Published in Windlesora 31 (2015)
© WLHG
If we reside in the older type of property do we know anything concerning the past residents, who they were, what dramas took place within the four wails?
24 Grove Road
The late Henry Smith did not realise that a former Mayor of Windsor had once lived in his house at 24 Grove Road. At one time the address of the house was 1 Albion Villas and it was occupied by Joseph Gane, Mayor of Windsor, serving in this office for one year from 9th November 1892. He was left an orphan at the age of 12 and his education took place at Queen’s College, Taunton. On leaving college, Joseph served an apprenticeship for seven years as a shoemaker and was employed for two years by Messrs Syrus and Clarke, who won First Prize at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Having moved to John Buckland of London Road, Reading, Joseph Gane afterwards set up in business at 125 High Street Eton, residing in a flat above the shop. His shoemaking business prospered and he was able to move to the house in Grove Road. It would seem that Joseph was an excellent employer, his staff remaining with him for a considerable number of years. He set up his sons in the shoemaking business: Earnest in Bayswater and Frederick at 9 Kings Street, Dover. The Dover business became very well known because of its connection with the Army and also having customers throughout the Empire.
Joseph Gane was promoter of the Eton Coffee Tavern for working men, and also a contributor the Royal Albert Institute. He was a director of the Windsor Steam Laundry, situated in Peascod Street opposite the Post Office. This building was once the second Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in the town. A new chapel was opened in Alma Road on 21st February 1877 of which Joseph was a Trustee. A generous sum of £500 given by him enabled the adjoining rooms to the chapel to be built. There was a flourishing Sunday School of which he remained Superintendent from 1860-1893, some four young men becoming missionaries. It has been said that he would have become Sir Joseph Gane but for his Methodist adherence.
Leaving Windsor, Joseph wont to live in Southall then moving to Ealing where, at the age of 82, he died on Saturday 21st June 1913 and interment took place in Eton – the grave is now neglected. Thoughtfully, the present owners of the premises in Eton still retain the name of Joseph Gane for the shoemaking business.
89 Vansittart Road
Living at No. 7 Gerald Villas (89 Vansittart Road) were Mr and Mrs Allum son Owen and daughter Chloe: little did the family realise the tragedies that were to befall the household.
On leaving Clewer St Stephen School Owen obtained employment as a telegraph messenger boy at Windsor Post Office. Domestic problems arose in the house resulting in father and mother separating. Mr Allum eventually found employment in America. Other misfortunes followed with the death of Chloe and Owen being forced to leave the Post Office due to ill health. On being informed of this Mr Allum sent an invitation to his son to join him which Owen accepted and a steamship ticket was received. The lad must have been excited since he was to sail on liner making its first voyage , the Titanic. Thought to be unsinkable, the vessel struck an iceberg in the Atlantic at 2.30am on 15th April 1912 and foundered. Priority for the lifeboats was given to female passengers. Those male passengers who managed to escape were from the First Class section; there was no escape for those such as Owen travelling in the lower class.
The thoughts of Mr Allum must have been of the last time he had spoken to his son in Windsor. His desire was that the body should be returned to the home town and this the steamship company did, asking no payment. On Wednesday, 22nd May 1912, a large congregation, including pupils from Clewer St Stephen’s School and representatives from the Post Office, gathered in the beautiful Clewer churchyard where the body of Owen Allum was laid to rest beside that of his little sister. Visitors to the churchyard will find the grave situated on the north side of the church – between the church and the boatyard.
15 York Road
As a boy, I remember seeing the occupant of Belmont (15 York Road) walking to his duties at the King Edward VII Hospital. We were told to avoid getting into close proximity with the gentleman. He was a surgeon who loved his scalpel and, in fact carried one in his top pocket your ears being the most vulnerable part of the body to him.
Sir Joseph Skevington FRCS MRCP LRCP was a senior surgeon at the hospital and was knighted in 1919 for his valuable contribution to the medical services during the First World War – when he served in the RAMC – and for his services to the Royal Family. He was very highly regarded at the hospital and, in 1937, the main operating theatre was named ‘The Sir Joseph Skevington Theatre’ in recognition of his thirty-three years of service. Having retired from his duties as Surgeon, Sir Joseph continued as Radiologist until 1942. He still took his morning walk to the hospital he so dearly loved, until his death on 28th February 1952.
Windsor Local History Group 