1897 - 1997 Centenary of Victoria's Jubilee

On April 30th 1997 the History Group meeting covered how Eton Wick celebrated Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The talk was researched and given by John Denham.

June 21st, 1997 was the centenary of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. 

Celebrations for both Jubilees, Golden and Diamond, had similar programs in Eton and Windsor.

Although Eton Wick became a parish with about 800 inhabitants within the Eton Rural District in 1894, for the Jubilee celebrations the village joined Eton, who in turn joined with Windsor in the organisation for both occasions.

The ten years between the Golden and Diamond Jubilees saw an increase in the number of village traders.

From Kelly's trade directory for 1887 only eleven premises are listed as commercial. (Farms, Beerhouses, a laundry, Three Horseshoe P.H) the two shops for provisions etc. were Arthur Bennett and Thomas Lovell, baker and Post Office.

For 1897, 24 premises are listed as commercial, Eton Wick now had shopkeepers, Charles Ayres, Alma Road, Edward Wilkins, butcher, Thomas Lovell, baker and grocer, Dairymen, a florist, market gardener, boot and shoe maker, draper and boot retailer, cabinet maker, plumber, carpenter and smith, and builders, but in 1897 the village relied on Eton for many domestic requirements. The increasing wealth was altering the way life was pursued by many parishioners. This brought forth the comment from the Reverend Donalson speaking at a Deanery conference at Slough on the subject of Sunday Observance that the neglect of this began with the leisured classes who robbed their servants of the privilege of Sunday worship by dinner parties, concerts and other amusements and was influencing all classes generally.

For the Diamond Jubilee celebrations public meetings were held in January 1897 at Eton and Eton Wick to consider ideas and arrangements for the sixieth anniversary. But other events of local interest were also being discussed by the Parish.

The new year commenced with the children's Christmas party given by Mr Vaughan and others for the 235 children attending the day schools in the parish., which brought the remark from the vicar that, when compared, the number attending Sunday school was miserably poor.

Temperance and thrift both got their due mention in the parish records. A decision by the local school governors in 1897 to encourage thrift introduced a savings bank for children of the parish Church of England schools. The collected monies were deposited with the Post Office savings bank.

Mr Denham's script can be read here. 

From the Parish Magazine - Eton Wick History Group - 100 Years 1897 -1997 Queen Victoria's Jubilees

Frank Bond introduced the April meeting of the Group with a request for suggestions for marking the Millennium; he thanked the donors of the raffle prizes and also those kind members who provide the refreshments for every meeting. Mr. Bond gave a special welcome to Eddie Wilkes; it was "lovely to see him back again"; also, he drew the members attention to the copies of Norman Oxley's book about Arthur Young Nutt, who fulfilled a period of service at Windsor Castle from 1867 to 1912, engaged initially as a draughtsman and attaining the position of Surveyor to the Dean and Canons of St. George's Chapel, Custodian of the Royal Mausoleum and Head of the Office of Works at the Castle. 

Examples of A.Y. Nutt's work were to be seen in the photographs and illustrations of the talk which followed Mr. Bond's introduction: John Denham spoke of "100 Years 1897-1997 (Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee)" In fact, the talk drifted back even further to 1887 and covered Queen Victoria's Gold and Diamond Jubilees when Eton and Eton Wick both joined with Windsor for the celebrations. 

The Jubilees provided a wealth of proof of the tremendous loyalty and enthusiasm which the public held for Victoria and the Royal family, and the ingenuity of people like Mr. Nutt with his ceremonial arches at the College end of Eton High Street and on Windsor Bridge, the parties, the processions, the military bands and the street decorations. 

Mr. Denham was also able to entertain with anecdotes about more local everyday matters, such as the savings bank, which was introduced for local children in 1897, their increasing numbers which resulted in pupils being refused from Boveney Newtown; the licensing for marriages of Eton Wick Parish Church and its first marriage between Ann Deverill and Alfred Seymour. 

Eton Wick's Football team's game against the Eton Temperance team on 20th November 1887, when Eton Wick lost 2-0: We heard how Toddy Vaughan had planted the oak tree on the green in Common Road - this could have been in either 1887 or 1897 and the History Group are going to fix a plaque to the tree, with due celebration, later on this year. 

We look forward to our next meeting, scheduled for 25th June, when the topic for discussion will be °THE IINFLUENCE OF ETON AND ETON COLLEGE ON ETON WICK", 

Perhaps those who have not yet returned their questionnaire to Mr. Bond could do so before that meeting.  

