Samuel Westmacott – A Pioneer of Swindon nonconformity

Reading between the lines of this fulsome obituary Samuel Westmacott sounds a force of nature with strong opinions and not afraid to voice them. He was even temporarily expelled from the Methodist church on the issue of “original sin”…

The Late Samuel Westmacott – A Pioneer of Swindon nonconformity.- A funeral sermon in memory of the late Mr Samuel Westmacott, of New Swindon, who died on the 17^th ult., at the age of 63 years, was preached recently in the Regent Street Primitive Methodist Chapel, New Swindon, to a large congregation, by the Rev. T. Pinnock, of London

Taking for his text II. Timothy iv., verses 7 and 8, “I fought the good fight,” the rev. gentleman preached an excellent sermon, and in referring to the life of the deceased Methodist, said Mr Westmacott was converted when 19 years of age. He had lived in Swindon nearly all his life, only removing on one occasion to Purton for a short time, and had worked earnestly in the cause of Methodism.

He was a long way in advance of his time, not being prepared to adopt the theology of the Church, and consequently he and several others with him were expelled for a time, the question on which the expulsion took place being “original sin.” Deceased was a man who held very strong views, and sometimes in expressing them he unintentionally wounded the feelings of even his dearest and strongest friends. But under his rough exterior there was a warm heart, which those who knew him well at once recognised.

Mr Pinnock mentioned that he himself was the minister at Swindon when that chapel in which they were then assembled was built, and he had no hesitation in saying that had it not been for the efforts of Mr Samuel Westmacott the church would not have been built at that time. At a meeting in the year 1875, when the proposed erection of the church was discussed, the members of the committee, to the number of 24, decided to postpone the erection of the building, and they were just about to close the meeting when Mr Westmacott rose and presented the matter to them in a different light to what they had seen it before, and by the sheer force of his will converted the meeting to adopt his view of the matter, and they resolved to proceed with the building at once. And whilst the church was being built Mr Westmacott rendered great assistance, both personally, financially, by his counsel, and in every possible way.

Extracts from the Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, October 31, 1891.

Samuel Westmacott died aged 63 years at 30 Bridge Street. He was buried on September 21, 1891 in plot E8399, a grave he shares with his wife Ann who died in 1908 aged 79.

Stephen and Augusta Nicholas

Sometimes I find articles in the local newspaper which provide so much information that there is really no need to do any further research.

The North Wilts Herald published the story of their life together when Stephen and Augusta Nicholas celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary in 1931. Just four months later they published an account of Stephen’s funeral.

Married 60 years

Diamond Wedding of Mr and Mrs S. Nicholas, of Swindon

Mr and Mrs Stephen Nicholas of 106 Princes street, Swindon, celebrated their diamond wedding on Saturday. Mr Nicholas is 83 years of age and his wife 79.

Both are in fairly good health, and they enjoyed a little party of relatives who came to wish them good luck. Mr Nicholas was particularly pleased with a wedding cake which his children had made for him.

Both Mr and Mrs Nicholas were born at Nunnery, near Frome, in Somerset, and they were married at the Parish Church on 10 October, 1871. Mrs Nicholas was formerly Miss Augusta Hillier.

In those days her husband worked in the flour mills, and at the time of his marriage his wages were only 12s a week. A little more than two years after the wedding they moved to Wales, where Mr Nicholas worked for the Gloucester Wagon Repairing Company. The next move was to Bristol, and in August, 1876, he and his wife came to Swindon, where he entered the GWR Works. Here he remained for 43 years, retiring in 1919 at the age of 71 years.

Mr and Mrs Nicholas had six children, all of them born in Swindon, but only three are now alive. These are Miss Nicholas, who lives with her father and mother, Mrs J. Ruddle and Mr Bertie Charles Nicholas, who worked in the GWR factory. There are five grand-children – the children of Mrs Ruddle.

Mr Nicholas was a wood wagon builder by trade, and for 30 years he was a chargeman in the 21 Wagon Shop. His foreman was Mr Joseph Wilkinson, and his under foreman, Mr John Money, is now 86 years of age and lives close to him in Gordon Road.

Ever since they came to Swindon Mr and Mrs Nicholas have been members of the Regent street Primitive Church, which they joined when the Rev. Thomas Pinnock was the minister. Mr Nicholas is still a trustee of the church, and both he and his wife have been Sunday School teachers.

