Fanny Ireland Fletcher

In Britain in the 1950s, 60s and 70s young, unmarried mothers were coerced into giving up their babies for adoption, an estimated 185,000 of them. That this practise continued into the late 20^th century is now shocking and unforgiveable. Was this attitude a legacy of 19^th century social mores – all those myths about Victorian prudery and piano legs? In fact the Victorians were far more broad minded and accepting than we give them credit for.

In my work transcribing the diaries of Elliot Woolford, farmer at Hook Farm between 1899 and 1940, I have come across two examples where an illegitimate birth was no big deal, the child welcomed into the extended family.

William Woolford married Frances Ann Fletcher in the parish church at Purton in May 1849. The bride and groom signed the marriage register by making their mark, suggesting they were not proficient in writing their name. Both stated they were over the age of 21.

At the time of the 1851 census the young couple and their two year old daughter lived at a property in Poor Street, Purton. William’s occupation was given as labourer at stone quarry. Their eldest child had been born several months before the couple married. Ellen Woolford Fletcher was baptised at the church of All Saints, Lydiard Millicent on December 24, 1848, the daughter of Ann Fletcher – no father’s name was given. There is little doubt that William was her father but Ellen continued to use her mother’s maiden name. She never married and died at Hook Farm in 1904 aged 56.

William and Frances went on to have six more children, diarist Elliot George Woolford was born in 1867. The 1871 census reveals their six children (their youngest, 7th child Rowland was born in 1874) and a granddaughter Fanny Ireland Fletcher, just 5 months old. It would appear that like her mother, Ellen had produced a child out of wedlock, but unlike her mother there was no husband waiting in the wings. Fanny Ireland Fletcher was baptised in the parish of Purton on December 4, 1870, daughter of Ellen Walford [Woolford] Fletcher, single woman.

Fanny grew up in the large Woolford family and by the time of the 1881 census she was described as William and Frances’s daughter, because by then that was how she was regarded. Was she ever made aware of the circumstances of her birth? Did she know that Ellen was her mother or did she believe her to be her elder sister?

And what about Elliot who in his diaries recorded the facts of his life, work and those of the community who lived in Hook. What did he know of Fanny, four years his junior, the little sister with whom he grew up? Perhaps everyone knew the facts of Fanny’s birth and it really didn’t matter, which is how things are today.

Fanny married Edward Harry Matthews, a drilling machinist in the GWR Works, in the summer of 1898 and by 1901 they were living at 54 Exeter Street. They had two sons, Leslie and Edward.

On Friday March 10, 1911 Elliot makes his usual weekly visit to Swindon, selling eggs and butter at the market and buying his weekly provisions. He writes in his diary:

‘I went to 65 Ponting St and saw Mrs H. Matthews gave her a rabbit and some rhubarb.’

Fanny Ireland Matthews died at her home in Farnsby Street in December 1925. She was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery on December 22, in grave plot D621. Her husband Edward Harry Matthews died in December 1936 and was buried with Fanny on December 22, the anniversary of her funeral eleven years previously.

There are several volumes of Elliot Woolford’s diaries transcribed and available to read on the Friends of Lydiard Park website and I am working on a book about Elliot, Hook Farm and the parish of Lydiard Tregoze.

Gorse Hill Memorial

The following article was published in Swindon Heritage Magazine in the Summer 2015 edition. Swindon Heritage was co founded by Graham Carter, Mark Sutton and myself in 2013. During a five year period we produced 20 editions of the magazine plus a Battle of Britain 75th anniversary commemorative issue in 2015.

Sadly, Mark died in 2022, but his work to remember the Swindon men who served in the First World War continues at Radnor Street Cemetery.

A memorial to 19 Swindon men who died during the First World War might also have been lost forever – but for the diligence of Gorse Hill resident Paul Jevder.

Paul, who lives in St Paul’s Road, put out an appeal for the impressive marble memorial to be given an appropriate new home after he found it under a pile of rubbish on his property.

He had been clearing the ground in preparation for some building work when he made the discovery.

Swindon Heritage co-founder Mark Sutton was the first caller to answer Paul’s appeal, and dozens of other people also phoned, some looking for more information, but many recommending that Paul get in contact with Mark.

Within hours the memorial had been loaded into a van and moved to the chapel at Radnor Street Cemetery, which is already the home of several other memorials to the town’s war dead, including another from Gorse Hill. That one commemorates members of the working men’s club, although none of the names are duplicated.

It seems Gorse Hill folk were particularly keen to remember the area’s heroes because St Barnabas Church also has its own war memorial, made of wood, inside the church.

