During these difficult times the early residents of the Railway Village could teach us a thing or two about community spirit.
And meet his friend and workmate, Jason Johnson.
Jason Johnson
Jason died at his home 19 Gloucester Street on December 2, 1891 and left effects to the value of £404.
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I could add the stories of many more of these early residents, and perhaps I will on another virtual cemetery walk. Join me again tomorrow.
If you would like to read more about the work of these pioneering railwaymen you might like to visit Milton Road Baths and GWR Medical Fund Hospital
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And just to show you what a 'live' cemetery walk looks like, here's one we enjoyed on March 24, 2019.
Today we are visiting the graves of two early railway workers who arrived in Swindon in the 1840s.
The railway settlement at the bottom of the hill was then described as a 'pioneering town' - no shops, no schools, no health care. But the new arrivals soon started to make a difference and nearly 180 years later these people remain an inspiration.
So on our virtual cemetery walk today I would like to introduce you to Robert Laxon.
Robert Laxon
I was surprised to find these two decorative headstones when I started researching Robert Laxon and Jason Johnson, two of the early settlers in the railway village. I made the assumption that they would not have left enough money to pay for something like this. But the more I looked into their lives the more interesting I found these two men.
This is the last resting place of Robert Laxon who died at his home No 2 Faringdon Street on January 16, 1890 aged 86.
Robert was born in Lowestoft on May 10, 1804 and grew up in Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk.
By 1835 he had married his wife Maria (who is buried here with him) and the couple were living in the parish of St Pancras in London.
The couple had a large family – two sons and six daughters, the youngest three children were born in Swindon. Robert’s sons, Robert and Frederick both became coppersmiths while the girls worked as dressmakers and tailoresses. Matilda had worked as a Pupil Teacher and in the 1871 census Maria describes herself as a bookseller, but eventually they all earned their living by sewing.
The UK Railway Employment Records state that Robert’s service with the GWR began in December 1838 at Paddington where he worked as a coppersmith and that he was Foreman in K Shop of the Loco factory by June 24, 1843, the first to hold that position.
Robert held another first – in 1853 he was the first secretary of the Medical Fund.
He belonged to both the Oddfellows and the Ancient Order of Foresters, two Friendly Societies, which provided insurance, pensions and a banking service for members, so he was a careful and a canny man. When he died he left £878.
The employment records I refer to state that Robert left the GWR employment on January 16, 1890 – the date that he died. Did he continue working until his death? It is quite possible.
And meet his friend and workmate, Jason Johnson.
Jason Johnson
Here we have Robert’s colleague Jason Johnson who served alongside him on the Medical Fund Committee from 1853-1859.
Jason was a homegrown railway man, and in the early days there weren’t too many of them around.
Jason was born in nearby Baydon in 1819. Jason married Emma Adams in 1846 and by 1851 they were among the early residents to move into Taunton Street. According to the 1851 census returns Emma was 21, which would have made her just 17 when they married. You have to be a bit flexible when reading census returns – until civil registration was instated in 1837 people were not always certain of their birthdate, and of course people told fibs for all manner of reasons. A wife older than her husband might shave off a few years. A child born out of wedlock might have a year added to their age and a boy out at work might also add a year to qualify for a higher rate of pay.
Jason’s job ‘Inside’ which was the local term for the railway works, was that of blacksmith.
In 1861 the couple lived at 30 Taunton Street with their six children. Ten years later and they had moved to 27 Gloucester Street. During the intervening 10 years Emma had five more babies with one last one born in 1874.
The boys all went into the Works. Arthur and Alfred worked as blacksmiths; John and Daniel as coach body makers while Thomas worked as a railway clerk.
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| Robert Laxon |
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| Jason Johnson |
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| The following three photos are views of Taunton Street. |
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| The railway village 'backsies'. |
I could add the stories of many more of these early residents, and perhaps I will on another virtual cemetery walk. Join me again tomorrow.
If you would like to read more about the work of these pioneering railwaymen you might like to visit Milton Road Baths and GWR Medical Fund Hospital
And just to show you what a 'live' cemetery walk looks like, here's one we enjoyed on March 24, 2019.