Tag: french polisher

Lilium Lancifolium Warren – Forewoman

I’m on a roll with women who have unusual names. Meet Lilium Lancifolium Warren. And whilst census enumerators might record her name as Lilian L. she always took pains to spell it correctly and in full.

This is a Lilium Lancifolium (also known as the Tiger Lily). It is a plant native to Asia and the Russian Far East. Unscented and with distinctive orange and black flowers, the Lilium Lancifolium flowers in July. I wonder if Lilium Lancifolium’s parents were keen gardeners.

Lilium Lancifolium Warren was baptised at St. Mark’s Church on July 3, 1881, the daughter of Albert Warren, a goods guard, and his wife Marcellina.

Lilium Lancifolium began work as a French polisher in the GWR Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Department on February 1, 1897 aged 17. During a long career in the Works she was recorded as Forewoman in 10A Shop in 1931. She never married, although her name occurs as a witness at several family weddings, spelt correctly and in full.

She appears on the 1939 List still working as a Forewoman Polisher in the GWR, living at 53 Princes Street with her niece Olive May Warren.

She died aged 85 in 1965 by which time she had moved out to the new suburb of Penhill where she lived in a bungalow in Somerford Close. Administration of her estate was left to her niece, Olive by then married, and her sister Catherine.

Lilium Lancifolium Warren was buried in grave plot C83 on January 31, 1965 where she joined her brother Herbert William who died in 1897 and her parents, Marcellina who died in 1921 and Albert who died in 1929.

The Warren family grave is somewhere in this area. It may be an unmarked grave or it could be a kerbstone memorial that has sunk and become overgrown.

Caroline Shaw – French polisher

Caroline was born in Trevethin, Monmouthshire in 1859. Her family moved to Swindon in the 1860s following the opening of the Rolling Mills where her father Thomas worked as a Puddler. The family lived first at Bath Street (later renamed Bathampton Street). At the time of the 1881 census Thomas and his wife Sarah lived at 45 Westcott Place with their 9 children. Caroline aged 21 was the eldest and states her occupation as ‘Polisher GWR.’ The youngest child was 3 months old James.

During 1874 and 1875 increasing numbers of women entered the GWR Works employed in the newly created upholstery department. Joseph Armstrong, Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent 1864-77, had extended the Carriage Works on London Street and created a separate upholstery department for the employment of girls and unmarried women only. Caroline Shaw started work on November 3, 1875 as a French polisher. French polishing involved stripping back to the basic wood, making good any damage, brushing and sanding and building up the polish again. The women worked on anything made of wood from panels and partitions to toilet seats. Caroline was employed until July 1, 1887 – a week before her wedding on July 9.

Image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Caroline married Henry Whale, a boilersmith, who also lived in Westcott Place, and the couple began their married life at 2 West End Terrace. Caroline never moved far away from Westcott Place, that long road that stretches from Faringdon Road to the bottom of Kingshill. The 1901 census records them living at 152 Westcott Place with their children Carry 12, Mabel 11, Harry 9, Milly 7 and five year old Polly. By 1911 they were at 165 Westcott Place, the home where Henry died in 1930 and Caroline in 1939.

Caroline and Henry are buried with Caroline’s parents Thomas and Sarah Shaw in plot C1107.

You may also like to read:

Celia Morkot – the first woman employed in the Works