The newly found memorial is dedicated to the memory of former members of a ‘sabbath school’ who died in the war – and this was almost certainly attached to the former Wesleyan Chapel in Cricklade Road, because that building backs on to Paul’s property.

The chapel, along with associated land, has been earmarked for development into flats, and it is thought the memorial, which is slightly chipped but otherwise in good condition, may have become displaced during work to prepare for that.

Thanks to his extensive research into Swindon’s military history, all the names listed on the memorial are familiar to Mark Sutton, who also owns medals and photographs associated with many of them including the ‘dead man’s penny’ (officially called a memorial plaque) that was issued to the family of Walter Thatcher after his death.

Walter, who lived at 4 King Edward Terrace in Gorse Hill, joined the Wiltshire Yeomanry in 1915, aged just 18, and ended up on the Western Front.

As with most of the Yeomanry, he was absorbed into the 6^th Wiltshire Regiment, and was sadly killed on the Bapaume-Cambrai Road on March 23, 1918, during the big German offensives of that year.

He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Arras Memorial.

Two of Walter’s brothers also served.

Mark’s researches over the years also traced a photograph of another of those on the Gorse Hill memorial, Augustus Strange, who lived at 199 Cricklade Road, a stone’s throw from where the memorial was found.

Serving with the Royal Engineers, Augustus died two weeks before the end of the war, on October 29, 1918.

“It was nice to be able to tell Paul about some of the men listed,” said Mark, “including one, Sidney Curtis, who lived in the house opposite Paul’s.

“We’re really grateful to him for making sure it has been recovered and seeing it went to a proper home.

“It will now be safe at in Radnor Street, and anybody will be able to come and see it from time to time as the cemetery chapel is sometimes open for events, and during this summer is the meeting place for guided walks we are running on the second Sunday of every month.”

And Paul, who lived in Cyprus as a child and whose family are Turkish Cypriots, will have understood the relevance of a war memorial, having witnessed, at first hand, the bitter division of the island in 1974.

Swindon Heritage Summer 2015.

#TellThemofUs

Cemetery stone – an absurd monstrosity?

So, what is that stonking great big stone set beside the path leading from the Dixon Street gate to the cemetery chapel?

Some have suggested it could be a standing stone associated with ancient sites and early places of worship. This seems unlikely as the land was previously a coppice (an area of managed woodland). The remains of Swindon’s 13th century parish church still stand in the Lawn, the former home of the Goddard family.

Others have suggested the stone may stand on a ley line, connecting ancient sites of importance. Support for this theory lies in the fact that the cemetery stone is apparently in alignment with another in the former GWR Park in Faringdon Road, which is in an alignment with … ?

However, there maybe a much more prosaic geological explanation for the siting of this stone as the following articles suggest, published in the Swindon Advertiser during the construction of the cemetery in 1881.

The Cemetery .- On Tuesday evening last a meeting of the Joint Burial Board was held at the Board-room, Cricklade-street, when there were present, Messrs James Holden, in the chair, and W. Reynolds, W. Dawson, W.E. Morris, R.S. Edmonds, and C. Barker. – Mr W.H. Read, the architect, attended and explained that some considerable difficulty had been met with in draining and laying out the ground in consequence of the contractors meeting with a number of large boulder stones. Where these came in the way of the drains of course the contractors removed them, but there was the fact that others would be found all over the ground where graves would be dug, and he thought it his duty to bring the matter before the committee so that some arrangement could be made to get them removed before the turf was laid down. – The Chairman thought this would form a portion of the contract to lay out the ground, and also that it would pay the contractors to remove the stones for the value of the stone for road making purposes. – Mr Read said it would only pay them to remove the very large ones. The whereabouts of small ones could only be ascertained by pricking the ground over.- The committee decided to meet on the ground on Monday to consider this matter, and also the question of levelling, and the alteration of one of the approaches to the cemetery and the style of fence to be used at the back of Clifton-street.

The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, May 21, 1881.

