Speaker Meeting 30th September 2024

In the pictures: Graham Carter (on the right) is with Rotarian Robin Elliott who proposed a vote of thanks to Graham for his extremely interesting talk; the cover of the book “Moonies Movers & Shakers”; a “Swindon Heritage” magazine cover; and the Blue Plaque at Edith New's birthplace.

From 2013 to 2018 Graham Carter co-produced “Swindon Heritage” a quarterly magazine bringing together local historians and writers from across Swindon and district.    “Moonies, Movers & Shakers”, a history of the charitable fraternity called the Association of Wiltshiremen in London – nicknamed The Moonies in London, is his latest book.  The inaugural dinner of this Association, an event to bring together former Swindon railwaymen who found themselves in London, was held in 1886 in Plumsted.

Graham called his talk "Swindon Connections".  It was a litany of well-known and not-so-well-known people all of whom had a connection of some sort or other to Swindon.   From Diana Dors to Desmond Morris to Johnny Morris to William Morris to Edwin James to Edith New to Ian Fleming to C.B.Collett, and so on.   Graham had many fascinating stories to tell, unfortunately there's insufficient space here to record all of them.

He began with Diana Dors.  She was born Diana Mary Fluck in 1931 at the Haven Nursing Home in Kent Road, Swindon. Her father was a clerk in the GWR works and Diana grew up at their home on Marlborough Road.  She began her schooling at Selwood House, a private school in Bath Road, but was expelled.  One of her early boyfriends was Desmond Morris.  In the late 1960's he became famous as the author of "The Naked Ape" and the presenter of the TV series adapted from the book.  At the age of 15 Diana signed a contract with the Rank Organisation and the rest is history.

Desmond Morris' great grandfather was William Morris.  Not the man associated with the Arts and Crafts movement who lived in nearby Kelmscott.  Nor was it the William Morris, the first Viscount Nuffield, who brought the Pressed Steel Factory to Swindon.  It was in fact the William Morris who founded the “Swindon Advertiser” in 1854.

Next, the musically talented James brothers, the sons of William and Mary James who raised a family of 5 sons and 2 daughters in Swindon. And while the 4 surviving sons initially followed their father into apprenticeships in the railway works, the future of 3 of them turned out quite differently.  Edwin, born in the Railway Village, became a very talented bassoonist.  He was in Henry Wood's orchestra in 1895 at the very first Proms Concert in London.  Later on he joined the London Symphony Orchestra where he met the composer Edward Elgar.  When Elgar composed "Romance" he dedicated it to "Edwin F. James".  It was a sincere gesture of appreciation to Edwin for his musical talent and contributions.

Edith Bessie New, born in Swindon in 1877, was a suffragette remembered for being one of the first to use vandalism to draw attention to the Movement.  In 1908 she famously smashed windows at number 10 Downing Street which led to her arrest and imprisonment.  Before her activism, Edith was a teacher in Swindon and London, but her dedication to the cause of women's suffrage has made her a celebrated figure.

Charles Benjamin Collett OBE, Chief Mechanical Engineer at the GWR works, was a well-respected yet modest man who designed the iconic fleet of the GWR “Castle” and “King” locomotives.  He lived an unassuming lifestyle in the Railway Village.  He was born in 1871, the son of a journalist.  His education was at the Merchant Taylors School in Charterhouse Square and the City and Guilds College in London University.  He joined the GWR in 1893 as a junior draughtsman and by 1919 he was Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer before succeeding George J. Churchward as Chief Mechanical Engineer.

His wife, Ethelwyn was the daughter of a Congregational Minister in London.  Charles and Ethelwyn were married in Bloomsbury in 1896.  The couple were very devoted and Charles was greatly affected when Ethelwyn died in 1923, the very same year that he launched the record breaking “Caerphilly Castle” locomotive.   Ethelwyn is buried in Swindon's Radnor Street Cemetery, but her famous husband lies in an unmarked grave in a cemetery in Wimbledon, sharing it with two unrelated persons.  It was his express request that his grave is unmarked. 

[Note: A little piece of Winslow history was published in a “Swindon Heritage” magazine in 2015: Send me an email if you would like a PDF copy of: "Capturing Winslow’s Mandolin" - Ken].