Swindon Veterans of Industry

In the 1880s and 90s it was not unusual to find men like Robert Laxon still employed in Swindon’s GWR Works into their 80s. However, by the 1930s there was a state pension and an official retirement age. In December 1930 more than 200 men retired from the Great Western Railway Works, an event of such importance to warrant a detailed article in the first January edition of the North Wilts Herald published in 1931.

The names and address of those men forced to retire under the introduction of the 66 years age limit were recorded in appreciation of their long years employed in the Works. Men who had joined the company in the 1880s and 90s; men like Tom Solven who had completed 52½ years’ service and George Edge, of 39, Medgbury Road, 43 years a chargeman wagon builder. Chargemen in the Locomotive Department such as E.P. Cave, a fitter who lived in Pleydell Road, G.A. Hallard, turner, 70 Jennings Street and G.F. Randell, fitter, 19 William Street.

Mr William George Woodward, 43, Havelock street, retires after 50 years’ service in the GWR works, and he has spent the whole of that time in one shop – No 7 Finishing Shop, Carriage Department.

A native of Oaksey, Mr Woodward came to Swindon on 11 October, 1880, and started work as a machineman in the factory. He was made chargeman 32 years ago last July.

He has served under three Chief Mechanical Engineers, the late Major William Dean, Mr. G.J. Churchward and Mr. C.B. Collett. His first foreman was Mr. Thomas Rose. He has seen the number of employees in his particular shop grow from 50 to between 300 and 400.

Mr. Woodward has a vivid recollection of a bit of the first work he did during his initial year in Swindon. It was to help clear the line between the railway station and the transfer sheds during the great snowstorm in January, 1881. Greatly interested in Friendly Society work, Mr. Woodward has been a member of the Oddfellows Society for many years. He has been for 19 years secretary of the juvenile branch, and 17 years secretary of the Stratton St. Margaret lodge.

Last Saturday he was appointed secretary to the Widows’ Hope lodge – one of the oldest and largest in the Swindon district – to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. A.C. Nethercot. He is Past Grand Master of the Swindon District, and was one of the delegates who attended the Centenary A.M.C. of the Order at Southampton in 1910.

Perhaps for many of the men it was a relief to no longer have to work. But no doubt for others it was more akin to a bereavement. What would they do with their time?

Home time – men leaving the Works. Image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

William George Woodward’s retirement was not a long one. He died in December 1939 and was buried in grave plot D573 with his father-in-law Harry Ball who died in 1928 aged 96. William’s wife Hannah died in 1960 and was buried with them both.

Tom Tindle – on the move

Today many families live at opposite ends of the country (and the world) and we tend to think of this as a modern phenomenon brought about by improved methods of transport. But people have always travelled to where there was work and Radnor Street Cemetery has many residents who came to Swindon and a job in the Great Western Railway Works.

Tom Tindle, or to give him his full name Tom Henry William Tindle, was born in York on April 18, 1855, the eldest of six children. In 1871 the family were living in Ashford in Kent, but when you look at the birth places of Tom’s siblings you can see they had also lived in Scarborough and London before settling down in Ashford, Kent.

Tom married Phillis Sarah J. Alderton, an elementary school teacher, at St George the Martyr in Southwark on April 24, 1878 when they both lived in the Old Kent Road area.

By 1881 the young couple were living in Stratton St. Margaret. Tom worked as a Coach Body Maker. He joined the Great Western Railway on May 23, 1887 as a Carriage Body Maker later becoming a foreman. By 1891 they had moved to 37 Regent Street where Phillis describes herself as a postmistress. In 1901 they lived at 10 Victoria Road with their four children. Phillis 18 and Nellie 14 were both working as pupil teachers. The boys Stuart 12 and Tom 5 were still at school. The 1911 census provides us with the additional information that Tom and Phillis had 6 children and that sadly 2 had previously died.

Tom lived in Swindon until at least 1920 when his address was 166 Victoria Road. He died in 1933 by which time he was living in Luton. The family returned the body to Swindon where he was buried with his daughter Phillis who died in 1905.

His wife Phillis out-lived him by eleven years. When she died in 1944 she was living in Bournemouth.

The Lodge family grave revealed

In recent years we have been fortunate to have the occasional assistance of the Community Payback Team in the cemetery. This group does some sterling work, often tackling the most overgrown sections of the cemetery. It was on one such occasion some years ago that they cleared a huge amount of shrubs and brambles and in doing so revealed several graves that had been hidden for years. Among those newly revealed graves was this magnificent memorial to the Lodge family.