Mr and Mrs Nicholas have been the recipients of numerous presents from members of the Regent Street Primitive Methodist Church.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, October 16, 1931.

Mr S. Nicholas

Fine Tributes to a Swindon Methodist

The funeral of Mr Stephen Nicholas, of 106, Princes street, Swindon, took place on Wednesday afternoon, and was largely attended by relatives and friends and representatives of religious and other bodies with which he was associated.

Mr Nicholas, who had reached the age of 84, recently celebrated his golden [diamond] wedding. His wife has been ill for some time. They were both natives of Nunney, near Frome, Somerset. They came to Swindon in 1876, and Mr Nicholas was employed in the GWR Works for 43 years, retiring in 1919. He was a chargeman in the Wagon Shop for 30 years.

Ever since they came to Swindon, Mr and Mrs Nicholas have been members of the Regent Street Primitive Methodist Church and both were Sunday School teachers.

The first portion of the burial service was conducted at the Regent Street Church, the officiating ministers being the Revs. J. Lindsay, T. Sutcliffe and E.P. Sellars.

The interment took place in the Radnor street cemetery. The family mourners were Mr and Mrs B. Nicholas ( son and daughter in law), Mrs J. Ruddle (daughter), and Mr Ruddle, Mr L. Ruddle (grandson), Miss G. Ruddle (grand daughter), Mr J. Nicholas (brother) and Mrs Cooper.

Representatives were present from the GWR Works, from the Primitive Methodist Church, the sons of Temperance Friendly Society, and other bodies with which Mr Nicholas was associated. Amongst these were Messrs. T. Greenwood, S. Stone, A. Painter, Llewellyn, Wheeler, S. Hanks, G. Harvey, H.J. Franklin, F. Smith, F. Hoare, S. Hardy, Beasant, F. W. Vincent, W.T. Harding, G. Shell, W. King and F.W. Ludlow.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr A.E. Smith, of Gordon Road.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, February 5, 1932.

Richard James Leighfield – Master Builder

This is another magnificent pink granite memorial full of funerary iconography. The fluted pillars or columns at the top symbolise the door to heaven and the passageway to eternity. The letter L is displayed prominently passing through this entrance. The thorny acanthus leaves symbolise the prickly path of earthly life to death and eventual eternal life.

This is the last resting place of the Leighfield family. Firstly, of Elizabeth, ‘the devoted wife of Richard James Leighfield of Witney Street, Swindon who died after a long and painful illness after which she sweetly fell asleep in Jesus on February 2, 1910 aged 49 years.’ Elizabeth was buried with the couple’s second son David who had died aged just 3 weeks old in 1892.

The inscription on this memorial is the first verse of a hymn called The Christian’s Good Night – lyrics by Sarah Doudney and music by Ira D. Sankey.

Sleep on beloved sleep and take thy rest,

Lay down thy head upon thy Saviour’s breast.

We love thee well but Jesus loves thee best.

Good night, good night, good night.

Richard was born in Wootton Bassett in 1859 the son of postman James Leighfield and his wife Ann. At the age of 12 Richard was already working as a mason’s labourer, later becoming a bricklayer and by 1891 he was a Master Builder.

In 1887 he married Elizabeth Hunt and at the time of the 1891 census they were living at 83 Clifton Street with their two year old son James.

Richard built houses on Clifton Street, Whitney Street* and Ponting Street. At the turn of the century, encouraged by the growth of New Swindon, he purchased a parcel of land on the east side of Whitney Street on which he built a house known as 1 Whitney Street. Behind the house he developed office accommodation, yard, stables and a workshop from which he conducted his business. On the rest of the land he built 6 cottages which he let, principally to members of his staff. Between 1901-1916 the family firm built 39 houses at St Mary’s Grove.

Following Elizabeth’s death, Richard married Clara Williams in 1913. The couple married at the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Regent Street where they were both members. Clara was a descendant of John and Mary Pike who opened their home on Eastcott Hill for meetings during the early days of Primitive Methodism in Swindon.

The Leighfield family firm continued to be busy during the 1920s and 30s when among their projects they built the Primitive Methodist Church at The Circle, Pinehurst; Commonweal School, The Mall, Old Town; the Co-op on Groundwell Road and the Swindon Corporation Electricity Dept showrooms at Regent Circus.