Eton Wick Church of St. John the Baptist

Eton Wick Church of St. John the Baptist 

A history by Frank Bond

In 2013 and 2014 the Rev. Holt left the village and the Rev. Stacey came to be the new vicar. This seems an appropriate time to reflect on its conducts, priests and Vicars. Eton Wick had no church building until 1866/7 when St. Johns was built in Sheepcote. Previously services (but not the Sacraments) were held in the school room at the top of the walk, but of course that building did not exist until 1840. We are told of earlier services in a farm building, but l have no details.

The Eton church of St. Johns the Evangelist was built mid 1850s, but not until 1875 would Eton or Eton Wick be a parish independent of the 'College', where the College Chapel continued to be the Parish Church and as such provided conducts for the services in town and village. Until 1875 the provost was responsible for the spiritual care of the communities and as such delegated the care to his conducts. In that year the town church became the parish church and town and village were served by a vicar and a priest respectively. In 1972 the village's became the Parish church, and it was during the time of vicar Rev Johnson who for personal reasons did not choose to leave the town vicarage for the village. Excluding the early conducts we have listed, to be best of our knowledge, all the curates since 1875 when the 'Parish Church' was the Church of St. John the Evangelist (Eton).

Notable Occasions at St. John the Baptist (Eton Wick):

Church designed by Arthur Blomfield (later 'Sir')

Built 1866 - 1868

Consecrated 1867

Church Yard consecrated 1892

First burial 1892

First marriage 1897

Gas lighting installed 1935

Gas heating installed 1942

Church room dedicated 1951

Stained glass east window in memory of E. L. Vaughan 1951

Electric lighting installed 1952

Churchyard extension 1955 - 1957

Electric heating installed 1958

Became Parish Church 1972

Churchyard maintenance scheme started 1972

Curates of Eton with special responsibility for Eton Wick (or later living in the village and having charge of Eton Wick):

1875 – 1879 Revd. W. W. Keating (4 years)

1880 – 1882 Revd. A Symonds  (2 years)

1882 – 1885 Revd. A. S. Hawthorne  (4 years)

1886 – 1892 Revd. A. H. Blake  (6 years)

1892 – 1892  Revd. H W. E. Molony (7 months)

1892 – 1894  Revd. E. H. Clarke (2 years)

1894 – 1892  Revd. L. E. Dickenson (3 years)

1897 – 1897  Revd. E. C. Lestie (2 months)

1897 – 1898  Revd. R. H. Mitchell (1 year)

1898 – 1900  Revd. R. G. S. Demaus (2years)

1900 – 1904  Revd. L S. C. Waldy (3 years 6 months)

1904 - 1904 Revd. D. E. Johnstone LL.D. (4 months)

1905 – 1910  Revd. F. H. Smith (4 years 3 months)

1910 – 1910  Revd. S. Burgess (3 months)

1910 – 1910 Revd. Dickinson (2 months)

1910 – 1910  Revd. C. W. Fisher M.A. (2 months)

1910 – 1911  Revd. H. Mounsey of St. George's Chapel (2 months)

1911 – 1915  Revd. H. Crabtree - (4 years)

1916 – 1917  Revd. G. E. A. Hilliard (1 year +)

Parish magazines from which this information was collated were not published from March 1917 due to war-time shortages. Started again in January 1920.

1917 – 1921  Revd. J, M. McAnaily (3+ years)

1921 – 1924  Revd. H. C. Onstow M.A. (2 years 9 months)

1924 – 1929  Revd. F. S. Hulbert (5 years)

1930 – 1944  Revd. D Wingate (14 years) in WW2 Longest serving

1944 – 1945  Revd. H. Luce (1 year)

1945 – 1954  Revd. C. Hare (9 years)

1954 – 1957  Revd. D. Galliford (2 years 6 months)

1957 – 1962 Revd. J. Nourse (5 years)

1962 – 1963 Revd. R. Wickens (6 months) died in office

1963 – 1975 Revd. A. Paice (11 years)

1975 – 1988 Revd C. Johnson (14 years) vicar of Eton took charge

Parish joined Team Ministry

1988 – 1995 Revd C. Pontin (7 years) first vicar resident in Eton Wick

1995 – 2005 Revd P. Reynolds (10 years)

2005 – 2013 Revd. Lucy Hott (7 years) First lady vicar

2014 to date Revd. La Stacey

This article was first published in Our Village, Eton Wick's own village magazine.

Old Days of Eton Parish - APPENDIX II. - ORNAMENTS IN THE PARISH CHURCH.