William Lodge and Elmira Faville were both born in Gloucester and married in St James’ Church, there on October 13, 1867. By 1871 they had moved to London where they were sharing accommodation at 33 Desborough Lane, Paddington with James Affleck (another Swindon connection). In 1881 they were living in William Street, Swindon where William worked as an engine driver. By 1901 William was working as Railway Engine Inspector and the family lived at 36 Rolleston Street, one of the few houses that remain after the demolition work of the 1960s and now tucked away behind the doomed Regent Circus development.

So, who is buried beneath this memorial in this spacious, double plot E8482/3.

First we have Elmira who died in 1905, then Mary who died in 1917. William Lodge died in 1922 followed by another daughter, Emma who died in 1926. Eldest daughter Ellen died in 1950 and son Charles and his wife Annie are buried here, they died in 1945 and 1963 respectively.

Looking at this impressive memorial it is difficult to imagine it was once hidden by brambles. When so little maintenance is done by the local authority it would be great to see the Community Payback Team back in the cemetery.

Jesse Singer – engine driver

I chose to research this memorial as a bit of a challenge. It is often difficult to find sufficient details to tell the story of the men buried in Radnor Street Cemetery, but for the women it is even more so. So many times the census returns make no mention of the married women’s occupation as they worked part-time, seasonal jobs. With numerous children, no modern household appliances and often a family firm to support as well, these women obviously just sat around all day doing the odd bit of embroidery!

Ellen Hill was born in Cirencester in about 1859, the daughter of John Hill, a coach builder’s labourer, and his wife Eliza. She married Jesse Thomas Singer in Melksham in 1880 and at the time of the census the following year Jesse and Ellen are lodging at 32 Oriel Street, Swindon with Horace Wall, his wife and their 7 month old baby.

Jesse worked first as a fireman and then an engine driver and the family moved around a fair bit. Their first child named Jesse after his father, was born in Swindon, the next three children were born in Trowbridge. Ellen gave birth to Arthur in Swindon in 1890 and seven months later at the time of the 1891 census they were living in Newton Abbot. Ellen had two more children during their time in Newton Abbot. Her youngest son Leonard was born in 1898 back in Swindon and in 1901 they lived at 72 Curtis Street.

Ellen died in 1915, aged 55 at her home 31 Curtis Street. She was buried on January 7 in grave plot D1615. And a year later Jesse married Elizabeth Harvey. Jesse Thomas Singer died in May 1926 at 58 Newhall Street aged 69 years. He was buried with Ellen on May 29, 1926. His second wife Elizabeth died at 116 Tydeman Street on November 28, 1936 aged 79 and was buried with Jesse and Ellen.

I have been extremely fortunate in being allowed access to family photos, one of Ellen as a young woman, one of her and Jesse and their youngest son Leonard and another of Jesse. Unfortunately none of Elizabeth but would you believe it, of course I find that Jesse goes one better and I have here a portrait of him painted as a young man.

Francis John and Alfred Stanier

As you might guess, this diminutive grave is that of a child – two young children, infact. Francis John Stanier was born in the summer of 1881 and died in January 1885. He was buried in grave plot A188, aged 3 years old. On May 7, 1886 his 3 week old baby brother Alfred was buried with him. These children were the sons of William Stanier and his wife Grace.

William Henry Stanier was born in Wolverhampton in 1849 and entered the services of the Great Western Railway on November 7, 1864 in the Managers Office, Loco Works, Wolverhampton. He moved to Swindon in 1871 at the insistence of William Dean, Chief Locomotive Engineer and became Dean’s clerk and personal assistant, his right hand man. In 1879 he was appointed Chief Clerk Loco & Carriage Department and in June 1892 he was made Stores Superintendent. He was elected to the Swindon School Board in 1879, serving as chairman for many years. He was appointed JP for Swindon in 1906 and for Wiltshire in 1915. He served as Swindon’s 8th Mayor in 1907-8 and Stanier Street is named after him. William Henry Stanier retired from the GWR in 1919 but continued to serve on the Railway Executive Committee in connection with the distribution of controlled materials.

His son, William Arthur Stanier, the elder brother of these two little ones, was born on May 27, 1876 and went on to have a prestigious railway career. He became Assistant Works Manager at Swindon in 1912 and then Works Manager in 1920 before being head hunted by the London Midland and Scottish Railway where he became the Chief Mechanical Engineer. He was knighted on February 4, 1943. He died in Rickmansworth, Herts in 1965 aged 89.

You can’t help but wonder what future those two little boys might have had – Francis who died in 1885 aged 3 years and Alfred who died in 1886 at just three weeks old.