Swindon Cemetery

To the Editor of the Swindon Advertiser,

Sir, – The other day I was at Swindon, and went to see what the new cemetery was like. The first thing to attract my attention was a huge stone stuck up on end by the side of one of the principal paths, and on which there had already been scratched a number of letters, inscriptions, and hieroglyphics, evidently the work of those vulgar little boys who are to be found in every community. I was anxious to obtain some reason for the erection this absurd monstrosity, which appeared to be of no other possible use than that to which it had been already applied by the aforementioned vulgar little boys, and this having given me, I beg to submit the following as a suitable inscription to be engraven on a brass plate and affixed to the stone:-

Here stands exhibited

The Taste

(which was Nasty, Rude, and without Form),

of the

Swindon Cemetery Committee,

who,

for a whim,

Consented to write themselves

Je-rusalem Ponies,

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

A Swindonian

Jerusalem pony is a slang term for a donkey

A correspondent asks for information respecting the extraordinary geological discoveries said to have been made in preparing the ground in the new cemetery, and is particularly anxious to know about the shells which are said to be found in pairs as they had never been met with before. In answer to the enquiry we would say the whole thing is nothing better than what is known as a “Mares’ nest.” The shell about which so much fuss has been made is one of the commonest found in the Swindon quarries – the trigonia, and that which has been described as shells lying side by side in pairs is simply the two halves of a ‘dead’ shell lying perfectly open and flat instead of closed as a ‘live’ shell would be at the time when it was submerged – a shell out of which some antediluvian caw had exhausted the fish in the days before Adam delved and Eve spun [span].

The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, July 16, 1881.

A “Mares’ nest” a discovery imagined to be important but proving worthless – Collin’s Dictionary.

Trigonia, genus of mollusks that first appeared during the Jurassic period, which began about 208 million years ago. – Encyclopaedia Britannica

The continuing story of James George Merricks

Sometimes I get lucky. No, honestly, I get really lucky.

Last year I came across some details concerning James George Merricks while researching the Astill family. Catch up here with the information I discovered then about James https://radnorstreetcemetery.blog/2024/06/04/james-george-merricks/

James spent some 15 years in South Africa but why had he left England and why did he eventually come back. And even more intriguing, what was the story behind his romance with Alice Healey, born in Bath in 1861, whom he married in South Africa in 1891.

I put out a general enquiry on this blog, hardly thinking anyone would reply but this week James’s great-grandson David got in touch and filled in all the blanks.

David forwarded me several family photographs including a most beautiful one of Alice Sarah Merricks nee Healey born in 1861 the daughter of Edward Healey, a wire worker, and his wife Frances who grew up at 7 Southcot Place, Bath.

David was also kind enough to send me a typed transcript of James George Merricks’ diary 1876-1896.

James Merricks was born February 24, 1860 in Chichester, Sussex. He left school in 1876 and began work as first an auctioneers clerk then later becoming apprenticed to draper Alfred Dunn of West Street, Chichester.

His apprenticeship completed in 1880 James began working for Stokes and Sons of Cheap Street, Bath which he describes as a “high class drapers etc easy berth, think I shall get on allright.”

The first mention of Alice comes in a diary entry dated June 4, 1880.

Have been impressed considerably by a young lady I met at Mr. Philpot’s and find her to be the daughter of Mr Healey, Stall Street, shall look forward to a closer acquaintance if possible.

By July 1 James writes.

Have managed to meet Miss H. several times and like her even better than I expected, suppose in my position tis foolish to look so far forward but should feel upset I am sure if I saw anyone else with her.

And after attending Mr Philpot’s New Year’s Eve party James writes: Believe Miss H. has some liking for me and I am quite sure I never knew anyone I liked as well.

However, the course of true love never did run smooth.

March 1881 and James had become disenchanted with his job in Bath. A chance meeting with Mr Burnet-Stoakes from South Africa convinced him his future lie there where he could easily earn £120 a year, a vast improvement on the £30 he was earning in Bath.

A mere three days later, his berth to Hong Kong booked, James wrote to his parents and Alice.

By this time Alice was employed as a governess working for Walter G. Cloke at Wiltshire Farm in Wokingham, Surrey where she had responsibility for his 5 school age children (and most probably the two babies in the nursery as well).

At home in Chichester for 10 days prior to his departure, James cycled across country to visit Alice before he left England.

May 9 – Slept or rather passed the night at “The Bush” and met Alice soon after sunrise for another hours talk, she was most kind and promised if I could make her a home in S. Africa she would be mine.

On May 19, 1881 James embarked for South Africa at Southampton, arriving in Cape Town on June 9.

After two low paid, short term jobs James began work for T. Copelands at £11 per month. He writes home to his parents and Alice, but she fails to reply.

James leads a busy life with work, church and an active social round. He joins the Baptist choir, the Choral Society and assists the Desalins Sisters Opera Company.

Eventually he writes on January 1, 1882 …also generally have enjoyed this Christmas and New Year day exceedingly, but although accompanied by some of the jolliest and prettiest girls have not lost my heart to any of them, cannot understand the underlying motive (if any) which prompted Alice’s letter received Oct 11^th last finally deciding that she could never leave England for me – well perhaps I may go home someday and then – but its no good guessing the future.