THE following particulars of the various ornaments in the Parish Church may be of interest, especially to strangers.

In 1864 the north-west window was filled with stained glass, representing St. John in old age, and St. John writing the Book of Revelation.

About the same time subscriptions were collected to fill the great east window in memory of the Prince Consort, who had died in 1862.

This was carried out by Mr. O'Connor in 1865. The principal subjects of the window are our Lord's appearances after the Resurrection to Mary Magdalene, to the Disciples by the lake, and to the women in the garden. In the lower panels are represented the Bearing of the Cross, the Crucifixion and Burial, and in upper tracery our Lord in glory.

In the same year the south-west window was inserted. This represents St. Peter and St. John at the Beautiful Gate, and the confirmation of the Disciples at Samaria.

The window in the chancel aisle, put in by Bishop Chapman in 1866 in memory of his daughter, depicts the raising of Jairus' daughter and the meeting of Martha after the death of Lazarus.

The other windows on the south side represent, 1st, the call of the sons of Zebedee (in memory of T. and A. Ingalton), 2nd, ' the surnaming them Boanerges,' 3rd (in memory of the eldest son of Thomas and Ann Ingalton), 'the raising of the widow of Nain's son.' On the north side nearest the tower the window represents 'St. John at the Cross receiving the charge of the Lord's mother.' It was given by Rev. N. L. Shuldham, formerly Conduct of Eton.

All the above windows were executed by Mr. O'Connor.

The other windows are the work of Buriison and Gryll. The one in the sanctuary represents our Lord as the Great High Priest and Melchisidek ; the panels beneath, the Institution of the Eucharist and Melchisidek meeting Abraham.

The second is Mary and Martha, with works of mercy below. This latter was executed in memory of Mrs. Forbes, wife of Colonel Forbes of Willowbrook, who for many years was an active and generous worker among the poor of Eton.

The brass near is in memory of a son of theirs, a young officer killed in the Afghan campaign.

In the nave, north aisle, are windows presented by Mr. Ingalton Drake : Christ walking on the water, and Christ as the Good Shepherd.

The reredos in alabaster was designed by Mr. Woodyer and executed in 1868. The sanctuary wall was decorated and the arcade work carried out in 1875.

In the same year the tenor bell was hung in memory of John Wilkinson, cast by Messrs. Warner, weighing 9 cwt., and the organ was built by Messrs. Hill with swell and pedal at the cost of ‘549. A second manual was added ten years later.

The oak chancel screen was designed by Mr. A. Y. Nutt and erected in 1883 at the cost of £121.

The funds for the brass eagle lectern executed by Barkentin and Kraal, Regent Street, were collected by a member of the St. John's Communicant Guild.

The altar candlesticks were given by the Rev. John Wilder.

The altar cross was presented in 1890.

The colouring of the nave pillars and walls, carried out by Burlison and Gryll, was done by degrees 1892-1897.

The lowering of the nave roof and removal of the clerestory windows took place in 1893. In the same year a handsome brass alms dish was given.

In 1895 a silver-gilt chalice and paten of beautiful work and set in jewels, executed by Barkentin and Kraal, was presented by Mrs. Layard and Rev. E. B. Layard in memory of Mrs. Shephard.

In 1896 the corona was given by the parishioners in memory of the same lady. It was designed by Mr. T. B. Carter. The niches contain the figures of the Twelve Apostles, carved in Italy, St. Paul taking the place of Judas Iscariot.

The litany desk was given also in 1896 in memory of the Rev. Thomas Dalton.

The chancel was repaved in black and white marble by Farmer and Brindley. Stalls for the choir were also provided in 1897.

In 1899 the organ loft and an approach to it was arranged by Messrs. Wheeler, and the organ was reconstructed and enlarged.

The clergy stalls were also given, and the altar rails were replaced by altar kneelers. In 1903 a sanctuary carpet was presented by the Guild, and in 1904 an oak pulpit was placed in its original position at the chancel arch.

Most of these additions or alterations were affected by free-will offerings, and without any appeal to the public.

OLD DAYS OF ETON PARISH by The Rev. John Shephard, M.A. was published in 1908 by Spottiswoode and Co Ltd. The text has been copied from the original book that is now out of copyright.

This is the final chapter from the Rev. Shephard's book. The complete book can be found by following this link.

