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Exploring the heritage of Swindon's 'Great Wall'

Sophia Allsopp
BBC News, Wiltshire
British Rail A black and white photo of a street lined by houses on the right and a long stone wall with an archway on the left. Behind the wall are large buildings, some with tall chimneys. Many men in dark coats and flatcaps are walking in the street.British Rail
The industrial-era wall running alongside a bustling Swindon street in 1870

A 91-year-old historian is delving into the industrial past of an imposing stone wall in the heart of Swindon.

Jack Hayward, who has lived in the Wiltshire town for most of his life, says the 150-year-old "Great Wall of Swindon" represents the "struggles of generations of families".

He said the area around the wall was transformed from greenfield into a thriving industrial hub, "creating the Swindon we have today".

Mr Hayward is hosting an event in the town on 6 February to share his research.

The wall was built around Great Western Railway's Carriage Works factory to protect workers from the busy and dangerous Bristol to London railway line.

The once-bustling works were a key site during the town's expansion in the Victorian era.

British Rail A black and white image of a large workshop with two rows of tables stretching into the distance, spaced closely together with an aisle separating them. A woman stands at every table, facing the camera. One can be seen with her hands resting on a door or window lying on her desk. The ceiling is so high that the roof cannot be seen but there are windows high up on the far wall. British Rail
Women employed at Swindon's Carriage Works apply French polish and lacquer to body panels

The workshops produced everything from locomotives, including the soft furnishings and woodwork for the interiors, to artificial limbs for injured rail workers.

Joseph Armstrong, GWR's locomotive superintendent from 1864 until his death in 1877, was responsible for the construction of the Carriage Works.

He was not just an exceptional engineer but also a progressive leader who played a pivotal role in improving working conditions.

As part of his construction efforts, the wall was built between 1868 and 1876, running from Rodbourne Road to the train station.

An elderly man in a dark coat, scarf and grey hat smiles at the camera. He is standing in front of green and white information boards that display historical pictures of houses, and text outlining Swindon history.
Historian Jack Hayward once worked in Swindon's workshops as a clerical officer

Mr Hayward is a former clerical officer at the workshops. He argues that the wall is a symbol of the town's industrial heritage and the workers who shaped its history.

"It represents the struggles of generations of Swindon families who played out their abject lives living and working in an industrial environment in the second half of the industrial revolution," he said.

Jack Hayward An image of a tall brown and grey stone wall, the bottom section of which includes a row of arched windows and a brown door. A sign over the door reads "workshed".Jack Hayward
The imposing stone wall in Swindon today, behind which sat the French polish workshop

"[The families] were not privileged with the benefits of a modern society that we enjoy today. They had to carve out of the community they had created, the structures of governance to give themselves health, education and social facilities so that they could improve their quality of life.

"I think they are worth remembering, and as long as the Great Wall stands it will be their reminder."

Mr Hayward's talk is being held with Swindon Heritage Preservation trust at the Central Community Centre in Swindon at 18:00 GMT on 6 February.

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