More than 18 months passes and James writes … as I have not heard directly from Alice since October 11^th 1882 can now decide that I must think no more of the matter.

Although, of course, we know differently!

During the intervening years James set up his own store in the area that was soon to become Johannesburg. This was probably precipitated by the opportunities presented by the Witwatersrand Gold Rush, which really got under way with the 1886 discovery of gold at Langlaagte, where it is believed the stores were situated.

After six long years the mystery is solved… my Alice was true to me after all and that her long silence was only the result of her having misunderstood my careless conduct with regard to another in her absence for my heart was not in least affected by Miss M.P. though she (the latter) might have imagined she had fascinated me, but I always took her for an accomplished flirt, however “Alls well that ends well”…

Alice arrived in South Africa on October 15, 1890. The couple signed an ante nuptial contract the following day and were married on October 17 by Landrost Von Blommestein at his house Doornfontein with a religious service at Mrs. Jones by Rev. Ecclestone. Their first son, Eric George was born on August 9, 1891, their second Edward Alfred on November 30, 1893 and a third Lionel Marten on January 7, 1896.

In 1896 the volatile political situation, the threat of war and the Jameson Raid with the subsequent commotion probably caused James to reassess the family’s situation.

Alice and their three young boys accompanied by James’s brother Alfred sailed for England on April 24. By the end of 1896 James had joined them. There were no further entries in the diary.

By the time of the 1901 census James and Alice were living at 42 St. Margarets Road, Swindon where a fourth son, John Gordon was born on June 14, 1900.

James George Merricks died aged 75 years at his home 38 Devizes Road. He was buried on April 20, 1935 in Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot E7574, joining his beloved wife Alice who died in November 1923.

published with thanks to David Merricks

Alice Sarah Merricks nee Healey

James Merricks’ store

Alice and James with one of their grandchildren

Major H.E.N. Niblett – A Fine Record of Public and Military Service

Sometimes I come across such a detailed obituary there seems little I could add to the subject’s life history. Not wishing to rewrite this fulsome account, here is the story of Major Henry Edward Newton Niblett – Mayor of Swindon 1937-38.

Death of Major H.E.N. Niblett

A Fine Record of Public and Military Service

Major H.E.N. Niblett, gallant soldier, an ex-Mayor of Swindon, friend of the poor and the blind, and lover of children, died early on Saturday at the age of 78. He had been ill for just about a month.

Though prominent in many spheres of public and social life in Swindon – and he proved his ability as a local administrator on the Town Council – he was first and last a soldier.

He disliked fuss and show, although he was a stickler for conformity to established rules and proper observance of traditional ceremonial.

He never wanted praise. He disliked it. In fact, it was his last wish that there should be no flowers, no mourning, and no paeans of praise – he knew well that they so often lack sincerity.

He leaves a widow, two sons and two daughters. The sons are Mr A.H. Niblett, who was disabled in the Great War, and Mr R.N. Niblett who lives at Stratton. The daughters are Mrs B.H. Brewer, of Stratton, and Mrs D. Tasker of Andover.

26 Years in India

Born in September, 1861, Major Niblett entered the Army when 22 years of age and remained in the service until April, 1912. During this time he spent 26 years in India and was recalled at the outbreak of war in 1914. It was on 29 May, `920, that he retired with the rank of Major.

His military life was a varied and distinctive one. He served in the Nile Expedition 1884-85 with a Camel Corps and was present at the relief of Gordon.

From 1895 to 1898 inclusive, he was on the Indian frontier and served throughout the Great War.

His honours and medals make a formidable list. They comprise the OBE (military) awarded at the end of the Great War, Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded in 1885; Egyptian medal with bars for Nile, 1884-85, Abou Klea; Indian frontier with bars for Chitral, 1895, Punjab frontier 1897-98, and Tirah.

In the Great War he saw a deal of service in Mesopotamia, where he remained from 1916-1920. His distinctions in this connection comprise two medals with Palms. He also had the Indian Coronation medal 1912, the Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and the Khedive’s Star 1884-85. On four occasions he was mentioned in despatches – once from Egypt in 1885, again from the Indian frontier in 1898, and twice during the Great War.

Masonic Honours

Equally imposing were his honours in Freemasonry and which were: P.M. Lodge, “St. John 486 E.C.,” Calcutta, 1896; D.G.S.B. Bengal, 1896, Royal Arch; P.Z. Holy Zion, Calcutta, 1898, D.G.D.C., Bengal, 1898, also member of Mark Masters and Ark Lodges; founder of first lodge in Baghdad, Iraq.

His early days were spent at Minchinhampton Common and in London. He was in Ireland on eviction and protection duty during the boycott trouble in 1882.