Richard died at his home 109 Bath Road in 1948 aged 89. His funeral took place on April 22 when he was buried in grave plot E8440 with his first wife and son. His second wife Clara died in 1964 and was buried in the family plot.

The Leighfield business continues today at the Coped Hall Business Park in Royal Wootton Bassett.

*The spelling of Whitney/Witney Street varies.

Maurice Eatwell – well known Swindon Methodist

There can be no denying the contribution and the influence of members of the non-conformist congregations to the development and prosperity of Swindon.

The necessity for a new burial ground in Swindon in the last quarter of the 19^th century was driven by two factors. The continuing expansion of the Great Western Railway Works and the growth of the town had created a dire need for more burial space. Furthermore, the growth of non-conformity in Swindon saw a demand for a burial ground where members could bury their loved ones independent of the rites of the Church of England.

The Primitive Methodist movement began in Swindon with the establishment of ‘the Wiltshire Mission’ in 1824. The Primitive Methodists were a breakaway group from the main Methodist Church. Led by a preacher called Hugh Bourne, members stressed simplicity in their chapels and their form of worship and gave new focus to the role of lay people in their church. Among those mentioned in the Official Handbook of the Brinkworth & Swindon Centenary District Synod 1910 were the Eatwell brothers.

Maurice Eatwell was born in 1830 in Winterbourne Bassett, the second of five sons. His parents William and Mary both worked as agricultural labours, as did all five boys.

Maurice married Ameilia Hibberd in Melksham in 1851 and the couple had six daughters (Emily born in 1859 died in 1860). By 1871 the family had moved to Swindon and were living at 20 Havelock Street. In 1881 Maurice, Amelia and their two youngest daughters were living at 12 Brunel Street where Maurice, then aged 50, is described as Railway Labourer Prim[itive] Methodist Local Preacher.

The couple’s home at the time of the 1901 census was 7 Ashford Terrace where they lived with their married daughter Elizabeth, her husband James Hart and their 6 year old granddaughter Madeline Hart.

The Radnor Street Cemetery burial registers record that Maurice Eatwell Retired Insurance Agent aged 74 years living at 79 Ashford Road, was buried on October 8, 1904 in grave plot D26, a public grave. He is buried with his wife Amelia who died in 1906.

Death of Mr Maurice Eatwell

A well known Swindon Methodist

On Tuesday last, after a long and painful illness, Mr Maurice Eatwell, of 79 Ashford Road, Swindon, quietly passed to his rest. Until a few years ago, when he had a physical breakdown, his life had been a strenuous one. Although denied even the rudiments of an education during his boyhood, yet later he succeeded in acquiring sufficient information to qualify him for much acceptable service in the Primitive Methodist Church, of which he was for 56 years an enthusiastic member and official.

He was also greatly interested in politics, and for many years gave much time to canvassing, and in various ways sought the promulgation of the principles of Liberalism.

Mr Eatwell was born on May 3, 1830, at Winterbourne Bassett. At the age of 18 years he was converted, and soon after authorised to accompany Mr George James to his preaching appointments. In 1851 Mr Eatwell married Amelia Hibberd, who survives him. After a residence of eight years at Clack, he removed to Swindon, where he remained until his death.

He has represented the Brinkworth District of Primitive Methodist Churches in the annual Conference once, and his Circuit in the District Assembly three times. He has also filled the office of Circuit Steward, [succeeding Charles Morse, head of the influential Primitive Methodist Morse family] and has been a class leader for more than 50 years.

Mr and Mrs Eatwell celebrated their golden wedding three years ago.

The interment takes place at the Swindon Cemetery to-morrow (Saturday) at 2.30 p.m.

Swindon Advertiser, Friday, October 7, 1904.

George Stanley Morse – a life cut short

The re-imagined story …

They are bringing him home tomorrow.

The grand entrance hall at The Croft is made ready with vases of white roses and arum lilies on every polished surface. The sweet scent of jasmine drifts in through the open window. His coffin will stand here until the funeral on Saturday. Friends and family are expected to call and pay their last respects.

lilies and roses

I would like to keep a vigil throughout the night. I don’t want him to lie here alone. I would like to sit next to him, rest my hand upon the coffin, speak to him. But this would not be allowed.

I would like to bear the weight of him on my shoulders as his body is borne to the graveside. I would throw myself into the open grave and lie with him through eternity. No one knows the depth of my love for him. No one knows my sorrow, there are others who have more right to mourn than I, my loss is of little consequence.

