Fred and Mary Winchcombe

This is the last resting place of Fred and Mary Winchcombe who married in 1911 and had a family of six sons and two daughters. Mary died in 1951 and Fred in 1964.

Several years ago their granddaughter, Mary, joined us on one of our walks and kindly sent me the following information about her grandparents.

Fred Winchcombe worked in the GWR and walked in from Chiseldon each day. He and the men he walked in with had the habit of taking a quick pint in the Patriots Arms on the way in, and one day he met up with recruitment men from Kings Troop.

Grandad took the King’s Shilling and joined Kings Troop and was posted to Ireland. He was stationed just outside of Kilkenny and the only watering hole deemed safe for the troops to drink in (he was CofE) was Mastersons Hotel in Kilkenny High Street. This was owned by Mary Morrisey’s uncle, and she worked there. Mary was Roman Catholic.

They met, fell in love and Fred asked her to marry him. Her family were not opposed as long as Fred changed religion. He did, they were married in Holy Rood Church, Swindon.

They started married life in Chiseldon, but as Mary insisted on walking into Swindon every day for Mass, Fred moved them to 10 Union Street, Old Town where they raised their children in a two up two down terraced house with outside toilet and no bathroom.

Mary very much wanted to go back to Ireland to see her own parents and siblings, but both parents died before they ever managed to save enough money for her fare.

Toxopholite – a most unusual name

If you’ve ever thought Victorian names were boring, all those William and Mary Ann’s, think again. Meet Toxopholite John Douglas Cooke.

Was he the first Toxopholite in the family? Did he pass the name on to subsequent generations? And what did they call him for short?

“Come in Toxopholite, your tea’s ready” is a bit of a mouthful to shout down the street.

Toxopholite and Amy Cooke

The man with such an unusual name had a complicated family background. Family historians suspect he was born illegitimately and that he amplified his details with an elaborate backstory – he would later declare that he was born in India on September 23, 1861.

He was baptised Toxophilite John Penery at St Andrew’s Church, Plymouth on January 4, 1860 when his birthdate was given as September 23, 1859 and his parents named as Edwin and Mary Jane Penery. His mother later married William Butterworth Cooke, an officer in the Royal Artillery, in Plymouth in 1867. Perhaps Toxopholite was never told the truth about his birth and was supplied with this story by his mother.

Toxopholite married Amy Kate Lavallin in 1883 and entered the employment of the GWR as a clerk the following year. By 1891 the family had moved to Swindon where they lived at 28 Havelock Street. They later moved to a house in Maidstone Road and by 1911 they were living at 13 Kent Road. The couple had five children, according to the details they submitted at the time of the 1911 census.

Toxopholite’s last home was 133 Kingshill Road where he died on February 22, 1940. He was buried in grave plot C1042.

The meaning of the name Toxopholite (or Toxophilite) is a student or lover of archery. It is derived from ‘Toxophilus – the schole or partitions of shooting’ a book about longbow archery dedicated to Henry VIII and written by Roger Ascham, a 16^th century scholar and tutor to Elizabeth I.

Many thanks to Diana for her help.

Cecil Arthur Lang and his family

February 1915 – Coach bodymaker Francis Richard Lang had two sons serving in the war and he was sick with worry. At work his foreman showed him a letter he had received from his son at the front; all was well with him. But this good news was of no consolation to Francis. The distraught father left for work as normal that final day but was not seen again until his body was found at Coate Water. He had taken his own life. A razor and empty case and a pocket knife were found in his clothes.

And so, Mercy, his wife, was left alone to worry about her boys until the inevitable happened.

Cecil Arthur Lang was born on March 19, 1882 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Dalston, East London, one of 11 children born to Francis Richard and Mercy Caroline Lang. By 1892 the family had moved to Swindon and in 1911 the census of that year states that along with their father, five sons worked in the railway factory. Eldest son, also named Francis Richard, was a Railway Coach Bodymaker, Leonard, Arthur and Walter were Carriage Fitters & Turners while Cecil, aged 21, was a Coach Bodymaker. The census reveals that of Francis and Mercy’s 11 children, 3 had already died. A heavy loss for parents and one that was going to increase.