He was a member of the Swindon Town Council for nearly 14 years. Mayor of Swindon 1937-1938, it was during his term of office that the Duke of Gloucester opened the new Civic offices.

One of the oldest and most popular members of Ashford-road club, Major Niblett did work of immense value among the poor, the blind, and the children of the town. He took a keen interest in the hospital, the carnival, and ex-Servicemen, and was an active worked for “The Swindon Advertiser” Poor Kiddies’ Outing.

Major Niblett will be sadly missed and widespread sympathy goes out to Mrs. Niblett, who does much good work in the town, and to her family.

The Funeral

Friends, neighbours, and representatives of various local organisations, attended the funeral on Wednesday.

He was buried with military honours. His coffin, carried on a gun carriage drawn by an Army tractor, was enshrouded with the Union Jack, and bore only one floral tribute – that of a cross shaped wreath of lilies. Six Army Warrant Officers acted as bearers. The service was held at St. Saviour’s Church, Ashford-road, Swindon, and the interment was at Radnor-street Cemetery. The Rev. J.F. Tickner officiated. At the graveside, a bugler played the Last Post and Reveille.

Family mourners were: Mrs. S.J. Niblett (widow); Mr A.H. Niblett (elder son); Mr R.N. Niblett (younger son); Mrs. D. Tasker (elder daughter); Mrs. B.H. Brewer (younger daughter); Mrs N. Boulton (sister-in-law); Mr B.H. Brewer (son-in-law); Mrs R.N. Niblett (daughter-in-law); Miss J. Niblett (grandchild); Miss D. Boulton (niece).

Public Mourners

Representing the Swindon Town Council were: The Mayor (Counc. H.R. Hustings); Messrs. T.C. Newman, J. Belcher, H.H. Wheeler, F.E. Allen, T. Manning, F.E. Drinkwater, A.J. Gray, A. Snow, C. Macpherson. G.H. Hunt, L. Dodson, Mrs May George, D. Murray John (Town Clerk).

The Swindon Conservative Association were represented by: Sir Noel Arkell, and Mr. P. Smith. Representing the Swindon branch of the British Legion were: Lieut.-Col. B.L. Birley, DSO. Messrs R.W. Rice, W.H. Marshall, H.C. Preater, and Corporal Smith.

The Swindon branch of the South African War Veterans’ Association: Messrs. H. Warman, J. Stanton, G. Payton, F. Little, and P. Scott. The Old Contemptibles’ Association: Mr JA. Cresswell and E.M. Ockwell. The local Blind Association by R.L. Robins (president) and Petty Officer J. Walters, of the Royal Navy; Mr K.N. Knapp (Swindon and North Wilts Victoria Hospital); Mrs McGregor Johnson (Women’s branch of the Swindon Conservation Association).

Representing the Junior Imperial League of the Constitutional Association were Messrs. Coun. C.W.J. Streetly, W. Gregory, Mr and Mrs James, and Mr Fred Bishop. Ashford Club: Messrs G. Cottrell and A. Collins. Representing the Gloucestershire Regiment Association was Mr T. Twitchell.

The Mayoress, Mrs H.R. Hustings, and Mrs D. Murray John represented the local branch of the NSPCC.

Among numerous other mourners were: Mr C.A. Plaister, Mr H. Watkins, Mr T.J. Gay, Mr W.H. Masters, Mr H. Baker, Mr W. Clark, Mr G. Hays, Mr W.J. Mantell, Mr D.W. Jones, W. Seaward, C. Parkhouse, W.O. Lavington, F. Pointer, Sergeant-Major T.F. Culley, Mrs. A.C. Booth and Major A. Wingfield.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, 15 March, 1940.

The Sword of Damocles

At the centenary of the First World War a number of commemorative events were held at Radnor Street Cemetery. On July 1, 2016 Dr Mike Pringle kept a vigil in the cemetery chapel with an art installation he had created called The Sword of Damocles. The can ring pulls scattered on the chapel floor represent the lives lost that day in 1916.

Many words have been written about July 1, 1916, the first day of what would later be called the Battle of the Somme. As we continue to remember the fallen of that battle, I am going to let the photographs of one man’s memorial speak for itself.

Amy Edna Riddick – lifelong member of the Primitive Methodist Church

Amy Edna Riddick was a member of Primitive Methodism royalty. Born in 1852 in Stratton St Margaret, Amy was the second daughter of Charles Morse and his second wife Rebecca Lapper.

