Swindon in the Past Lane

The Local Defence Volunteers, later known as the Home Guard, was launched on May 14, 1940 in response to Germany’s invasion of the Low Countries, and within 24 hours more than a quarter of a million men had come forward to join. One such volunteer was William Arthur Townsend, the son of John, a moulder at the GWR works and his wife Elizabeth.  William, also known as Art, was born in 1903 and grew up at 280 Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill. On leaving school he followed his father ‘inside’ to begin a boilermaker’s apprenticeship.  By the time war was declared in 1939 William was married with a young family. In a collection of pocket diaries William recorded his daily routine providing a unique account of one man’s war time experience in the GWR 13 th Battalion of the Home Guard.    The official age range for Home Guard volunteers was from 17-65 but there were reports of more than just a few old soldiers joining the ranks, some in their 80s. By June 1940 more t...

W.W. Wakefield Conservative MP With the war in Europe over, Winston Churchill faced increasing pressure at home to call a General Election.   Winding up the wartime National Government he went to the country to ask the electorate to give their mandate to his Conservative Party. With the town’s newly honoured former MP, Sir Wavell Wakefield, contesting the Marylebone seat, Lieutenant Col. Alistair Gibb became the Conservative candidate in Swindon where he hoped to hold on to his predecessors 975 majority.  His adversary was Labour candidate Thomas Reid. Among the 59,898 names on the new electoral register were 4,679 service voters.  However since its compilation, hundreds of war workers billeted in the area had returned to their homes. “I regard it as the greatest compliment I have yet received that all the boo boys should have followed me here tonight,” said Col. Gibbs, addressing an eve of poll meeting held at the Drill Hall.  Meanwhile, at a Part...

A blow lamp used to remove old paintwork from dormer windows during renovation work set fire to Coleshill House in September 1952.  Within just four hours the magnificent 17th century building was reduced to a burnt out shell.  All that remained were eight huge chimneys, three of which had recently been renovated at a cost of more than £2,000. Work on Coleshill House began in 1647 when Sir George Pratt began to rebuild his property, which had been, somewhat ironically, destroyed by fire.  But it was his cousin Sir Roger, an architect of some distinction, who called in renowned royal architect Inigo Jones to cast his eye over the site. Sir Mark Pleydell recorded that Sir George’s house was “raised one storey, when Pratt and Jones arriving caused it to be pulled down and rebuilt.” Coleshill was the first house to be built for a ‘minor’ gentleman in the classical manner. The plan of the house combined convenience with advanced designs of architecture.  Innovat...