Richard Bellwood Pattinson – following in his father’s footsteps

Richard Bellwood Pattinson was born in Heighton in Durham on November 28, 1841 and moved to Swindon as a child. His father, Richard Renwick Pattison, was one of a large contingent of railway workers from the north east who moved down to Swindon in the early years.

In 1861 Richard married Alice Grandison, the daughter of another early incomer David Grandison, and the couple had three daughters.

Richard jnr followed his father into the Works, as most sons did. The UK Railway Employment Records provide a resume of the various roles he filled in his working career.

His service with the GWR began as an Office Boy in the Goods Department in April 1854 when he was 12 years old. He worked there until he was older enough to begin an apprenticeship. He then worked as a draughtsman, then a valve setter. He became an Assistant Foreman and then a Foreman. He resigned on June 2, 1897 aged 56 after approximately 43 years of service. Perhaps he was secure enough financially to retire early. Richard died on December 2, 1900, just three years after his retirement. His effects were valued at £10,884 11s 2d, a fortune in 1900.

Death of Mr R.B. Pattison – Mr Richard Bellwood Pattison, who for 23 years was foreman of the B1 and C sheds (erectors’) in the GWR Works at Swindon, died at his residence, No. 7 Sheppard street on Sunday, at the age of 59. The deceased gentleman succeeded his father as foreman in 1874, after a previous experience of 20 years in the workshops, and retired in 1897. He leaves a widow and two married daughters.

The Citizen, Tuesday, December 4, 1900

Richard Bellwood Pattison was buried on December 2, 1900 in grave plot E8497. He is buried with his daughter Sarah Bellwood Jones who died in 1926. His wife Alice and their two other daughters are buried in the neighbouring grave plot E8496

Dabchick Thomas Sawyer

When the end came it was peaceful. Thomas got up early with the intention of sitting with his wife who was ill. He was found dead in his usual chair at 8.30 a.m.

Aldbourne by Kate Tryon published courtesy of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

Thomas was born in Aldbourne in about 1834, although finding him there has proved difficult. At the age of 17 he apparently upped and left Aldbourne for London, some adventure for a young Dabchick. Did he go alone or was there a flock of them?

It was here he met Ann Hill and on October 16, 1858 they married at Trinity Church, Paddington. In 1861 they were living at 52 Alfred Road, a multi occupancy property in Paddington, where Thomas worked as a porter.

By 1871 the family were living at Wootton Ville, Gloucester. Thomas was working as a railway guard. He had a large family to support – six children aged 10 and under. Another son was born before they left Gloucester. By 1881 they were in Swindon living at 27 Princes Street, 4 more children and their family was complete. Where did they all sleep – those houses weren’t very big.

Thomas & Ann raised 10 of their 11 children – set them up in good jobs, their youngest became a school teacher. Not bad for a Dabchick, Thomas would no doubt reflect.

And at the end there was sadness, but isn’t there always? At his funeral the hymn “Now the labourer’s task is o’er” was sung.

Died in his Chair

Swindon Railway Veteran Passes Away

The remains of the late Mr Thomas Sawyer, who was one of the oldest inhabitants of Swindon and a railway veteran, were laid to rest in the Cemetery on Monday afternoon. The funeral was largely attended by railwaymen, amongst whom were many “old hands” and intimate friends of the deceased. From the residence, 48, Princes Street, the cortege proceeded to the Sanford Street Congregational Chapel, where a service was conducted by the Rev. J.H. Gavin, who also officiated at the graveside. At the chapel service the well known hymn, “Now the labourer’s task is o’er” was feelingly sung, and the organist subsequently played the Dead March in “Saul.” Six railway employes, in uniform, acted as pall-bearers.

Mrs Sawyer and family wish to thank all kind friends for their kindness and sympathy in their sad bereavement.

The deceased, who was in his 79^th year, was a native of Aldbourne. He entered the service of the GWR Company at the age of 17 years, when he joined the Goods Shed staff at Paddington. After serving there for some time he was transferred to Gloucester, and later to Swindon, where he worked himself up to the position of Chief Goods Inspector. He retired from the Company’s service 13 years ago. While at Paddington he was married, and his golden wedding was celebrated three years ago. There were several children of the marriage. Mr. Sawyer never had a serious illness, but the illness of his wife and the death of one of his daughters, which took place in October last, affected his health. He got up as usual at an early hour on Friday, when he expressed his intention of going to sit with his wife, who was dangerously ill. This he did, but at 8.30 a.m. he was found dead in his chair. Deep sympathy is felt for the family in their bereavement.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Smith & Son, of Gordon Road.

Extracts from the North Wilts Herald, Friday, June 6, 1913.

