Died
23 April 1957
Born
15 April 1883
Sources
Ancestry
Mike Warhurst (Grandson)
Barrow News
Place
Walks
Robert Henry Swainson
Mike Warhurst contacted me as an exiled Ulverstonian living in Wigan with some information about his grandfathers, both buried in Ulverston Cemetery. His maternal grandfather, Robert Henry Swainson, was the headmaster of Urswick Grammar School from the 1920's to the 1940's and also a member of the local Freemasons lodge.
Remembrance
ROBERT HENRY SWAINSON
DIED 23RD APRIL 1957
AGED 74 YEARS
AND ROBINA BRYDEN
HIS DEAR WIFE
DIED 20TH JUNE 1966
AGED 86 YEARS
ROBINA MARGARET
THEIR DAUGHTER
DIED 12 JULY 1962
AGED 49 YEARS
Photo courtesy of Mike Warhurst.
Death Notice from Barrow News 24 April 1957.
The account of Mr. Swainson’s funeral appeared in the Barrow News 3 May 1957:
MR. R.H.SWAINSON, ULVERSTON
The interment of Mr. Robert Henry Swainson (74), of Alexandra Road, Ulverston, took place at Ulverston Cemetery on Saturday. A service was held in Holy Trinity Church, Ulverston, conducted by the Vicar (Rev. B. Jacobs), assisted by Mr. Pilkington. The Rev. J. S. Canon Rimmer conducted the Masonic Service. Mr. A. Thompson presided at the organ with a full choir in attendance.
Mourners were Mrs. Swainson, widow; Mr. and Mrs. John Warhurst, son-in-law and daughter; Miss Robina Swainson, daughter; Mr. W. Swainson, brother; Mrs. Gardner, niece; Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Antcliffe, brother-in-law and sister-in-law; Mrs. Haughton, sister-in-law; Mr. and Mrs. S. Jackson, Mr. F. Knipe, Mr. R. Swainson, Miss A. Swainson, Miss R.M. Swainson, cousins.
There follows a list of over 50 Freemasons who attended, together with nearly 60 other mourners.
Messrs. T. H. Cragild and Sons were the undertakers.
In a very neat hand in the log book of Urswick Grammar School appear the following entries:
- 1st July 1920 Commenced duty as Head Master Robert H. Swainson
- 5th July 1920 Admitted Jane W. Swainson and Robina M Swainson
9th January 1922 School reopened this morning after the Christmas Holidays.
The undermentioned have been marked left:
- Jane W Swainson
- Robina M Swainson Attending Ulv. High School
15 November 1944 – report from Harold S Betts, Hon. Diocesan Inspector.
“The present Head Master, Mr. R.H. Swainson, retires at the end of December and he will leave the School with the satisfaction that its tone is good, and that a host of those who have passed through his hands during his twenty-four years of Headship will retain happy memories of Urswick Grammar School.”
22 December 1944 The Headmaster completes his engagement on 31st December 1944, on which date he retires from the profession.
8 1 1945 Commenced duty as Headmistress Mary Harriet Pixtow[1]
[1] She could not have lasted long. The Head before Mr. Swainson, John Dobson, was Head from 1876 – 1920, and his daughter, Martha Helena Dobson, was Head 1946-1956. Read More.
1939 Register
From Ancestry 1939 Registration Document I discovered that they lived at 14 Alexander Road, where the following details are included:
- Swainson Robt. H. Dob 15 April 1883 Head. Elem. School Special Constable
- Swainson Robina B. Dob 1 April 1880 Unpaid Domestic Duties
- Swainson Jane W. Dob 24 Nov 1911 State Reg. Nurse & Midwife
- Swainson Robina M. Dob 12 April 1913 Solicitor’s Clerk Air Raid Warden
By Jane’s entry, in a different ink, has been added Warhurst, and a date, 13 4 46, presumably the date of marriage. However, Mike Warhurst tells me that they married on 6 April 1946, so this may just be the date when the change was recorded in that document.
1911 Census
At the 1911 Census Robert & Robina had completed one year of marriage, and were living at Stockton Rd, Sedgefield, Co. Durham, where Robert was already Head of an Elementary School. His birthplace is listed as Lancs, Askam in Furness, while Robina is listed as being born in Dumfriesshire, Annan Parish.
1901 Census
In the 1901 Census Robert (17) was living at 9 Dalton Rd, Askam in Furness, with his parents William Swainson (44), an iron-ore miner born in Lowick, and Jane Swainson (43) born in Eskdale, Cumberland. Robert was a ‘Pupil Teacher for Elementary School.’ Also listed are William (16), bricklayer; Joseph P. (13); Mary (11), and Margaret (7). They have been wrongly transcribed as Swinson.
1891 Census
The 1891 Census has the family living at 6, Ireleth Rd, Askam, and another daughter is present. Sarah (5), is identified as ‘Idiot’, which in those days had a more precise meaning than it has now. An Idiot had an IQ of less than 25; imbecile 26-49; moron 50 – 69.[1] However, since 1891 was before the time of IQ tests it can be interpreted as meaning ‘severe learning difficulty’ in modern English. A Sarah Ro(d)gers Swainson is listed as dying in 1893, aged 7.
Membership Register of Thurston Lodge of Freemasons
The Membership Register of Thurston Lodge of Freemasons, Coniston, has schoolmaster Robert Henry Swainson (31) joining on 27 April 1915. He is listed as living in Coniston.
When Robert died Probate was granted in Carlisle on 6 June 1957 to Robina Bryden Swainson, widow, and Edgar Satterthwaite, solicitor. He left effects valued at £1260 19s 1d.