We had no future, we had no past. I loved him in silence and in secret. There is no one I can confide in, no one I can tell how much I loved him, how much I miss him, how it will always be so.

They are bringing him home tomorrow.

jasmine

The facts …

George Stanley Morse was born in Stratton St Margaret in 1880, the third child and second son of Levi Lapper Morse and his wife Winifred. In 1891 the growing Morse family lived at Granville House, Bath Road but by 1901 they had moved to The Croft, a property set in more than four acres of land with a paddock, fountain and a tennis lawn. The grounds also contained flowerbeds and terraces with ornamental trees. The magnificent house was approached by a lengthy carriage way and opened on to a spacious, domed hall.

In 1906 George Stanley Morse MRCS LRCP was house surgeon at the Metropolitan Hospital.

Inquest

A Fatal Scratch – Young Surgeon’s Sad Fate

Dr Wynn Westcott held an inquiry this week at Hackney respecting the death of George Stanley Morse, aged twenty-six, house surgeon at the Metropolitan Hospital.

Mr Levi Morse of The Croft, Swindon, MP for the Southern Division of Wilts identified the body as that of his son. He was a healthy young man, and had been at the Metropolitan Hospital about nine months. Witness heard that he had poisoned his finger while making a post mortem examination, and while he lay ill in the hospital he told witness that the affair was purely accidental.

Dr Harry Overy, pathologist at the Metropolitan Hospital, deposed that the deceased gentleman assisted at a post mortem examination on the body of a child who had died from meningitis following ear disease. He had the misfortune to prick one of his fingers, and subsequently he had a fit of shivering, and became ill. Witness saw him on the following day, and found him with a high temperature, shivering, and with some tenderness of the finger. The glands of the shoulder were also tender.

Beyond Help

He was also seen by Dr Langdon Brown and Mr Gask, a consulting surgeon, and some small operation was performed on the finger. ‘In spite of all that could be done, the temperature kept up almost to the end. Death was due to septicaemia, resulting from the prick of the finger.

The coroner remarked that Dr Morse was held in great respect as a rising young practitioner. The case showed the dangers to which the doctors were exposed.

A Juror: Would it not be reasonable to anticipate awkward results from pricking the finger, and to take steps to render it harmless if possible?

Dr Overy: Mr Morse washed his finger and took the ordinary precautions, immediately after the accident.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death and expressed their sympathy with the father.

Herald Saturday June 16, 1906.

Funeral of Dr Stanley Morse

The funeral of Dr Stanley Morse, second son of Mr L.L. Morse MP for South Wiltshire, whose death under sad circumstances was reported in our last issue, took place at Swindon Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. The coffin containing the remains of the deceased was conveyed by train to Swindon on the previous Thursday and rested at The Croft until the time of the funeral. The coffin, which was of panelled oak with massive silver-plated furniture, bore the inscription:-

George Stanley Morse MRCS LRCP Died 12^th June, 1906 Aged 26 years

At the foot of the coffin were engraved the words “At Rest.” The first part of the service was held at the Regent Street Primitive Methodist Church, the service being conducted by the Rev W.J.T. Scruby assisted by the Rev George Hunter. After the opening passages of the burial service had been read the hymn “Rock of Ages” was sung, and then the Rev George Hunter read the 90^th Psalm. The second hymn was “Oh God, our help in ages past,” and the first part of the service closed with prayer. The congregation stood as the assistant organist, Mr Arthur Barrett, played the “Dead March” in Saul. The concluding portion of the service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev W.J.T. Scruby, in the presence of a very large number of mourners.

A large number of beautiful wreaths and crosses were sent, including tributes from the Residents of the Metropolitan Hospital and Mr Harry Overy; the Medical and Surgical Staff of the Metropolitan Hospital; the Nurses; the Committee, Metropolitan Hospital; the Matron and the Sisters, Metropolitan Hospital; and the Junior Staff and Students of St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

Extracts from The Salisbury and Winchester Journal and General Advertiser published Saturday, June 23, 1906.

George Stanley Morse is buried alone in a double plot E8181/2 in Radnor Street Cemetery. A note in the burial register states “one grave in 2 spaces.” The memorial is a broken column, symbolic of a life cut short.

George Stanley Morse (5)

George Stanley Morse (4)