Princes Street changed little between 1913 and 1965. Image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Thomas Sawyer died aged 79 years at his home, 48 Princes Street. He was buried on June 2, 1913 in grave plot E7309. Ann died a month later. She was buried with her husband on July 12, 1913.

Minnie Price – Thanks for everything

Minnie Price could so easily have slipped out of the pages of history. As a single woman she left no children to tell her story, but she did leave someone who remembered her with affection and made sure the world knew of their gratitude.

In loving memory of

Minnie Price

who died 7th March 1959 aged 91

God Bless You

Thanks for everything

Minnie was born on July 19, 1867 the daughter of John Price, a pudler in the GWR Rail Mills, and his wife Mary. By 1881 13 year old Minnie was out at work, employed by James Chisholm Wilson, a grocer with premises at 72 Regent Street. James’s wife Jane had recently given birth and young Minnie was employed as a nurse to care for both mother and child.

Minnie continued to live a life in service and in 1911 she was working as a housekeeper and recorded as a visitor at Richard Smith’s home in Didcot. Visiting with her was 10 year old Clifford Eugene Price. Clifford was born on November 19, 1900. He can be found on the 1901 census living in Barry – the 5 month old son of Arthur Price and his wife Jane. Arthur Price was Minnie’s elder brother.

The 1911 census finds Arthur back in Swindon and living with his father at 68 Curtis Street. Widower John Price is 82 years of age, a retired labourer who has several boarders living with him. Arthur is 49 years of age, also a widower and in 1911 has no job. He died in 1926 but cannot be found in the Radnor Street Cemetery burial registers.

In 1915 Clifford Eugene Price is also living in Swindon when he began work as a Machine Boy in the GWR Works Loco factory. By 1917 he was working as an engine cleaner and in 1918 he was a fireman, well on his way to becoming a loco driver. From July to September 1938 he was employed as ‘acting driver.’ At the time of the 1939 census he was living at 68 Curtis Street with Minnie and he states that he was working as a Loco Engine Driver. But by 1946 his mental health had taken a downward turn. His employment records reveal that at his regular annual medical examinations he suffered from ‘neurosis’, ‘nervousness’ and ‘nervous exhaustion’.

Clifford lived with Minnie for most of his life and I feel sure that he was the person who chose those words on her gravestone.

God Bless You

Thanks for everything

Minnie died at her home 48 Euclid Street and was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery on March 11, 1959. She shares this plot with her mother Mary, who died in 1900 and her father John, who died in 1920.

Clifford died at 48 Euclid Street on July 21, 1972. He is not buried in Radnor Street Cemetery.

This gravestone, recently cleared by one of our cemetery volunteers, has saved the story of both Minnie Price and her nephew Clifford.

Our cemetery volunteer has returned and completed the clear up of Minnie Price’s grave.

George Richman Alley and his family

And just when I thought I’d seen all the Alley family photos, along came two more.

George Richman Alley was born in Trowbridge in 1841, the son of Job Alley, a dyer. He moved to Southampton in around 1860 where he worked as a Coach Body Maker and in 1865 he married Emma Jane Ross, the daughter of a mariner. By 1881 they had moved to Swindon where George worked as a wheelwright body maker in the GWR Works. The couple lived first at 3 Carfax Street and then at 8 Merton Street where George died in 1925. Emma survived him by seven years.

George and Emma had one son, George pictured in the back row of this photograph, and seven daughters. Four of the daughters lived into their 90s and one reached her 100th birthday. Only one of the daughters left the Swindon area, of the other six, four went into business in the town.

Eldest daughter Emma trained in London as a ladies tailor before her marriage to Walter Lloyd Hull, a Bournemouth shopkeeper.

Following her husband’s death in 1947 Emma returned to live in Swindon. Then in her 80s she became a member of the Swindon Business and Professional Women’s Club and was active in many other organisations in the town, including the Richard Jefferies Society and the WEA.

In 1954 Emma gave a talk to the Women’s Club about her involvement with the suffrage campaign. when she had been an active member of the Women’s Freedom League and was arrested on several occasions and imprisoned. At these talks she was said to have worn a badge carrying an engraving of Holloway prison pinned to her dress. Other suffragette souvenirs she had were a cocoa mug and a salt pot smuggled out of Holloway and a Votes for Women banner.

Second daughter Maud, a dressmaker and upholsterer, married Henry John Lewis, a bootmaker and moved to Chippenham. Third daughter Mabel held the role of Postmistress at Westcott Place for more than 50 years and on the New Year’s Honours List of 1960 she was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of her service to the community.