Cecil Lang 26, was killed in action on June 16, 1915. He is remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres. On his parents’ memorial in Radnor Street Cemetery, he is reported as ‘missing’. Some families could never accept that their loved ones had been killed, but continued to hope they might be found and eventually return home.

On our recent guided walk, cemetery volunteer Jon explained that in addition to the official Commonwealth War Graves, the volunteers also tend to family graves that include an inscription to a fallen serviceman. It may not be possible to restore this monument with its tall standing stone cross, but the volunteers will maintain the grave.

Mercy died on May 19, 1927 and is buried here with her husband in grave plot B3293.

We will remember them.

#TellThemofUs #MarkSutton

The Amazing Record Breaking Inspector William Greenaway

Continuing the story of the extraordinary William Greenaway …

William Greenaway

Yesterday I wrote about William Greenaway who received the Royal Victorian Medal, which he is seen wearing in this photograph.

Now read about his role in the record breaking train journey when the Prince and Princess of Wales traveled on ‘The City of Bath’ loco.

The Royal Visit

Prince and Princess of Wales in the West

A Record Run

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales accompanied by his Royal Consort, arrived at Paddington yesterday morning to entrain for Cornwall, in order to attend the ceremony of dedicating the new Nave of Truro Cathedral. Their Royal Highnesses were attended by Lady Lygon, Sir Arthur Bigge, the Hon. Derek Keppel, and Captain Godfrey Faussett. The train with the Royal party left Paddington precisely at 10.40 a.m. Instructions had been given to keep the line clear for a run to Plymouth without a stop – a distance of 246 miles 5 furlongs.

The Royal train was due, according to the arranged table, to pass Exeter at 2.5 p.m., and just before two o’clock several persons proceeded to St David’s Station with the object of catching a glimpse of the Royal Party. Many, however, arrived too late. The train had favourable weather, and made an unexpectedly rapid run, passing the middle signal box at St David’s at 1.33, exactly 32 minutes ahead of her time.

At Exeter.

About a hundred people had assembled on the station. Of course, there was no opportunity for demonstration, as the train passed through at the rate of about twenty miles an hour. Inspector Greenaway was noticed to be on the engine, which is one of the latest turned out from the Swindon works. She is one of the largest types, having 6ft. 8in. three coupled wheels, and is named “The City of Bath.” Around the funnel she bore the Prince of Wales feathers. Behind the engine was a saloon, then a composite carriage. Next came the Royal saloon carriage, followed by a compo and a brake coach.

The journey is a remarkable one, and establishes, we believe, the long distance record not only for the United Kingdom, but for the world. The train started from Paddington at 10.40 a.m. and reached Exeter, a distance of 194 miles, at 1.33 p.m.: that is to say, she covered the distance in 2 hrs. and 53 minutes or at an average speed of 67 miles an hour.

On the whole, the line is good between London and Taunton, there being a falling gradient for almost the whole distance. The tender of the engine carried about five tons of coal, and water was scooped up from the troughs near Goring and also near Bristol.

In the run to Chippenham the train made a gain of 16 minutes, and, despite the rising gradient from Taunton to Wellington, managed to increase this advantage on the arranged time to 32 minutes by the time Exeter was reached. She gained 21 minutes in the run from London to Bristol, and 15 minutes from Bristol to Exeter.

This, of course, constitutes a record run from London to Exeter, the previous best performance being by the London and South Western’s 11 o’clock express from Waterloo which does the journey in 3¼ hours, beating the Great Western’s first “Cornishman,” which has been put on occasionally to meet heavy traffic, and which is to run permanently from the 18^th of this month, by fifteen minutes. The L. and S.W. route is, it must be remembered, shorter by about 25 miles.

The Royal train yesterday knocked off 37 minutes from the “Cornishman’s” time, and beat the L. and S. Western’s fastest express by 22 minutes. She overtook the 9 a.m. express, which, however, arrived at S David’s at 1.54, only four minutes late.