Trades men and women of Eton Wick in 1887 & 1897

Businesses operating in Eton Wick in 1887
Arthur Bennett		Shop keeper
Henry Elkins		Carpenter
John Langridge		Farmer
Thomas Lovell		Baker and Post Office
Charles Nottage		Dairyman
Henry Powell		Dairyman
Frederick Smith		Farmer
William Stacey		Beer Retailer
James Tarrant		Farmer
Mrs Trotman		Laundress
William Underwood		Publican Three Horseshoes
Businesses operating in Eton Wick in 1897
Charles Ayres		Shopkeeper
James Ayres		Market Gardener
William Cartwright		Builder
Edward Collins		Dairyman
John Cottrell		Florist
Mrs Isacc Crabb		Shopkeeper
Henry Elkins		Carpenter & Smith
Edward Ellwood		Plumber & Beer Retailer
William Hanns		Builder
Mrs Georgina Haverly		Laundress
Thomas Henry		Boot & Shoe Maker
George Howell		Cabinet Maker
Mrs Teresa Lanfier		Laundress
John Langridge		Farmer
William Langridge		Carman
Frederick Lovell		Draper & Boot Dealer
Thomas Lovell		Baker & Grocer, Post Office
William Middleton		Shopkeeper
Sarah Ann Miles		Laundress

A Diamond Jubilee Oak on the Common - A Royal Gift from Prince Philip

In 1897, a sapling oak was planted on Common Road, Eton Common (in Eton Wick) to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee; the oak, which thrived and is now a splendid specimen, came from the forestry department of Windsor Great Park.

In 2012, the Eton Wick History Group commemorated Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by planting a young oak some seventy yards from the one referred to above; and His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, kindly agreed to let us have a 10' 0" (3 metres) sapling from the Crown Estate.

The Oak Tree planted to commemorate the
Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2012

As I write this, I know that the oak has been set aside for us and we have only to make arrangements to collect it at an appropriate time for planting; but before obtaining suitable transport and agreeing the date for planting, we have first to acquire a steel fence guard to protect the young tree from cattle (it will be planted just inside an area where cattle graze). Our local Councillor, Peter Lawless, has kindly authorised a grant to cover the cost of the heavy-duty metal tree guard. We hope that shortly we will be in a position to announce the date of a formal planting ceremony. 

John Reid Chairman — Eton Wick History Group 

From page 34 of The Eton Wick Newsletter of April 2012

Lord Waldegrave of North Hill, Provost of Eton College
with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Eton Town Council

Lord Waldegrave undertook the ceremonial planting of the Jubilee Oak.

  

Getting to Eton Wick in 1929

In 1993 retired village Sub-postmaster, Dick Harding wrote an account of gas distribution in Eton Wick from 1929. It mainly concerns my Father, my family and the people that worked in it. This is the first extract from the account.

My Father was born in 1897 in Winkfield, the youngest of eight. He was christened Alfred Noel, his parents and all the family called him Jo. My Mother called him Jim because she didn't like the name Jo. Jim he remained, all the time he lived in Eton Wick.

He started Work in 1910 as an apprentice gas fitter and lamp lighter with the UXBRIDGE MAIDENHEAD WYCOMBE & DISTRICT GAS CO LTD. where he remained until nationalization in 1947. In the 1920's after World War 1, he married, lived and worked in Beaconsfield as a gas fitter. They had a two bedroomed flat with all the modern conveniences that 1929 could offer.

I first came to Eton Wick with my parents. I was three years old. They had come to look at a house, because my Father was to take charge of gas distribution in Eton and Eton Wick. They were in fact to live on the job. The house was Perseverance Place in Alma Rd. It was built in 1884 by Mr Howells who was a builder. It contained some sheds and outbuildings which housed all the superfluous gas equipment of years gone by. On the first floor was a large workshop with a pair of double doors leading out to Alma Road at high level. At some stage it was used to make Stage scenery. The house itself was spacious with four bedrooms, sitting room, dining room, kitchen and scullery.

My parents were not impressed. There was no electricity, no mains water, no main drainage. The kitchen and scullery floor was stone and the plumbing consisted of a pump over a stone sink. A far cry from Beaconsfield. Something made them take the job, it certainly wasn't money. They gave it five years to move on. In fact they stayed for over thirty years, and retired in the village, my Father lived for a further ten years, he died in 1972. My Mother lived for another ten years.

On this visit I met Dougal Martin for the first time. He was a lad of fourteen and this was his first job. Apart from war service in the Navy he remained in the gas industry all his working life. He retired from Windsor about 1980. It is not known if he is still alive, he must be nearly eighty at the time of writing.

For better or worse, we moved in in September 1929.