Charles Morse was a legendary figure and pioneer of Primitive Methodism in not only North Wiltshire but neighbouring Berkshire and Hampshire. He was born in Purton in 1811 and converted to Primitive Methodism as a young man. He was soon engaged in preaching at open air meetings where he was frequently arrested and escorted away in handcuffs. He became a Sunday School teacher and conducted a Bible class. He was also an organist and became both a superintendent and Circuit Steward. A local business man who ran a grocer’s and draper’s shop in the village, Charles devoted his life to the cause of Primitive Methodism, as did his family.

Amy too spent a lifetime worshipping and working for the Primitive Methodist Church, associated with the first Regent Street Church in Swindon built in 1848 (rebuilt a further two times) and then as a married woman where she worshipped at the Prospect Place Church.

As a young woman still living at home in Stratton St Margaret Amy worked as an assistant in her father’s shop, alongside her brother Levi Lapper Morse. In 1875 she married Henry Raggett, tailor and grocer and Primitive Methodist. The newly married couple lived above the family business at 29 Eastcott Hill, as Amy’s own parents had done in Stratton St. Margaret. By 1891 they were living at 35 Rolleston Street with their four children, Milinda, Beatrice, Henry and Wilfred. Living next door at No. 36 was Primitive Methodist Minister Thomas Whitehead and his family.

Sadly, the beginning of the 20th century saw three deaths in Amy’s immediate family. In 1903 her son Henry Charles Edgar died at the age of 21. The following year her husband Henry died and then in 1905 her eldest child, Milinda died aged 28.

Amy, however, continued to work at a myriad of activities within the church and was appointed the first Treasurer of the Women’s Missionary Federation formed at a meeting convened by her sister-in-law, Winifred wife of Levi Lapper Morse, on October 22, 1910. The census taken the following year records her living alone at 77 Goddard Avenue, a 58 year old widow living on ‘Private Means’.

In the March quarter 1912 Amy married again. Her second husband, Silas Riddick, was also a stalwart Primitive Methodist.

Amy died at her home on August 14, 1931. Her funeral took place at Radnor Street Cemetery on August 18 where she was buried in grave plot D158 with her first husband Henry Raggett and their two children, Henry and Milinda.

The Primitive Methodist records include numerous references to the Morse, Raggett and Riddick families. And Amy was a member of all three.

For more information about the history of Primitive Methodism visit the excellent website My Primitive Methodists.

Mrs S. Riddick

Death of a Well Known Swindon Methodist

Mrs Amy E. Riddick, of 77, Goddard Avenue, Swindon, passed away at the residence on Friday, after a long and trying illness, at the age of 79.

Mrs Riddick was the daughter of the late Mr Charles Morse, of Stratton, one of the pioneers of the Primitive Methodist Church in the district, and was the sister of the late Mr L.L. Morse, of The Croft, and of Mr E. Morse, of Blunsdon. She was twice married, her first husband being Mr. H. Raggett, who was well known in Primitive Methodist circles. He was an ardent worker in the Liberal cause, and at the time of his death was a member of the Swindon Town Council, the Wilts County Council and the Swindon and Highworth Board of Guardians. Her second husband was Mr S. Riddick, who had, previous to his second marriage, lived at Wootton Bassett. Mrs Riddick had four children by her first husband, two of whom had predeceased her. The remaining children are Mr W.L. Raggett of Bristol, and Mrs R.G. Cripps, of Swindon.

The funeral took place on Tuesday, and a service at the Prospect Place Primitive Methodist Church was conducted by the Revs. W.C. Russell and T. Sutcliffe. A large number of friends were present, Mr Arthur Button was at the organ. The Rev. W.C. Russell performed the last rites at the cemetery.

The chief mourners were Mr W.L. Raggett (son), Mrs R.G. Cripps (daughter), Mr R.G. Cripps (son-in-law), Mr Cyril Cripps (grandson), Mr W.E. Morse (nephew) Mrs W.A. Stanier and Mrs Le Sueur (nieces), Mr S. Payne (brother-in-law), Mr J. Riddick, Mr. W. Riddick, Mr F. Riddick, Mrs N. Riddick, Mrs T. Riddick, Mrs G.H. Matthews, Nurse L. Davis, and Mr W. Davis.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, August 21, 1931.

Sarah Peaple – a grand old lady

The re-imagined story …

When I was a little girl I could never understand why we had so many grandmothers in our family. The lady my cousin Joyce called Nan wasn’t my Nan and neither was the lady Mollie called Nan.

I once asked Elsie why we all had different Nans but she just smiled at me in the way adults do when children ask tiresome questions.

But we all called the same woman Granny and one thing I could understand was that she was by far the oldest lady in the whole family.