From Exeter to Newton.

Continuing her journey, the Royal train reached Newton Abbot from Exeter in 22 minutes, despite the fact that twice she had to slow down to take up the staff. From Newton Abbot to Plymouth the road becomes rough. The gradients are numerous and stiff, and form a kind of switchback railway. But the train continued to gain time, Plymouth being reached at 2.34. The journey therefore, of 246 miles 5 furlongs was covered in 3 hours and 54 minutes, or an average speed of a fraction over 62 miles an hour. When allowance is made for the fact that in climbing steep banks and in passing through big stations, and in taking in staffs, the pace has to be reduced to about 20 miles an hour, it is evident that on some favourable sections of the line a terrific speed must have been registered, somewhere at least from between 70 and 80 miles an hour. It is probable that the latter speed was exceeded between Whiteball tunnel and Exeter.

The Great Western, however, are not, we understand, likely to run a regular train from Paddington to Exeter in 2 hours 53 minutes. They have done the journey on the present occasion to show what is possible, but they are likely to be content with their ordinary time of 3½ hours, which, after all is fast enough for the majority of people. It is true that they are 15 minutes slower than the London and South Western to Exeter, but they beat the latter on the longer journey from London to Plymouth (North-road) by just two minutes.

Following is the time table, scheduled and actual of the journey:-

Schedule Actual

Paddington 10.40 10.40

Bristol 12.04 12.25

Taunton 12.35½ 1.03

Exeter 1.01 1.33

Newton 1.21 1.56

Plymouth 3.10 2.34

Grampound Road 4.30 3.50

The distances are:- London to Bristol 118½ miles, London to Taunton 162¾ miles, London to Exeter 193½ miles, London to Plymouth 246 miles.

It is said that the fastest bit of running during the journey was down the incline from the Wellington bank to Exeter, where, it is estimated, that a rate of 85 miles an hour was attained.

At North Road

When the train drew up at North road the public attendance was small. The Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe was present accompanied by Mr H. Adye, the Superintendent of the Plymouth division of the GWR. As soon as the train came to a standstill the noble Earl entered the Royal saloon, and was received by the Prince, who presented him to the Princess. Their Royal Highnesses did not leave the carriage. The Princess was attired in a violet coloured dress. Dr. Ryle, Bishop of Winchester, joined the train at Plymouth.

During the stop at Plymouth Mr T.J. Allen, the superintendent of the line, who was in charge, entered the Royal saloon, and was assured that the journey had been covered without discomfort to their Royal Highnesses.

After the engine had been changed, the train left at 2.46 for Grampound-road. Among those on board were Mr Waister, of the locomotive department, Swindon; Mr J.V. Williams, of the timetable department; Mr W. Simpson, of the advertisement department, and Colonel the Hon. Edgcumbe, one of the Directors of the Company.

The nearest approach on the Great Western Railway to yesterday’s performance was on the occasion of the visit of HM the King to the West, when the special train took his Majesty from Millbay to London in four hours and twenty minutes.

The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived at Grampound-road Station, Cornwall, very much in advance of the scheduled time…

The Western Times Wednesday July 15^th 1903

A Unique Distinction

The brief official announcement yesterday that the King had presented the Victorian medal to Locomotive Inspector Greenaway, of the Great Western Railway, has created the liveliest interest in railway circles. So far as memory serves the distinction is unique; and if it be so, the Great Western Railway Company and all the employes on that great system have reason to plume themselves on a very gratifying event. The bestowal of knighthoods and other honours on the leading railway managers in this country is not unusual; and individual employes have received marks of Royal favour. But the conferment of the symbol of a special order on a member of the mechanical staff is a departure worthy of more than passing note.

As the railway that links the Metropolis to Windsor, one of the favourite palaces of the late Queen Victoria, the Great Western has, of course, played an unusually prominent part. The medal of which Inspector William Greenaway has been the enviable recipient is designed to recognise the services of that painstaking official. The inspector was in charge of the engine that drew her late Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee train in 1897, and he has travelled with the Royal train on every subsequent occasion, including the removal of Queen Victoria’s remains from London to Windsor. From this it is to be inferred that when Queen Victoria made her long journeys from Windsor to Balmoral the engine of the Royal train was under the sole charge of Inspector Greenaway.