From the Parish Magazine - Eton Wick History Group Meeting - The Original Christopher Inn

A report on the December 1997 meeting held at the Village Hall.

The 1998 programme of talks was issued at the Group's meeting on the 10th December, promising yet another year of interesting topics; the Committee never seems to run short of subjects, despite the fact that this meeting marked the end of the 7th year of the Eton Wick History Group. The 1998 programme appears separately in this magazine. Mary Gyngell has had her hip operation and is home - we wish her well. (Needless to say, she made the cakes again!). Congratulations to Vi Millis and her husband who celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary and Vi's 90th Birthday last month. A man in Canada had sent Frank Bond an 1897 map of Boveney New Town and one of Windsor and a £1 note! 

Tony Cullum then entertained the Group with a talk on the original 'Christopher" Inn, which was situated opposite College Chapel in Eton. Mr. Cullum used the opportunity to take us on a journey through history, commencing with the Inn at Bethlehem at which there was no room and easing us through time, touching on maps of the 6,000 miles of excellent Roman roads in Britain, Hadrians Wall and the other wall from the Clyde to the Forth. 

Soon we had left Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius behind and were into stage-wagons, drawn by six or eight horses; and then the spring suspension stage coach, high-perch phaetons, cabriolets and landaus - a trip from London to Bath would probably have been a three to four day journey - hence the need for coaching inns like the "Christopher". 

 And, did you know the difference between a tollgate and a turnpike gate? (A turnpike gate is sturdier and had spikes on the top!). 

There was talk of Thomas Telford and also of john Macadam - who found that the secret of a good, lasting road was to dig down to a depth of 12" , fill with granite chippings and leave it to the horses" hooves to grind it down into a solid base. And there were plenty of horses hooves pounding away, with over 1,000 vehicles leaving London every day in the early 1800s.

 Stagecoaches would leave Windsor at 7 a.m., 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and, in good conditions, would take about 4 hours to get to London. There is mention of 'The Christopher' in 1511, when it was a shown as a large complex of buildings with land leased with it "contained within 1 acre and occupied by Ruth Cox". The Inn has held various landlords including in 1636 Francis Dickin, from 1753 to 1775 a George King and, when the Inn finally closed, the landlord was a Jack Knight. 

For some time it was the only ale house in Eton which could offer bedrooms. In September 1803 a Baldwin's Bridge Trust dinner was held there at a cost of £5.6s.6d. plus 10/- for extras.

In 1665 College boys were forbidden to go there, but it later became very popular with them and they would claim that they had to go there to meet friends coming from London, or to collect parcels from the mail. Eton's 'Pop' boys used to enjoy the food and ale there, particularly a drink (a bit like punch) called 'Bishop' at 12 shillings per barrel. 

Under the then Head Master, Dr. Hawtrey, the College obtained possession of the site in 1842 and it was used first as a French Pupil Room and then as a boarding house. Jack Knight, the former landlord, moved into 131 High Street and set up shop selling drinks to the boys; in 1871 his lease and goodwill were taken over by a Mrs. Emily Brown and in 1872 it was moved o the present Rowlands/Tap. The present 'Christopher' was opened in 1846 at 110 High Street and owes its existence to the closure of the old 'Christopher' - now called Hodgson House. 

Extract from John Denham's index of Eton Traders

For the remainder of the evening, the Group repaired to the Small Meeting Room to enjoy a splendid buffet meal and Christmas punch. 

The next meeting took place on 21st lanuary when the topic was the 'HISTORY OF SALTERS STEAMERS' and the speaker, Keith French. 

During the 1990's the Parish Magazine of Eton, Eton Wick and Boveney reported on the meetings of the Eton Wick History Group. A member of the audience took shorthand notes in the darkened hall. This article was published in the first edition of 1998.

I. SPRINGFORD - ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY

Isaac Springford (Gunner No. 197731) - Royal Garrison Artillery (Formerly The 2nd Battalion, Life Guards)

Isaac was born in February 1897 and was one of a large Eton Wick family. He attended the

village infants school until 1904, when at the age of seven he went to Eton Porny. The school register records his home address as 4, Hope Cottages, Common Road but some years later the family home was at 3, Victoria Place, Common Road a move along the road of about 100 yards. On February 28th 1910, in mid-term, Isaac was just 14 years old and he left school. The reason recorded in the register was "to help father". It was not recorded what father did apparently took up employment at Eton College, in the service of Mr Headlam and was later working in the Officers' Mess at Windsor's Combermere Barracks. 