I once tried to work out how many dozens of children she must have had, not understanding that the aunts, uncles and numerous cousins who all called her Granny were sons and daughters, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, grandchildren and even great grandchildren. It was all too complicated for me to grasp.

And then suddenly, one day, she was gone. You look back and wish you’d paid more attention, listened to her stories, asked a few, sensible questions.

The facts …

Sarah Ralphs was born in Rodbourne Cheney in 1838, the daughter of agricultural labourer William Ralphs and his wife Mary Ann. At the time of the 1851 census, she was living with her parents and four siblings, Elizabeth 15, Richard 8, Rhoda 5 and two-year-old Rosanna in Haydon Wick.

Sarah married John Peaple in the church at Rodbourne Cheney in November 1862. They were both described as being of full age with John stating he was an ‘Artisan’ [a skilled manual worker or craftsman.]

Their first child, a daughter named Rosanna, was baptised on November 8, 1863. The couple were then living in Moredon and John described his occupation as Factory Operative. By the time of the 1871 census the family were living in a house close to the Independent Chapel in Rodbourne Cheney with their four young children – Rosannah 7, Esrom 5, Mary J. 3 and one-year old William.

Ten years later and the family had moved to 3 Linslade Street in Rodbourne, closer to John’s place of work in the GWR Works. The family lived here for more 20 years and it was here that they sadly lost two of their sons. William died in December 1883 aged 14 years and Charles in May 1889 aged 13.

By 1911 John and Sarah were living at 174 Redcliffe Street. John was 72 and Sarah 73 and they declared they were both Old Age Pensioners. The couple had been married for 48 years and had had 9 children, six of whom were still living. Living with them was their long-term lodger, Sidney Stapleford.

John died in 1915 when he was living at 5 Hawkins Street. His funeral took place on March 20 and he was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot A532 with the couples two young sons who had died more than 25 years earlier.

Sarah died in 1933 at 131 Kingshill Road. Her funeral took place on February 22 and she is buried with four others in Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot C1193, an unmarked public grave.

Death announcement

The oldest member of the Salvation Army in Swindon has died in the person of Mrs Sarah Peaple of 131 Kingshill Road, Swindon, at the age of 94.

Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday February 25, 1933.

Sarah Peaple was the grandmother of Elsie Morse.

She was also the great grandmother of Joyce Murgatroyd and Mollie Tanner.

Discovering Radnor Street Cemetery

Welcome to Radnor Street Cemetery – a celebration of the working-class history of our town.

The Radnor Street Cemetery burial registers along with those relating to other Swindon cemeteries, are held at the Kingsdown Crematorium and are available for consultation by appointment. The Radnor Street Cemetery burial registers are in remarkably good condition, especially considering the different places they have been stored over the years. Rumour has it that they were once left in the cemetery chapel. Thankfully they didn’t suffer the same fate as the stonemason’s records, which were used to ignite a fire some years ago.

One set of registers are compiled chronologically, the other alphabetically and you need to have the full and correct name of the person for whom you are searching and the date of their death. There is also a set of grave plot registers with details of those buried in each grave.

The style of handwriting changes over the years and can take some getting used to, although it has to be said that the earlier volumes written in copperplate are often the easiest to read.

So, whose task was it to enter the details in these large tomes? The first caretaker appointed when the cemetery opened in 1881 was Charles Brown so perhaps it was his job to fill in the paperwork. Or could it have been the job of the Clerk to the Burial Board, Mr J.C. Townsend? Unlikely, as James Copleston Townsend was a solicitor and headed a busy legal practice based at 42 Cricklade Street.

The details in the registers reveal the various funeral directors at work in Swindon and the numerous ministers who attended at the committal. And fascinating facts about long forgotten terraces of houses, the name subsequently abandoned when construction on the street was completed. So many of these town centre streets now lie beneath modern developments – for example Canal Side, Brunel Street and Cromwell Street.

1881

1897

1917

1941

1970s

Tydeman Bros and Sons Ltd.

Younger residents might not know the significance of some of the Swindon street names. If you live in Tydeman Street, Gorse Hill you might be interested in this story about the Tydeman family.

Published courtesy of Duncan and Mandy Ball

The son of a Police Sergeant, William Henry Tydeman married Sarah Anne Barnes in the parish church at Aldbourne on May 14, 1892. The couple moved to Swindon shortly afterwards and appear on the 1901 census living at 1 Edgware Road with their five young children, Elsie 7, Dorothy 6, Hilda 4, Henry 2 and 8 month old Lilian.

It was around this time that William went into partnership with his younger brother Walter and they began work on an ambitious building project in Rodbourne – nine houses in Linslade Street and eight in Jennings Street.