Only those who know something of the elaborate nature of the preparations for the passage of a Royal train, even over a comparatively short length of railway, can realise the amount of responsibility that devolves on the officials concerned. The passage of a Royal train entails the drastic revision of time-tables, the general regulation of traffic within certain hours at certain points, the posting of extensive cordons of platelayers, the issue of special instructions to signalmen, and a thousand and one things that would never even occur to the non-technical mind.

In conferring the Victorian medal on Inspector Greenaway, King Edward has inferentially recognised all this. His Majesty, whilst honouring the individual, has honoured also the class to which he belongs. To the King and the members of the Royal Family, the railways are as essential as they are to the humblest passenger. The special Royal train is, of course, an institution by itself, but the men who take charge of it, either on its long or short journeys, are not trained specially for the purpose. They gain their experience in the service of the general public, just as the soldier who wins a commission gains his knowledge by real warfare in the ranks. It is from the common school of experience that the best men make their way, and there is something distinctly agreeable in the idea that King Edward, in the midst of the urgent pre-occupations of the Coronation year, should have bethought him of the claims of a representative of a service which is nowadays too often regarded as one of the merest commonplaces, though it is well to recollect that when Queen Victoria ascended the throne the railways of Great Britain and of the world had scarcely emerged from their rudimentary stage. Yet we find them, at the commencement of the Edwardian era, a mighty, irresistible, and indispensable force – a force that has been repeatedly recognised by the Sovereign, but never, so far as we are aware, in precisely the same way as King Edward has been graciously pleased to recognise the services of Inspector Greenaway…

Extracts from the Western Daily Press, Bristol, Tuesday, May 13, 1902.

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William Greenaway MVO

William Greenaway was one of the extraordinary, ordinary people Swindon has produced over the years.

William Greenaway was born in Purton on August 10, 1843. He entered the Great Western Railway employment as a labourer on January 7, 1860 aged 16 years old. His employment records reveal that he became a fireman on April 19, 1861, an Engineman on August 15, 1867 and an Inspector on July 8, 1889.

He married Emma Jane Ferris Shury at St Mary’s Church, Purton on July 26, 1862 and the couple had 9 children. The family lived at addresses in Purton, Swindon, Bradpole in Dorset and Bedminster, Bristol before returning to Swindon in 1891 when they lived at 37 Reading Street. By 1901 William and Emma were living at 6 Emlyn Square where Emma died in October of that year. She was buried in plot C1976 Radnor Street Cemetery on October 18. William Greenaway died at 6 Emlyn Square on February 20, 1908 aged 64 years. He was buried alongside Emma on February 23 in plot C1976.

A Swindon Railway Official Before the King

His Majesty Confers Upon Him the Royal Victoria Medal

His Majesty the King on Saturday morning conferred the Royal Victorian Medal upon Locomotive Inspector William Greenaway, of the Great Western Railway, Swindon, who was in charge of the engine working her late Majesty’s Jubilee train in 1897, and travelled with the Royal train on every subsequent occasion, including the removal of her late Majesty’s remains from London to Windsor.

The Earl Cawdor, chairman of the Great Western Railway Company, and Major W. Dean were present. The Hon. J.H. Ward, Equerry in Waiting, was also in attendance.

One of our representatives called upon Mr Greenaway this morning, and added his word of congratulation to the many others which have been extended to the recipient.

Although there is an entire absence of anything in the nature of obtrusiveness about Inspector Greenaway, he is pardonably proud of the high honour conferred upon him by the King of England. And, might we add, the pride is felt in an equal measure by all those who know him, for Swindon has reason to be gratified that one of our townsmen should be singled out for such distinction.

The ceremony at Buckingham Palace was of a very private character, and though short in duration his Majesty did not forget to refer to the great run West which he and the Queen took recently, and when Mr Greenaway stood by the driver on the footplate, safeguarding as far as it lay in his power the lives of the Royal travellers.

