What impression can a 20 year old make on history? Unmarried and without children, once his parents and his sister died, who would remember Henry John Hatter. He didn’t die on a battlefield as so many young men would during two World Wars. Unless we order his death certificate we will not know what killed him.
More than 100 years after his death, we can remember him.
Henry John Hatter was born on June 4, 1884 in Swindon. His father Henry was a Sawyer and Machine Man in the Works. His mother Selina was a housewife. The following year a daughter was born. The family was complete.
Henry John began work as an office boy in the GWR Works on July 18, 1897 aged 14. Just after his birthday in June 1904 he transferred to the General Manager’s Office at Paddington. He proved to be a popular member of staff.
By special request we give a portrait of Mr. H.J. Hatter, who death occurred at the end of February. Mr Hatter, who was only 20 years of age, was a member of the staff of the General Manager’s office, having come to London from the Locomotive Engineer’s office, Swindon, as recently as July last. In this short time he had established himself a favourite with his office colleagues and with the Athletic Association, of which he was regarded as a promising member. His early death caused much sympathy and regret both at Paddington and Swindon.
Great Western Railway Magazine 1905
Henry John Hatter of 31 Granville Street died aged 20. He was buried on March 3, 1905 in grave plot E8612.
Selina Hatter died in 1915 at her home in Granville Street. Henry died a year later. They are buried with their son. Mabel Louise became a teacher. She never married. She died on March 26, 1948. Who would remember Henry John now, or her come to that. We can.
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 20th 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 15th, 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.
Radnor Street Cemetery 