What's New

Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, c.1930

Dozens of boats and punts can be seen here lining the River Thames during the Henley Royal Regatta. The race lane can be seen top right, with spectators in their boats vying for a prime viewing spot. This view downstream also shows the Henley Grandstand which became part of the Phyllis Court Members Club, and is now known as the Riverside Pavilion.

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

Female Clerks at Swindon Works, 1916

A group shot of female clerks taken in May 1916. This group are from the Accounts Office at Swindon Works and were managed by Mr Kelynack, the Clerk in Charge. Mr Kelynack went on to become Chief Clerk to the CME in 1929. The back two rows reveal a very young group of girls who do not look much older than 15 or 16 years of age. For these female and girl clerks their position had a certain status attached to it. Although they were paid a lot less than male clerks their roles were much admired and always had plenty of applicants. By 1918 the GWR were employing almost 3000 female clerks across the network.

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

No 18 Stamping Shop at Swindon Works in 1915

A view of No. 18 Stamping Shop from March 1915, showing the reverse of a stationary boiler. At the bottom left of the image are sheets of metal ready to be heated in the gas furnaces just above. Once heated, the sheet metal is removed to the steam hammers (seen here on the right) and stamped into dies to create components. Incidentally, in July 1915, the book Life in a Railway Factory was first published. It was written by Alfred Williams and was his account of life inside Swindon Works. Alfred worked as head Drop-Stamper in this shop for 20 years, until ill health forced him to leave factory life in September 1914.

© STEAM Museum of the GWR