He enlisted with the 2nd Battalion Life Guards, and it is possible that he was a soldier at the time of his barrack employment. There were six Springford brothers serving in the forces by 1918, although only two of these are recorded in the Parish Magazine in 1915 as serving at the end of the first year of war. These were Albert and Harry who both survived the war, although Albert was wounded in 1916. We do not know the date Isaac joined the Life Guards or the date he transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery. 

The 2nd Battalion Life Guards served on the Western Front as part of the 3rd Cavalry Division from October 1914 until March 1918 when they left to become No. 2, Battalion Machine Gun Regiment. Perhaps this change of role precipitated Isaac's transfer. 

The 520th (Siege) Battery R.G.A. was formed with members of the Household Cavalry and served in France in 1918 using six-inch guns and it is reasonable to presume that this battery included Gunner Springford of the Household Cavalry. He was the only known village man to die of gassing in either of the two world wars. 

We first read from The Windsor & Eton Express of July 13th 1918: 

We regret to record the death of Gunner Isaac Springford of 3, Victoria Place, Eton Wick, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, Son of Mr Springford of Eton Wick. The deceased was formerly in the service of Mr Headlam of Eton College, and was subsequently employed in the Officers' Mess at Combermere Barracks. He joined the 2nd Life Guards, and was afterward transferred to the R.G.A. While in France he was badly gassed and died at the Canadian General Ontario Hospital, Orpington; Kent on July 2nd (1918). He was 21 years old. This is the second son of Mr Springford, lost in the war, and Ihur others are still serving. The deceased was buried with full military honours at Eton Wick, the body having been conveyed home. The band and two troops of Life Guards attended, and a large number of the village was present to show their sympathy and respect for the deceased, who was much esteemed. The vicar, Reverend Evans assisted by the curate of Eton Wick officiated. 

The Great War had claimed the lives of two Springford brothers, but it spared the other four. William George Springford was one brother who returned safely after service with the Royal Flying Corps. By W.W.II he was living in Eton and himself had four sons and a daughter serve in that war. 

Isaac has a standard Commonwealth War Grave Commission headstone in the Eton Wick Church Yard. He was unmarried and 21 years old. His name is also on the tablets at the Eton Church Gates and on the Eton Wick Memorial. Springford is still a well known Eton Wick name.

This is an extract from Their Names Shall Be Carved in Stone  
and published here with grateful thanks to the author Frank Bond.

Isaac Springford: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission page.

Isaac Springford: The For King & Country page.

Isaac Springford:  The Lives of the First World War page.

The Eton Wick War Memorial page on Buckinghamshire Remembers website.

Grave register courtesy CWGC

Headstone records courtesy CWGC

Notes: 

The 1911 Census records Isaac's father, William Isaac working as a Fly Driver. Isaac is recorded as being an Errand Boy.

Isaac Springford signed his Attestment document on December 2nd 1915 at the Cavalry Barracks in Windsor and his age is given as 19 years and 18 days. This would indicate his date of birth as November 14th 1896. His Army service records are held in the National Archive and they show that he transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery on December 20th 1917. After more than two years of home service, he was transferred to France at the beginning of April 1918, he was a Gunner in the 521st Siege Battery. On June 24th 1918 the Battery suffered several casualties due to gas. 

Add caption

Old Days of Eton Parish - CHAPTER XVII - THE LAST.

THE census of the town and parish in 1871 shewed a population of 3261; in 1881, 3169; in 1891, 2986; in 1901, 3154. In all cases the boys in College are excluded; the varying numbers may be largely accounted for by the time chosen for the census. The last two returns indicate some decrease of population. This is partly explained by the pulling down of cottages to make room for College houses, and the reduction in the town of in-habited houses from 635 before 1891 to 494 in 1901. 

The last twenty years of the nineteenth century were also marked by the migration of a considerable number of tradespeople from their shops in the High Street to more commodious homes in Windsor or Slough. This of course caused a corresponding decrease in the attendance at the Parish Church and left many gaps in seats formerly occupied by large families. The building of the Lower School Chapel also drew away some who hitherto could find no room in the College Chapel. 

The working class population, during those twenty years, was also driven for want of cottage accommodation to seek it elsewhere, and many regular workers in Eton lived in Slough, Windsor or at Eton Wick. A fresh opening for the artisan class was made just beyond Eton Wick. 

This came about indirectly by the action of the Eton Urban Board. More space was required for the Sewage Farm, and they accordingly purchased land in Boveney, and then finding that they had on their hands more than was needed, they offered the rest for sale. 