In 1904 the brothers advertised their business as ‘Contractors, Decorators and Undertakers at Sanford St. Swindon.’ In 1907 they built the Wesleyan Methodist Hall in Clarence Street, an iconic Swindon building, which was sadly destroyed by fire in 1977.

The business and the workforce grew following the First World War, eventually becoming Tydeman Bros. and Sons when the brothers two sons Henry and Nelson joined the firm. During the 1920s among their projects were 22 houses in Southampton Street, 19 houses in York Road and 16 houses in Iffley Road and more than 100 houses in the street that would bear their name, Tydeman Street.

In 1927 they were encouraging Swindonians to ‘Employ Your Own Townsmen – Tydeman Bros., Shopfitters, Builders & Undertakers Edgeware Rd. & Sanford St., Swindon. Inspect the Shopfront Alterations recently carried out by us at Messrs. Freeth & Son, Centre, Swindon, and the John Farmer Shoe Co., Regent Street, etc., Then send us your enquiries. Telephone 166.’

Sarah died in 1935 and was buried at Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot D1310 with her daughter Hilda who had died in 1921, aged 25 years.

1960 image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library. Tydeman Bros off Cow Lane

Tributes to Mrs W.H. Tydeman

Funeral of Swindon Builder’s Wife

Mission Stalwart

The funeral of Mrs Tydeman, wife of Mr. W.H. Tydeman, of “Wanbourne,” 5 Downs View Road, Swindon, a member of the firm of Messrs. Tydeman Bros. and Sons Ltd., builders and contractors, took place last Thursday.

Mrs Tydeman had not been in good health for some months, but was taken seriously ill a week before her death on the previous Sunday. She was 73 years of age.

Although a native of Aldbourne, Mrs Tydeman had resided in Swindon for more than 40 years, during which time she made a host of friends, particularly in her connections with the Wesleyan Church.

Foundation Member

A foundation member of the Central Mission, which she had regularly attended since its inception, she gave endless time and energy to the furthering of the several activities with which she associated herself, and the many tributes received from the worshippers at the Mission bore evidence of her great work.

In his address during the service at the Central Mission Pastor J.W. Spargo, late of Swindon, and now residing at Reading, who assisted the Rev. R.A. Rogers in the service, spoke in feeling terms of Mrs Tydeman’s faith under adversity.

Mr F. Street was at the organ, and the hymns, “Jesu, the very thought of Thee” and “For all the Saints,” were sung. The lesson was taken from Psalm xxiii and a passage from Revelations.

The interment was at Radnor Street Cemetery, the committal sentences being pronounced by Pastor Spargo.

Mrs Tydeman is survived by a widower, one son, three daughters and one adopted son. Her mother also survives her at the age of 95 years.

Extracts from the funeral report published in the North Wilts Herald, Friday, 7 June, 1935.

A Prominent Methodist

Death of Mr W.H. Tydeman

A prominent Methodist, and a founder member of the well known Swindon firm of Messrs. Tydeman Bros and Sons, Ltd. Mr William Henry Tydeman, died at his home, 5 Downs View road, Swindon, on Saturday night two days before his 72^nd birthday.

Mr Tydeman was a native of Donhead, South Wilts, his father being a sergeant in the Wilts Constabulary. He went to live at Upper Wanborough when he was about 13 years of age and was apprenticed to Mr Payne, builder of that village. On completion of his time he went to work in London. Later he spent a short period in the GWR Works and then, before branching out in business on his own account, was foreman for Mr George Whitehead, builder, of Swindon.

He and his brother, the late Mr Walter Edward Tydeman, founded the firm of Tydeman Bros. Some 40 years ago.

Built Central Mission

The firm of Tydeman Bros. built the Central Mission Hall, Clarence Street, Swindon, where Mr Tydeman was a prominent worshipper. He was a trustee of that church, and for a period of 25 years was superintendent of the Sunday school and church treasurer.

He was a keen sportsman and at one time belonged to the County Ground Bowling Club. He was also a life-long follower of Swindon Town Football Club.

Mr Tydeman, whose wife died five years ago, leaves three daughters – Mrs Ball, of 6 Cumberland Road, Mrs Austin, Bouverie Avenue, and Mrs Barrett, 48 Burford Avenue – one son, Mr W.H.T. Tydeman, who lives at 1, Edgware Road, Swindon, and an adopted son Mr Fred Vizor.

The funeral took place yesterday.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, 9 February, 1940

William Henry Tydeman was buried with his wife and daughter on February 8, 1940 in grave plot D1310.