The Royal Victorian Medal is a small silver one, and bears the image of the late Queen, who on several occasions travelled under the guidance of Inspector Greenaway. The medal has been conferred upon the Inspector for the services he rendered at the Diamond Jubilee, and when, later, Queen Victoria’s dead body was carried to its last resting place.

Apropos this latter sad ceremony, the Directorate of the GWR presented a beautiful bronze medal to several of their officials who took part in the work of conveying the body from Paddington to Windsor, and Inspector Greenaway is the proud possessor of one of these.

Inspector Greenaway’s service dates from 1859, but it was not till the Diamond Jubilee that he was given the privilege of travelling with Royalty.

The Evening Swindon Advertiser, Monday, May 12, 1902.

Swindon – The somewhat sudden death of Inspector Greenaway on February 20^th removed from the locomotive world a most interesting personage. From his earliest childhood engines possessed an extraordinary fascination for him, and from the moment when, at the age of ten years, he was allowed to have a ride on a locomotive, his choice of a career was determined. In 1860 he entered Swindon Works and only a year later was appointed fireman. In 1867 he was promoted to the position of engineman and frequently selected for special duties appertaining to the Running Department. In 1889 he was appointed locomotive inspector, and seven years later chief locomotive inspector. One of his duties was that of examining firemen before taking charge of an engine. He was the author of a comprehensive handbook on footplate work which had a very large circulation. In January, 1901, Inspector Greenaway was presented with a bronze medal and in 1902 was brought under Royal notice and personally presented by His Majesty the King with the silver medal of the Royal Victorian Order for the able manner in which he had taken charge of the Royal journeys. In December, 1905, he was commended and awarded a gratuity for prompt action resulting in the avoidance of a collision. He was associated with several records made upon the Great Western, notably that of July 15^th, 1903, on the occasion of the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to the West of England, when a world’s record was created on the run from London to Plymouth. Inspector Greenaway’s knowledge of the duties of an engineman and the management of locomotives was of a very high order

And to the last the utmost confidence was reposed in him by his chiefs.

Great Western Railway Magazine March 1908

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The Amazing Record Breaking Inspector William Greenaway

The Palphramand family

This large family plot has many stories to tell. From Joseph Strong, a pattern maker, who moved to Swindon from Bolton in Lancashire in the 1850s to his son-in-law George Palphramand, who in retirement moved to Coventry and in death returned to Swindon to be buried with his family.

But I am beginning the story of the Strong and Palphramand’s with a family tragedy and the death of a little boy.

George Palphramand and Mary Ellen Strong married in St. Mark’s Church on April 13, 1876. Their first child Isabel was baptised on November 4, 1877 in the church where they were married. At the time of the 1881 census George and Mary were living at 24 Read Street with their three children Isabel 3, George 2 and 7½ month old baby Ernest. Mary’s brother Joseph Strong and his family lived next door at number 25. In the 1880s Read, Marlborough and Andover streets abutted the Wilts & Berks Canal.

Work began on the Wilts & Berks Canal at Semington in 1795 expressly for the transportation of Somerset coal to the towns in Wiltshire and Berkshire. However, with the completion of the Great Western Railway line from London to Bristol, trade on the canal diminished. It was closed by an act of parliament in 1914 and eventually filled in from about the 1930s. Today the short stretch of the former canal provides a route into Swindon town centre from the bottom of Kingshill.

At the inquest into the death of Ernest, a witness drew attention to the fact that there was really no fence there to keep little children from getting on the canal side, and ‘it was a great inducement for children to play there.’ Returning a verdict of accidental death the jury ‘expressed a wish that the Canal Company should endeavour to carry out such improvements to their fences that would hinder the occurrence of similar fatalities.’

Was this recommendation acted upon? Would this have been any consolation to the Palphramand family?