Fourth daughter Amelia Ann, the only daughter to never marry had a milliners business at No. 90 Victoria Road which she ran with her sister Ethel (sixth daughter) until she married Wilfrid Hewer and together they ran the Oddfellows Arms in Cricklade Street. Fifth daughter Flora became a teacher. She married William Harold Hall and lived at 42 County Road.

Youngest daughter Eva pictured standing between her parents, married George Babington on March 1, 1911 at the Baptist Tabernacle. Eva and George ran a draper’s shop at 92 Victoria Road, next door to her sister Amelia’s millinery shop.

The following photograph was published following the death of George in 1925.

In reference to the death of Mr George Alley, of Swindon, the above photograph of members of the family is of interest from the fact that all were over 80 years of age. Left to right: Mr George Alley (85), Anna Alley (86), Louisa Alley (82), Martha Blatcher (84), and Fred Alley (80). Of the present living members the Misses Anna and Louisa Alley live at The Halve, Trowbridge, and Mr Fred Alley at 8 Merton Street, Swindon.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, December 4, 1925.

And so perhaps the reporter from the North Wilts Herald got a fact or two incorrect. With an exuberant and irrepressible family such as the Alley’s it’s easy to get confused.

The Late Mr G. Alley

A Well-Known Resident of Swindon

By the death of Mr George Richman Alley, of Merton Street, Swindon has lost one of its best-known residents. Deceased, who was 84, came to Swindon from Salisbury 51 years ago, when he entered the service of the Great Western in the Carriage Department. For nearly 25 years he was in charge of the road wagon department and he relinquished his position as foreman 18 years ago, when he entered upon a well-earned period of retirement. Had Mr Alley lived until Christmas he and his wife would have celebrated their diamond wedding, and a pathetic feature of his demise is that one of his daughters was at home at the time making preparations for the celebrations. Deceased leaves seven daughters, five of whom reside in Swindon, one in Bournemouth and one in Chippenham. His only son is a retired naval engineer, and lives in Suffolk. Deceased’s only brother, Mr Fred Alley, who is 80 years old, is the secretary of the GWR Retired Workmen’s Association. He celebrated his diamond wedding 12 months ago.

The funeral took place on Tuesday, a short service being previously held at the house. The coffin was followed to the graveside by deceased’s only son, his six sons-in-law, representatives of the Foreman’s Association and the Baptist Tabernacle.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, December 4, 1925.

George Richman Alley died aged 84 years at his home 8 Merton Street. His funeral took place in Radnor Street Cemetery on December 1, 1925. He was buried in grave plot D31A. Emma Jane Alley died aged 87 at 12 Park Lane and was buried with her husband on October 29, 1932.

My thanks, as always, to the lovely Alley ladies Di, Kay, Wendy and Christine for sharing their information and their photographs.

Granville Street and the Watkins family

I’ve spent a couple of hours browsing the Local Studies flickr site, looking at photos of Swindon during the 1970s and 80s. This was a period when the town centre, still largely Victorian in design and layout, was modernised. Rows of red brick terrace houses came down as multi storey office blocks (now themselves out of date and unfit for purpose) went up. Granville and Morley streets were two victims, most of the properties sacrificed to create – a car park.

In 1891 our own home grown Liberal MP, Levi Lapper Morse, financed the construction of two town centre streets, which he named after Earl Granville, Liberal politician and former Foreign Secretary and Viscount John Morley, Liberal MP for Newcastle upon Tyne.

In 1901 Charles Watkins, a blacksmith, was living at No 19 Granville Street with his wife Margaret and their son Charles 27, also a blacksmith. Charles Watkins senior died in 1907 but Margaret was still living at number 19 Granville Street in 1911 with her son Charles. Living with her were her three grandsons, Thomas 18 an apprentice blacksmith in the GWR Works, George 16, an apprentice shoeing smith and 11 year old schoolboy Archibald, the children of her son Thomas. The grandsons were living with Margaret following the death of their mother Blanche Louisa Watkins that same year.

Margaret and her younger sister Fanny spent their early childhood in Loughborough Street, Kennington, pretty close to where I spent mine in Brixton. Margaret would remain living at 19 Granville Street until her death in 1923. She chose a perfect place to rest for all eternity.

Charles Watkins senior died in 1907 aged 71 years and was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery in plot B2618. Buried with him are his wife Margaret and their daughter-in-law Blanche who died in 1911. George Sydney Watkins, Charles and Margaret’s second son, was buried with them on November 2, 1936 and their youngest son, Charles John following his death in November 1943.

You can’t help but wonder what the Watkins family would make of the 20th century improvements to our town – or the 21st century ones either, come to that!