The Armstrong Family
Joseph and Sarah's Remaining Children
Seven of Joseph and Sarah's children outlived them. There
were four boys, Thomas, John, Joseph and Irving, and three daughters, Jane,
Sarah and Dorothy.
Thomas Armstrong
The eldest son Thomas, was born at Chester in 1849, and was
a pupil at Tettenhall College, after the family had moved to Wolverhampton.
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The Early
Years of Tettenhall College |
When Thomas left school he became a pupil at
Swindon works under his father. Whilst at Swindon he became interested in
the local detachment of the Volunteers and became a lieutenant. After his
father's death he left the Railway and became a travelling salesman for a
Newcastle-on -Tyne based wire rope manufacturer. He later became a
travelling salesman for the Ebbw Vale Coal & Iron Company, and the Bessemer
Steel Company of Sheffield. He married Elizabeth Davrance of Sheffield and
their only son George was born in 1878. Thomas died at Felixtowe on 6th
February 1908. He was buried at St. Mark's Church Swindon. Many
representatives of the GWR were present at the funeral, including G. J.
Churchward and W. H. Stanier. Thomas's son George became a Major in the army
and was wounded in the Boer War. He was killed in action in the first world
war in 1915.
John Armstrong
John was Joseph and Sarah's second son, and was born at
Chester on27th August 1851. Like his elder brother he went to Tettenhall
College, where he was very successful and obtained the Mills Prize for
achievement. On leaving school in 1866, he joined his family at Swindon and
became a pupil at the works, under his father. After his father's death he
became Assistant Divisional Locomotive Superintendent, under William Dean,
in 1878. He became a well-known athlete and was champion sprinter of the
GWR. He even won a 100 yards sprint against Kibblewaite, who was the
professional 100 yards champion of England. John also played for the Swindon
Cricket Club and was captain of the Swindon Rugby Football Club for seven
years. John married Caroline James of Newlyn, Cornwall, and they had 1 son,
Ralph, in 1880, and 3 daughters, Elsie, Ruby and Enid.
In 1882 John was promoted to Divisional Locomotive
Superintendent of the Paddington Division, at Westbourne Park Locomotive
Depot. One of his duties was to look after the royal train, which was in his
care. He saw to all of the arrangements for its journeys, and on each
occasion used to travel on the footplate of the engine. John's son Ralph was
educated at the Wycliffe College, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, and in 1896
began an apprenticeship at the Westbourne Park works under his father. His
apprenticeship was finished at Swindon, and in 1902 he entered the works
drawing office.
In London, John played for the Sutherland Gardens Cricket
Club until he was 45. When he gave up cricket he founded the West Acton Lawn
Tennis club. He played doubles with his son Ralph, who was club captain,
and they won the doubles championship of the club. John was also a keen
cyclist and in 1900 he toured the west of Scotland on bicycle and came home
via the family's old home in the north east. He also became Chairman
of the Grand Council of the GWR Temperence Union, which was founded at
Paddington in 1883. In 1894 he was elected a member of the Paddington
Vestry, coming out at the top of a poll for the Harrow Road ward. He became
its first Alderman. Like his father he was a prominent Wesleyan Methodist
and was an office holder at the Sutherlands Garden Church, Paddington. He
later went to Ferndale Road Church where he founded, and became
superintendent of its Sunday school.
The family moved to Ealing, where they lived for four years,
and then to Acton. At Acton John became a senior class leader at the local
Sunday school, and wrote a book of sacred songs and hymns for the Wesleyan
Church. It was called "Rhymes and Songs", and published by Morgan & Scott,
Ltd.
Two days before his retirement he was asked to go to Windsor
by the King, who talked to him about his career, and his 50 years of service
with the railway. He retired on 30th September 1916, and a few days later
was summoned to Buckingham Palace where he was made a member of the
Victorian Order. He had a long and busy retirement. Caroline died in 1925
and John survived until 1931. He suffered from ill health during the last
three years of his life, and died in March 1931 at the age of 80. His
funeral service was held at Acton Hill Wesleyan Church, and he was buried
with Caroline at Acton Cemetery.
Ralph was eventually promoted and left Swindon to become the
Inspector of Purchased Material at Cardiff and Birmingham. In 1906 he came
to the works in Wolverhampton as Locomotive Inspector. While here he
accompanied the breakdown train that gave assistance in the Shrewsbury rail
disaster in 1907. An L&NWR train was derailed at speed as it entered the
station, and 30 people were killed and 60 seriously injured. In 1909 he
followed in his father's footsteps and was appointed Assistant Divisional
Locomotive Superintendent, under William Stanier. He stayed at Swindon until
1912 when he was appointed Assistant Divisional Locomotive Superintendent,
at Bristol. Ralph married Frances Mary Brash and they had a daughter, Mary,
in 1915. Frances had a brother, Alexander, who married Ralph's sister Enid.
In 1916 Ralph was transferred to the London Division at Old Oak Common as
Assistant Divisional Locomotive Superintendent.