The Wilts & Berks canal looking east towards Marlborough Street footbridge c1914 published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Another Death From Drowning – On Tuesday afternoon, Mr Baker held an inquest at the Ship Inn, New Swindon, on the body of Ernest Strong Palphramand, aged three years and eleven months, son of George Palphramand assistant foreman in the P Shop, G.W.R. Works, of 24, Read street, who was drowned in the canal at the end of Read street, on Sunday afternoon. Mr George Thomas was foreman. The father of the deceased deposed that he last saw his son alive at about half past four o’clock on Sunday afternoon. The deceased was then playing with his brother in the backyard. The two children then went out at the back-gate, down the yard, and round by the front. The deceased went on to the path, and must then have fallen into the water. The other brother did not go on the path, but saw the deceased in the water, and gave the alarm. Witness ran up the street and jumped in, but could not find the child. His wife called the children back when they first went out of the gate, but they did not come; the elder of the children was five years old. When his older son came back from the water he seemed confused and could not tell where his brother was. No one really saw the child fall in the canal; and he must have been in the water for quite a quarter of an hour. Every effort was used to restore animation by those on the bank before the doctor arrived. Witness wished to call the attention of the jury to the bad state of the fences, and the path; there was really no fence there to keep little children from getting on the canal side, and it was a great inducement for children to play there. Henry Fraine, carpenter, of 44, Albion street, who helped to get the child out of the water, and Dr. Swinhoe also gave evidence. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, but expressed a wish that the Canal Company should endeavour to carry out such improvements to their fences that would hinder the occurrence of similar fatalities. The jury also expressed their deep sympathy with the bereaved parents.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, Saturday, July 26 1884.

Ernest Strong Palphramand was buried on July 23, 1884 in grave plot E8469. The burial registers record that he was 3 years old and that his place of death was ‘The Canal near Read Street’.

George ‘Yorky’ Bramley

In her comprehensive and readable book Swindon Works – The Legend, Rosa Matheson devotes a section to the legend that was ‘Nicknames.’

She writes:

‘The Works’ sense-of-humour is a notrious legend in its own right from its earliest times.

And it came as no surprise to me that Andy Binks, cemetery guide and fellow volunteer at Radnor Street Cemetery, had contributed a few nicknames for Rosa’s book, for example – ‘Melvyn, otherwise known as Drill Head from when a drill fell on his head and floored him!’

From ‘the Clockie’ to Big Arthur, Arthur and Little Arth, all members of the same family, none of whom were called Arthur, it would seem every man in the Works had a nickname.

This is the story of George Bramley who hailed from Yorkshire. Guess what his nickname was?

George Bramley was born in Leeds in 1831, the second child of William Bramley, a weaver, and his wife Mary. George married Margaret Dunwell in 1852 and at the time of the 1861 census he was working as a labourer in an Iron Foundry and living in Tallow Hill, Worcester. By 1871 the family had moved to Swindon and were living at 10 High Street (later named Emlyn Square) with their four children James 16, Lucy 15, Maria 8, William 3 and three boarders. They later moved to 18 Oxford Street, which would be their last home.

Death of an old GWR Servant – The death took place on Sunday last, after a short illness of Mr George Bramley, of 18, Oxford Street, New Swindon. Mr Bramley passed away in his sleep at the age of 66 years. Deceased, who was better known throughout the Works by the soubriquet of “Yorky” (from the fact that he hailed from Yorkshire), came to Swindon in 1859*, and has been employed in the GWR Works, under the late Mr. Holden, and the late Mr Edward Brittain, ever since. He was one of the first Volunteers in the town, having joined the New Swindon Corps when it was formed in 1859, and did a considerable amount of work in assisting to make the first shooting range. He had been in failing health since the death of his wife last February, but continued to go to his work regularly up to last Saturday week. Deceased leaves two sons and two daughters. The funeral will take place on Saturday next, leaving the residence at 2.45 p.m., and proceeding to St. Mark’s Church at three o’clock. Friends will please accept this intimation.

Swindon Advertiser, Wednesday, November 22, 1899.

The backsies in the Railway Village

Margaret died in February 1899 and George in November of the same year. They are buried in grave plot C98 where their daughter Maria joined them when she died in 1933.

