Swindon in the Past Lane

Helen Shapiro knew a thing or two about walking. Today I joined Andy Binks from the Swindon Society as he led a group from the Swindon Health Walks on a guided tour of the Railway Village. The Walking for Health initiative aims to improve your general well being; help reduce your risk of developing serious health conditions; lift your mood and introduce you to new people. Andy and I had a great time and here are the photographs to prove it. Andy assembles the troops Walking along the backsies - or what do you call them? In Reading Street Andy tells the story of a serious case of overcrowding The Mechanics' Institute Bristol Street St Mark's Church The GWR Park Park House Taunton Street and the home of Jim Hurst, king of all engine drivers the old Medical Fund Hospital Milton Road Baths and the Medical Fund Hospital provided a blue print for Aneurin Bevan's National Health Serv...

Today in the East End of London a group of dedicated people are trying to save the Smithfield General Market Hall - 'Behold the winged lion on the Holborn Viaduct looking down protectively upon the Smithfield General Market,' writes the Gentle Author on www.spitalfieldslife.com. 'as - over at the Guildhall the Public Enquiry that will decide the fate of this magnificent building designed by Horace Jones, the architect of Tower Bridge, reaches the end of its second week.' Read more about this threatened building by clicking the link - now read about Swindon's former market buildings, which sadly have also been lost. In the 1840s Old Swindon had a thriving shopping centre.  Blacksmiths, butchers and brewers rubbed shoulders alongside the Strange family's drapers store in the High Street and Sadler Bristow's ironmongers in Wood Street. But in the developing settlement at the bottom of the hill facilities for the early settlers in New Swindon were d...

So you've looked at all the photographs, talked to Aunt Bertha and you now know that great-granddad was born in the railway village, the next step is the census returns. In 1800 Parliament passed the Census Act and the first official census of England and Wales took place on 10th March 1801 when results revealed the population stood at approximately 9 million. With the exception of 1941 a census has taken place in England and Wales every ten years since then, although those between 1801-1831 were basically just a headcount and most of the statistics were eventually destroyed. With adult ages rounded down to the nearest five years and no indication of relationship between occupants, the 1841 census can be a tricky one to navigate. However, each subsequent census contains more fascinating information. A required field to be completed in the 1851 returns was whether any of the occupants were 'blind, deaf or idiot' while in 1871 and 1881 the required information inclu...