Ralph was promoted in 1919 to Divisional Locomotive
Superintendent, at Bristol. While at Bristol he became chairman of the GWR
Radio Society, and equipped the first train to be fitted for radio
reception, with headphones and loudspeakers in each compartment. He
organised an experimental run with 200 members taking part. Reception from
the BBC station at Cardiff was maintained throughout out the journey except
when the train passed through the Patchway, and Severn tunnels, and when
passing under Newport girder bridge. Music from six European countries was
also heard during the journey, and transmissions were made to local
radio amateurs. At Cardiff the passengers were received by the BBC and Ralph
was allowed to broadcast a message to his wife and daughter. Ralph was
interested in the Bristol Operatic Society. He founded the Bristol GWR Male
Voice Choir and became its president. He also founded the Bristol GWR
Institute and the Athletic Club.
In 1929 Ralph was moved to Worcester as Divisional
Locomotive Superintendent, and stayed there until his retirement in 1946.
Like his father he had served on the railway for 50 years, and on his
retirement he was presented with an oak sideboard. The family lived at Red
Hill, Worcester, and during his retirement Ralph had many hobbies including
philately. He spent some time as a reader to boy's classes at the nearby Red
Hill College for the Blind. John and Frances's daughter Mary was Assistant
Matron at Wycliffe College until she married A. G. K. Brown, a distinguished
Olympic athlete, in 1939.
Joseph Armstrong
Joseph was the third son of Joseph and Sarah. He was born at
Wolverhampton in 1856. Although the family moved to Swindon when he was only
8 years old, Joseph became a boarder at Tettenhall College. After leaving
the College he moved to Swindon and became a pupil at the works under his
father. He became known as Joe, or young Joe, to distinguish him from his
father. He often suffered from ill health, and so on completion of his
apprenticeship he was sent on a long sea voyage to Cape Town, to recuperate.
Whilst on the voyage he learned of his father's death at the early age of
61. On his return he embarked on another voyage to the Mediterranean, after
which his health improved. On his return he re-entered the works where he
designed and developed the automatic vacuum brake. After successful
completion of this project, Joe was promoted to Assistant Divisional
Locomotive Superintendent at Swindon, and in 1885 was again promoted to
Assistant Divisional Superintendent of the Northern Division and Works
manager at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton, under his uncle George.
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Joe Armstrong. |
At Wolverhampton his health again began to
suffer and he went for a course of treatment at Droitwich Brine Baths,
during the Christmas of 1887. On his return he spent New Years Eve at the
works with his boyhood friend, Locomotive Inspector Goodhall. After seeing
in the New Year together, Joe decided to walk back along the line so that he
could post a letter on his way home. At 12.30am on 1st January 1888, a down
goods train had drawn up on Oxley Viaduct, and then slowly reversed along
the old Shrewsbury & Birmingham line. When approaching the bridge over the
Stafford Road, the guard felt that his van had passed over an obstruction
and so applied the brakes. On stopping and examining the line he found the
body of Joe Armstrong who had been run over by the train. Joe was only 31,
and his death effected everyone at the works, where he was well liked and
respected. An inquest was held into the cause of death and the jury returned
with a verdict of suicide. He was buried in the family grave at St. Marks
Church, Swindon.
| Read a short account of
the inquest |
 |
Irving Armstrong
Irving was the youngest son of Joseph and Sarah, and was
born at Wolverhampton in 1862. Like his brothers, his schooldays were spent
at Tettenhall College, and afterwards he entered the works at Swindon as an
apprentice under William Dean, who was his father's successor.
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After completing his apprenticeship, he left the works
and entered the Training College at Leeds, to train as a church
minister. In 1888 he became a Wesleyan Minister and worked in many parts
of the country. During the first world war he was Chaplain to H.M.
Forces and after the war became an Honorary Chaplain. He married Annie
Aspden of Morecambe, and they had five daughters, Dorothy, Vera,
Marie, Jean and Ruth. Irving retired in 1928 and went to live at
Bexhill. In 1942 he went on a journey from Morecambe to Worcester to
visit his nephew Ralph, before returning home. Whilst at Crewe station
he suddenly died, aged 80. |
Jane Armstrong
Jane was Joseph and Sarah's first daughter and was born in
1855. She married Benjamin Price, who was the head of a tube manufacturing
firm in Birmingham. She died in 1936.
Sarah Armstrong
Sarah was Joseph and Sarah's second daughter and was born in
1858. She married the Hon. Martin Burrell, Minister of Agriculture in
Canada. He later became Secretary of State and Parliamentary Librarian. She
died in Ottawa, in 1952, at the age of 94.
Dorothy Armstrong
Dorothy was Joseph and Sarah's last daughter and was born in
1859. She married Southam Cash who had served his apprenticeship at Swindon
before joining the Canadian Pacific Railway. Their son Bruce served his
apprenticeship at Westbourne Park Shops, Paddington, before retuning to
Canada. Dorothy died in 1928.
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