*census returns indicate that George may have moved to Swindon later than 1859.

Charles and Millicent Blackford of Poulton Street, Gorse Hill

This is the last resting place of Charles and Millicent Blackford.

Charles Herbert Blackford was born on August 8, 1898 in Malmesbury, one of wheelwright and carpenter Daniel Blackford, and his wife Kate’s four children. Millicent was born in Polperro, Cornwall on January 5, 1897, the daughter of fisherman Richard Libby and his wife Ellen.

Charles enlisted with the Royal Naval Reserve in 1916 and served for three years during the First World War. Upon demobilisation Charles joined the GWR. Using the UK Railway Employment Records it is possible to follow Charles’ career on the railways.

He began work as an engine cleaner in January 1919 before quickly becoming a fireman. An entry dated December 14 1920 records that he was making the fire upon engine 3412 when his hand was pinned against a piece of coal. Top of middle finger on his right hand was crushed.

By 1939 Charles was working as a temporary Acting Driver at Didcot, after which he worked as a driver in Swindon. During the Second World War he was working as a temporary Relief Supervisor.

Charles married Millicent Libby in the June quarter of 1923 and the couple had two children, Vilonia and Royston. Vilonia died in infancy. Royston followed his father into the railway works as a coach finisher. Charles and Millicent lived at 23 Poulton Street, Gorse Hill until the time of Charles’ death in 1962. (Millicent may have remained at that address after his death.)

Charles died in February 1962. Millicent survived him by 25 years. She died in 1987 at the age of 91. They are buried together in grave plot C3351-0. This area of the cemetery has experienced some renumbering of the plots, but Charles and Millicent’s grave has an elegant headstone and is easy to find.

The burial of infants depended very much on the parent’s financial situation. In the past some babies were buried in a family plot, their names added to the memorial at a later date. Others were placed in a communal grave with other babies. Vilonia is buried in this beautiful little grave, close to the path leading to the cemetery chapel.

Lorna Dawes and the Pinnock family

Over the past three days I have been publishing the memories of Miss Lorna Dawes. Lorna was born on March 23, 1931, the daughter of Albert Dawes, an iron moulder, and his wife Mona Fanny Pinnock. Lorna lived in Tydeman Street all her life. I wished I had taken the opportunity to collect her memories of Gorse Hill.

Lorna’s maternal family originally came from Gloucestershire. Her grandparents, Emily Scales and Joseph Pinnock, married in St Mary’s Church, Tetbury on August 5, 1899. Joseph was a bricklayer, the son of Peter Pinnock, also a bricklayer. Emily was a dressmaker, the daughter of William and Anne Scales.

The couple began married life at 4 Haydon Terrace, Poulton Street where their first child was born. Victor Eric Pinnock was baptised at St. Barnabas Church, Gorse Hill. Their second son, Graham Joseph was baptised at St Mark’s on January 21, 1904. Mona Fanny (Lorna’s mother) was baptised at St John the Evangelist, Aylesbury Street (demolished in the 1950s). 111 Beatrice Street, Gorse Hill would be the Pinnock family home for more than 60 years.

Image of Beatrice Street taken around the time the Pinnock family moved into No. 111. Published courtesy of P.A. Williams and Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Emily Pinnock died in November 1918 and is buried in Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot C3541. In 1920 Joseph married Emily’s elder sister Mary Scales. The family continued to live at 111 Beatrice Street – Joseph, Mary, Anne Scales (Mary and Emily’s widowed mother) and the three children Victor, Graham and Mona. Anne Scales died in December 1926 and was buried with her daughter in grave plot C3541.

Joseph Pinnock died in 1959 and was buried on March 3 in grave plot C3541 with his first wife Emily and his mother-in-law. Mary Pinnock died in the Princess Margaret Hospital May 1965. She was 93 years old. Her personal estate was valued at £1,102 and probate was awarded to her two stepsons/nephews Victor and Graham. She was buried in the family plot with her husband, mother and sister. Sadly, there is no headstone to mark the spot.

