Tag: Park Lane

Miss Blount’s tea party

The re-imagined story …

I really didn’t want to visit Miss Blount. I liked her well enough; she was a kind, patient teacher, but she was dying. We all knew it. She had been ill for a long time and this would probably be the last time anyone other than her family would be invited to visit.

As the senior pupil teacher I was selected to deliver the presents the children had produced. The infants had drawn pictures while the older children had written diary entries telling her what was happening at school. The girls in Standard IV had baked a Victoria Sandwich cake, named after the Queen who was known to have a sweet tooth. My contribution was a bunch of dahlias grown in my dad’s greenhouse.

The Blount family lived at 14 Park Lane. I expected the house to be shrouded and shuttered, the family sombre and in premature mourning, but it wasn’t like that at all. Miss Blount was sitting in the sheltered back garden where her mother served the tea. The flowers were placed in a cut glass vase and set upon the garden table while both ladies exclaimed over the lightness of the sponge cake. The younger children’s pictures caused much delight and the diary entries were pored over with great interest.

Our little tea party was so relaxed and jolly that I began to think perhaps the reports of Miss Blount’s ill health had been exaggerated. Then suddenly she was overcome by a paroxysm of coughing, and her mother rushed to her side. When eventually the attack subsided I noticed the handkerchief she held to her mouth was spotted with blood. She looked exhausted and Mrs Blount thanked me for calling, which I took to be my cue to leave.

Miss Blount was very pretty and so young, just 27, but of course as a 14 year old school girl I didn’t truly appreciate the sorrow.

There’s a beautiful monument on her grave, a floating angel, delivering her soul to heaven. When I visit my parents’ grave I take some flowers for Miss Blount. She told me she thought the dahlias were a cheerful flower, that day of the tea party.

Blount family

The facts …

Eleanor Marian Blount was born in Hereford, the eldest of William and Ann Blount’s eight children, but she was not the first to die.

William married Ann Lane on August 6, 1866 at St Peter’s, Hereford. They moved to Swindon in about 1868 where William started work as a Moulder in the railway factory. Their first home was in Havelock Street in 1869 before they moved to 43 Cheltenham Street. Their third child, Mary Emma Blount was born in Cheltenham Street but died at 8 months old. She was buried on August 22, 1871 in the churchyard at St Mark’s. In 1881 the family were living at 22 Cheltenham Street and by 1891 they were living at 14 Park Lane.

Three of their children went on to become teachers, Eleanor, Lily and Edgar. William John Lane Blount turned up in the US sometime around 1888-91. George followed his father in the Works as a Brass Finisher, but later he also emigrated to the US. Alexander (Henry) Blount worked as a mechanical engineer in the railway factory. Youngest son Frederick Walter, also worked in the railway factory as a fitter.

William died on April 27, 1913 aged 69. Ann survived him by more than twenty years. She died in 1934 aged 87. They were buried with their daughter Eleanor in a large double plot E8158/8159.

Clara Edna Susan Chappell – fallen angel

The fallen angel with her broken arm and wing would have once been a majestic memorial standing close to the cemetery chapel. Now her predicament symbolises the sorrow of this grave and those buried here.

When Clara Edna Susan Smith married Joseph Llewellyn Chappell in 1895 they had a bright future ahead of them. Joseph, who had begun work as a 15 year old clerk in the GWR in 1884 where he worked for more than ten years, had recently set up in business as a cycle agent. His business would prosper, but sadly not so his personal life.

His wife Clara died in 1908 aged just 35, leaving him a grieving husband with two young sons.

Death of Mrs J.L. Chappell – The many friends of Mr J.L. Chappell, of Fleet Street, and Fernleigh, Park Lane, Swindon, will learn with deep regret of the death, at the early age of 35 years, of Mrs Chappell, and will sympathise with the bereaved husband in the irreparable loss he has sustained. The deceased lady, Mrs Clara Edna (Dot) Chappell, was born at Wootton Bassett 35 years ago, and spent all her early life there until she was married to Mr Chappell 13 years ago. She was the daughter of the late Harry and Edna Smith, who were old and respected inhabitants of Wootton Bassett. Mrs Chappell suffered a long and painful illness, borne with great patience, and she passed peacefully away at noon on Saturday last. Deceased proved herself to be an ideal wife and mother, and was devoted to her home, her husband and her children. She leaves a sorrowing husband, and two sons to mourn her loss. The funeral will take place on Wednesday next. The cortege will leave Fernleigh at 2.45 for St Mark’s Church, and will reach the Cemetery at 3.30 p.m. Will all friends kindly accept this the only intimation.

The Evening Swindon Advertiser, Monday, September 14, 1908.

And then the following year their younger son, Leslie Cyril, died aged 4 years old. He was buried with his mother in grave plot D7A.

Joseph never remarried. At the time of the compilation of the 1939 List he had retired to Bournemouth where he lived at Rosemount, Headswell Crescent with his housekeeper, Emily Mitchell, who had worked for him since those first sad years following Clara’s death.

He died on September 9, 1942. The publication of his will revealed just how successful his business had been and his generosity and affection for Swindon.

Swindon and Bristol Bequests

Mr Joseph Llewellyn Chappell, of 17, Headswell Crescent, Bournemouth, Hants., who died on September 9 last, left £31,551 8s 9d gross, with net personalty £30,318 9s 10d (Duty paid £4,174).

He left, in addition to several personal bequests: £100 each to Swindon Victoria Hospital; Muller’s Orphanage, Bristol; RSPCA, NSPCC, St Dunstans, Baptist Tabernacle, Swindon; Wesleyan Church, Swindon; Primitive Methodist Church, Swindon; the vicar and churchwardens of Christ Church, Swindon (for charitable purposes); and to Harry Haskins, for any purpose he may think fit for City Road Church, Bristol.