustered around the coal fire, our faces red hot while up in the bedrooms the temperature was sub-zero. Nan often had ice on the inside of the bedroom windows, no double-glazing in those days.

I remember the coalman delivering by horse and cart. He used to stop outside our house and put a nosebag on the old horse. I never saw him clean, the coalman not the horse – infact, I think the horse might have been cleaner.

Nan used to complain about the mess the coal fire created and I suppose we have to blame climate change on all that muck belching out into the atmosphere. She eventually invested in a two bar electric heater with a coal effect. All the warmth and none of the dirt, except she couldn’t afford to use that in the end. A bit like us with the central heating. We won’t be able to have ours on this winter.

The facts …

Death of Mr W.B. Wilmer

The death took place on Saturday at his residence, 96, Goddard Avenue, Swindon, of Mr. Wilmer Bradford Wilmer. The deceased, who was 59 years of age, came to Swindon from Paignton, Devon, 14 years ago, and started business as a coal merchant. For the scene of his operations Mr Wilmer chose a field at the end of St. Margaret’s Road, and commenced business in a small way. At this time Mr. Wilmer was a perfect stranger to the town, but by dint of hard work and careful trading he slowly but surely built up a sound and extensive business. It was not long before he was appointed agent for the Midland and South Western Junction Railway Company, whose lines his wharf adjoins and in this way he became one of the best known men in the town.

Mr Wilmer had been ailing for a considerable time, but his illness, due to an internal complaint, did not become serious until a month ago, and that it would have a fatal termination was not contemplated by his family until four days before his death.

The funeral took place on Wednesday at the Cemetery, where the burial service was conducted by the Rev. C.A. Mayall. The chief mourners were. Mr J.P. Wilmer (son), Mr and Mrs C. Love (sister and brother-in-law) Mr G. Ashworth, Mr. W. Beer, Mr. W.B. Armitage, and Mr E. Mackelden.

Mr Wilmer and family 96 Goddard Avenue, wish to thank all those friends who so kindly sent letters of sympathy during their sad bereavement.

Extract from North Wilts Herald, Friday, January 21, 1916.

Wilmer Bradford Wilmer was born in about 1857 the youngest son of Benjamin and Jane Wilmer. Benjamin was the publican at the Cross Keys Public House in Caxton, Cambs.

It would appear that the move to Swindon got off to a bit of a rocky start for Wilmer. In 1902 Wilmer was declared bankrupt with liabilities of over £1,000. He declared to the bankruptcy court that he was “absolutely without any estate, and admitted being a bankrupt before, in the year 1889.” – Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard Saturday 31st May 1902.

The family had arrived in Swindon sometime between 1891 and 1901 when Wilmer is recorded as a Stock Broker Agent living at 96 Goddard Avenue with his wife Jane and their two children, John P. 16 an architect’s apprentice and two year old Lilian. Their home in 1891 was in Batley, Yorks where Wilmer and Jane had married in the September quarter of 1883. He describes himself on the census of that year as “Living on own means.” They then spent some time in Paignton, Devon where daughter Lilian was born, before coming to Swindon.

Whatever had happened in Wilmer’s past, he soon managed to get his act together and established a business that would survive beyond his death and through several generations of the Wilmer family, until in 2015 when cousins Ken and John Wilmer made the difficult decision to sell the family business.

John told the Swindon Advertiser: “We were coming to the yard as toddlers but when we were teenagers we started helping out a bit more. Once we got our driving licences I think we were a bit more useful and we went all over the county delivering. Life was simpler back then,” he said.

Swindon Advertiser 20th April 2015

Water banned from any kind of use in the Cemetery

As this unseasonal September heatwave looks set to continue for the next few days, I revisit September 1929 when Swindon was hit by a devastating water shortage.

Additional inspectors were assigned to locate cases of wilful misuse, and Mr Thompson, Borough Engineer and Water Engineer, said it was the duty of the housewife to be sparing in the use of water, adding somewhat threateningly “if she is not she will have to be taught how to be sparing.” A total ban was imposed upon the use of water in the cemetery.

Water Shortage

Alarming Situation in Swindon: Utmost Economy Needed

News regarding the position of Swindon’s water supply is of an alarming nature. During the week-end there was a most serious drop in the amount of water available.

The townspeople have already effected some economies in their usage of water; but it is now vitally necessary that the present consumption should be cut down by at least another 50 per cent.

It is therefore the immediate duty of everyone to use only half the amount of water they have been doing. For the present the use of baths should certainly be given up, and their place taken by an ordinary sponge-down with the minimum quantity of water.

Housewives can do much to help. They must look on water as a precious fluid, and cut down their usage to the least possible quantity.

Every step is being taken by the Borough Engineer and his staff to augment the supply; but the co-operation of the general public is essential.

Mr J.B.L. Thompson, the Borough Surveyor and Water Engineer, tells the North Wilts Herald that the fall in the available supplies which has taken place over the week-end is unprecedented, and has forced the Water Committee to reconsider the whole position.

Unless still more drastic economies are made, Swindon is going to be faced with a very unpleasant situation.

The use of water for certain specified purposes must, under heavy penalty, be absolutely discontinued. Leakages, however small, must be reported at once.

Warning to Wasters

The Borough Engineer has been instructed to employ further inspectors to locate cases of wilful misuse.

Official Notice

In an official notice, signed by the Town Clerk, to be distributed to householders, it is stated:

“Owing to a rapid and unprecedented decrease during the past two days in the water supplies available in the well belonging to the corporation, the attention of all consumers of water is drawn to the urgent necessity of preventing waste and of strictest economy in the use of water.”

It is further stated that water must not be used for the purpose of washing foot-pavements, yards, cars or garage floors, nor used on allotments, tennis courts, bowling green, cricket patches or gardens.

Prosecutions will be instituted where there is evidence of waste of water.

A Critical Three Months

“It will be the end of December before we can hope for the wells to recover,” said the Borough Surveyor to a North Wilts Herald representative.

“The next three months are going to be very precarious from the point of view of obtaining water sufficient to keep the town going.

“Unless people limit their consumption by at least 50 per cent, it will mean that as a last resource the town will have to be shut off from the regular supply and that we shall have to draw it from certain points.”

Meanwhile wells at Ogbourne continue to diminish, and though water is being drawn from the GWR supply at Kemble the time will come when this supply must stop.

It is the duty of the housewife to be sparing in the use of water. If she is not – to use Mr Thompson’s words – “she will have to be taught how to be sparing.”

Owing to the acute shortage, the Swindon Corporation have stopped the use of water for growing plants in the Swindon Cemetery. Water has now been banned from any kind of use in the Cemetery.

The supply in the Highworth parish at present is fairly satisfactory, this being attributed mainly to the fact that some two or three years ago the district council constructed auxiliary works at Eastrop.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, September 13, 1929.