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Miss Lorna Dawes and a life ‘inside.’

Lorna Dawes in her own words

Lorna Dawes – in her own words Pt 2

Lorna Dawes – in her own words Pt 3

Today’s blogpost concludes a series of articles written by Miss Lorna Dawes about her time working ‘Inside’ the GWR Works. These pieces first appeared in the Wiltshire Family History Society newsletter and are published here with the kind consent of Yvonne Neal.

In later years wages were brought from the bank by a man on an open bogie pulling two large boxes contained the cash.

I never heard an attempt to rob.

Lorna’s own sketch

The workmen queued up to be paid but the foremen were paid individually, and I used to go one week to the Loco Works, one week to the Carriage Works, accompanied by a man carrying the box of envelopes and money. We had to go to every shop office and many were upstairs above the workshop. In one workshop on the Loco side the noise almost took your breath away, and had the effect of freezing movement. So much so that you almost couldn’t put one foot in front of the other. In fact, deafness affected quite a few of the workers there. On a wet day, we hated it being the Loco side because of the oil and water hazard. This also applied to the tunnel on a wet day.

Disciplinary hearings were held with all the legal representatives and full reports. I typed some myself.

Long service awards, laid down by years: various items to choose e.g. camera, watch etc. Can’t tell you when this began, but was another of my involvements. I do know there were sometimes upsets because ‘one day out’ meant no award. Large ceremonies took place in the Training School with the Works Manager present.

There was a team of office cleaners. Many were elderly women and some came through the Works from Rodbourne. There was quite a lot of brass to clean! These cleaners did two shifts, early morning, possibly starting at 6.00 a.m., and again in the evening. Seemed a lot – 2 shifts.

There were quite a few cats in the workshops and offices. Unbelievably, a cat had a little of kittens behind a moulding box in the Foundry. The men were really concerned and told everyone to be careful. My Dad was there at the time. When the Works were closed for Trip, it wasn’t unknown for men to gain access to fee the cats.

When the library at the Mechanics closed, the books were sold off and I bought three – about Tibet and Nepal.

In my early days I travelled to work by bus and there were special buses laid on at the Works entrance.

My Dad had no ‘fixed’ bathroom at home and went to ‘the Baths’ after working in the Foundry.

In later years air conditioning fans were introduced in the Foundry but, when my Dad worked there, the only aid, especially on a hot summer’s day, was buckets of water – with something added – BRAN.

Another job I had on Welfare consisted of finding lodgings for men attending Diesel Training School in Emlyn Square. At that time Swindon didn’t have much call for accommodation, apart from hotels, but we found nice places and two were in Beatrice Street.

I guess it was turpentine in those days as we dreaded the window cleaners (rail gang) coming. The smell hung on.

A man from Bristol came to service the typewriters but we had to do our own temporary repairs. One was to tie loose ‘type’ arms with cotton and it did work until the engineer came.

Spring was heralded when an older man messenger, who travelled the Works on a bicycle (such were the distances) came to us in the offices with bunches of pussy willows picked in the concentration yard.

Workers played all sports at the GWR Sports Ground in Shrivenham Road. Teams of clerks and workers against one another. Snooker and billiards were played in the Mechanics.

Weekly repertory meetings were also held in the Mechanics. One group did long spells of different plays each week.

Other activities included:

GWR Male Voice Choir

National Savings Group – a large silver cup was fought over

First Aid Classes and competitions – all lines competed.

Arts and Crafts (Mechanics) from all over the GWR.

GWR Music Festival

Mass x-rays

Blood donations

As for stationery – masses of ‘scrap pads’ were produced and available.

Women were employed in the sewing room, laundry, canteens, casualty centres as well as clerks.

I had to accompany new entrants, and female illness cases, to Park House and ‘sat in’. I also collected water samples and remember one ‘donation’ was in a large-sized HP sauce bottle – full up!

You may also like to read:

Miss Lorna Dawes and a life ‘inside’

Lorna Dawes – in her own words

Lorna Dawes – in her own words Pt 2