The purchaser saw his opportunity and soon covered the land with villas and cottages, which were equally soon filled with tenants, most of whom were working in Eton. A considerable population was thus created, and being far distant from their Parish Church of Burnham and. Burnham schools, the people found their way to Eton Wick Church and schools. This, and the general unsuitability of the Eton Wick school for modern requirements, brought about the erection of Girls' and Infants' schools close to the Church on ground granted by the Crown. The change was effected in 1888 at the cost of £1237. 

In 1881 the Eton School Laundry at Willowbrook was opened. Although inaugurated in the interests of the College, it has proved in many ways beneficial to the homes and lives of many of the working people in the parish. 

In 1894 the College Watermen were re-organized--a much needed reform, which has also contributed to the better interests of the parish. 

In 1887 was Queen Victoria's jubilee. 

The rest of the events up to the death of the Queen may be very briefly chronicled. 

In 1892 the old Porny school-room, which for some years had been a carpenter's workshop, was secured as a Parish Room, for holding meetings, classes and entertainments. This was carried out largely by the energy of the Rev. G. S. Clayton, Assistant Curate 1892 to 1897. 

In December 1894 the Urban District Council for Eton was elected, and superseded the old Local Board. 

At the same time the out-district of Eton Wick was constituted a parish for civil purposes, and five parish councillors were elected to manage their business. 

In 1892 a temporary arrangement was made with the Vicar of Burnham, by which the Vicar of Eton undertook the spiritual care of the growing population in New Boveney. 

In 1895, at Easter time, there was a large muster of volunteers, who were quartered in the various school buildings in Eton and the College. A special service was held for them on Easter morning. 

A year later, the Cemetery Chapel was newly floored, and the east end of it enriched by some marble work and a beautiful stained window. 

In the course of 1898 a piece of ground, presented by the College, was added to the cemetery and consecrated by the Bishop of the Diocese. 

A branch was started of the Mothers' Union in 1890, and a Company of the Church Lads' Brigade in 1899. Both of these have proved of signal value in the parish. 

In 1900 the parish sustained a severe loss by the death of the Vicar's Churchwarden, Mr. J. P. Carter. A processional cross was presented to the Cemetery Chapel in his memory, and a churchyard cross was erected by parishioners and friends, and placed just between the old and the new part of the cemetery. 

The outbreak of the Boer War, and the call of many Eton soldiers who were in reserve to leave their work and serve their country, marked the year 1899, and led to the raising in the district of a fund for the maintenance of the soldiers' wives and children, and to a pathetically memorable Christmas party given to them by the Queen at Windsor Castle.

A few months later, Victoria the Good had passed away, and Eton took its part in paying its last sad homage to a revered memory, and then in the year following (1902) there was the busy preparation for King Edward's Coronation, his unlooked for illness and happy recovery. 

In 1901 Bishop Stubbs also died, and Bishop Paget became Bishop of the Diocese. 

The only parish event of these years which needs to be added to our record was the inauguration in Eton of a representative Church Council to consider Church matters and advise the Vicar. 

With this we must close the last chapter of this story of the ups and downs of the town and parish of Eton. Many smaller incidents in these later years might have been included, and the names of many individuals, lay and clerical, might have been mentioned, to whose devoted work and example the parish owes a debt of gratitude, but to do so with due discrimination of worth would be a difficult and invidious task. Their labours of love will meet a full reward. We need only express the hope that those who read in these pages of the inheritance derived from the centuries past, will follow in their steps and bestir themselves in good earnest to uphold all Eton's best traditions, and will take their part in handing on to generations yet to come even larger benefits, and greater opportunities for good than they have themselves enjoyed. 

OLD DAYS OF ETON PARISH by The Rev. John Shephard, M.A. was published in 1908 by Spottiswoode and Co Ltd. The text has been copied from the original book that is now out of copyright.

Common Road, Eton Wick

Common Road, Eton Wick

Looking East

Common Road pond and old houses c. 1920 (upper photo). The large elm tree in the middle distance is at the the junction between Common Road and Sheepcote Road. The Greyhound pub and Thatch Cottage are this side of it. This, the north end of Sheepcote Road, was then a gated farm track with a stile. The bottom photo, taken in the 1990s, shows the pond area infilled and grassed, and the modern Albert Place dwellings in place of the old cottages. 

Looking West 

The top photograph of Common Road with the pond was taken in the late 1930s. The Wheatbutts is on the left. The 'old' Scout Hut in Wheatbutts Field can just be seen behind the elm trees, and beyond them, Bell Farm Cottages (now Bellsfield Court flats). A noted occupant of the Wheatbutts was film star the late David Niven, then a wartime Captain in the Highland Infantry. The ponds were used for fishing, bath tub punting, model boat sailing and skating. Note the 'young' oak tree (planted in Jubilee Year 1897), and in front of it a mound of ashes from one of the regular November the 5th bonfires. The railings protecting the tree went as part of the WWII recycling effort. The lower photograph was taken in the 1990s. The ponds were in-filled in 1969. 

Cyril Ashman Hon Artillery Company

Cyril Arthur Ashman - (Private No. 746) 2nd Battalion Honourable
Artillery Company 22nd Brigade - 7th Division

Cyril was born on April 17th, 1897 at about the time the family is believed to have moved to Eton Wick from Tidworth in Hampshire. In September 1910 he left the Eton Porny School to complete his education at the Windsor County Boys' School. During his school years he frequently helped on his father's farm until April 1914 when he left school to become a banker's clerk for Barclays at Southall. He joined the Army in April 1916 when he was just 19 years old and served with The Honourable Artillery Company.

He was a very likeable lad and probably more outgoing than his older brother, Douglas. Eight months before Cyril enlisted, his 23-year-old brother was killed in the Gallipoli offensive. It is not known whether this loss influenced his own decision to join the army, but it is not difficult to understand the apprehension of his parents as their one remaining son went off to war.

Edwin and Alice Ashman
with their children
Dorothy, Cyril and Douglas

As a boy he often called on Mrs Roll Bond of I Palmer Place and jokingly asked for titbits from her larder. In return he would take her a pail of skimmed milk and said it would only be given to the animals if she did not use it. Mrs Bond was very fond of young Cyril and she is said to have named a son after him. When Cyril had completed seven months of military training he was posted to the Western Front and in the late summer of 1917 he was serving in the Ypres Salient, Belgium.

He was wounded on October 7th and suffered Trench Fever, but was soon back in the front line. It was late Autumn and the battle had raged for three months with the aim of breaking out from the Salient and capturing the distant high ground known as the Passchendaele Ridge. Intense shelling had destroyed all the network of drainage ditches and the heavy rains made the terrain a glutinous, oozing quagmire.

The name of Passchendaele became synonymous with mud and slush, mud that drowned both men and horses. From the beginning of August 1917, the army had pressed painfully, slowly onward, until on

November 10th the ridge was finally taken at the appalling price of an estimated 250,000 casualties of whom 42,000 were never to be recovered. Cyril was killed here at Gheluvelt on October 26th, 1917, while trying to rescue a wounded comrade. Unlike his brother, he has a grave and is buried in the nearby massive military cemetery known as Tyne Cot. The cemetery is situated five miles northeast of Ypres and it contains 11,000 graves. Memorial walls there name nearly 35,000 other soldiers, who have no known graves. This total of approximately 46,000 British men were all killed in the Ypres Salient between August 1917 and the Armistice of November 1918.


Cyril's grave is number 21; Row C; plot 55. Mr and Mrs Ashman received a letter from their son's commanding officer which read: It is with the greatest regret that I am writing to inform you of the death of your son, Private Cyril Ashman of this Company, who fell on the 26th October while performing his duty under heavy shell fire. His officers regret the loss of a good soldier and his comrades mourn one of their most popular comrades, and it is the wish of all that I should convey to you their deepest sympathy in the great loss which you have sustained.In little more than two years, Edwin and Alice Ashman had lost both their sons in the Great War.

They left Eton Wick and the farm to live in Lansdowne Avenue, Slough. Their one remaining child was Dorothy. She lived until 1956 and was buried in the Eton Wick Churchyard. Her grave headstone bears the names of her two lost brothers along with her own.

Cyril's name is the second on the village memorial. He is also commemorated on the Eton Church Gates and on his old school memorial in Windsor. Cyril was single and 20 years of age.

This is an extract from Their Names Shall Be Carved in Stone  
and published here with grateful thanks to the author Frank Bond.

Cyril Ashman: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission page.

* The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records the death

of Private Cyril Ashman as 28th October 1917. 

Cyril Ashman: The For King & Country page.

Ernest Brown: There is no information about him on Lives of the First World War as yet.

The Eton Wick War Memorial page on Buckinghamshire Remembers website.

Cyril Ashman is also recorded in the Barclays Bank WW1 Roll of Honour. Private Ashman was one of 645 Barclays employees who died in the service of the country during the First World War.

Documents from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website