Seething Wells and the People Who Lived and Worked There

Seething Wells and the people who lived and worked there Introduction This is a result of research pulled together by the Seething Wells Hidden Heritage volunteer team. Thanks to Glenis Ward, Carole Edmunds, Steve Hill, Clare George, Michael Statham- Fletcher, Mark Harrington, Simon Tyrell, Anna Cunningham, Bob Phillips, Tony Johansen, Tim Harrison and Tony Willis. The excavators The Surrey Comet suggests that in 1854 there up to 800 men working on the construction of the water works. This would have been the Chelsea filter beds, which are much larger than the Lambeth Water Company beds. The census material gives us a glimpse of the people who worked at Seething Wells. During the construction of the water beds, there would have been 100s of excavators working there. The work required the excavation of large, deep reservoirs with the construction of river walls and buildings, including the large pump houses that contained the steam powered engines. Documents at the London Metropolitan Archives from the Chelsea Water Company bears this out, listing significant numbers of horses in the cartage books. The excavation was by manual labour, ie there were no machines to do this. The people that carried this out were migrant labourers, who worked in gangs on projects of this kind, such as canals and railways. The construction of the filter beds coincides with the 1851 census, and in that we find 61 locals had jobs associated with this work. The census material we have found so far only relates to the Borough of Kingston, so if any excavators lived in Thames Ditton, or elsewhere. The vast majority describe themselves as ‘Excavator Water Works’ or ‘Labourer at Water Works’. We can see the structure of how they work looking at Frederic Rumble, who lived on Leatherhead Road, is a “Contractor (Water Works) Employing 20 men.” He was obviously a “gang-leader.” Other jobs included Well Borer, Turncock and Engine Driver. On the records, they are classified as ‘lodgers’, living in households headed by another waterworks worker. For example, one household, Brighton Terrace, consisted of the head of household, Thomas Barrows, his wife, Sarah Barrows, two daughters, Sarah Ann (age 5) and Phoebe (age 3) and 10 lodgers all of whom were excavators at the waterworks. These groups lived close to their place of work – in Brighton Road, Leatherhead Road (continuation of Brighton Road), George Street (renamed Cottage Grove), and Seething Wells. At the seething Wells address, there are 10 men lodging, along with the head of the household, Thomas Best his family, wife and 5 children, and two servants. Thomas Best’s Occupation is a Victualler, and Jane Hyde, one of his servants is a Hostler. This is obviously one of the puns along the Portsmouth Road. A smaller household shows Richard Parsons (Leatherhead Road), with his family and tow lodgers from the water works. Howard Benge The Community Brain The majority of the excavators were born elsewhere, which follows them being migrant workers. There is a variety of locations where they came from, including Dorset, Guildford, Hampshire, Stoke, Runcorn, Wiltshire, and as far away as Anglesey. Accidents The work was labour intensive with little machinery. There were pressures to complete the work on time. Health and safety did not exist in the form that we know of. Accidents, including deaths happened. One was of Dobson, who was killed when he fell off “a stone while it was being raised, to prevent it shaking the scaffolding.” It is best to read the article to get the full impact of the tragedy. Daily News, 7 October 1851 Dobson was 21 or 22 years old a local man. The 1851 census return shows him living with his mother who was 72 and his sister Emma, 26. His father Thomas died in 1848. They lived in Hampton Wick. At the age of 72, his mother was no doubt relying on his wages to keep her. Howard Benge The Community Brain The Surrey Comet has recorded a few accidents and near misses. For example, in the 9 Sep 1854 edition, entitled “A Miraculous Escape” (Appendix SC 9-9-54). In the 1 Mar 1856 edition p19 the Fatal accident at Chelsea Water Works is recorded. Henry Stevens, was hit by a falling scaffold pole and drowned in a well: In the 1854 report, the article goes on to explain how the excavators collectively put money aside as insurance against injury; Behaviour With an influx of such a great number of men in a small area, friction would be expected. The men were working long hours. Going through the Surrey Comet, we have not found of any incidents or complaints, but rather the contrary. In 1854, the Comet reports how well behaved the excavators were: “It is a matter for great Satisfaction that in the congregation of such a number of individuals engaged at the work, such a small cause for complaint has been given on the score of irregularity or disturbance. Indeed their conduct has hitherto generally been exemplary, a Howard Benge The Community Brain fact which is to be attributed mainly to the methods and order observed on the various departments of the works and to the punctual attention to the claims of this employed in the payment of wages.” Surrey Comet 9 March 1854 The operational water works Once the water works were operational, the numbers of people working there were less. Using the Kingston University Life-cycles database, we have found a pattern of men working there and living locally. We can pick up the same people and their families in 1861, 1871 and 1881 censuses. George Bedford One example is the George Bedford, who in 1861 was a Water Works Labourer, 34 years old, lived in Brighton Road with his wife Sarah (34), and his three sons William (12), Walter (4), Charles (4) and daughter Mary Ann (1). George, Sarah, William and Walter were born in Berkhampstead in Hertfordshire. At first glance it appears that Walter and Charles are twins, but they were born in different places. George and Sarah must have moved into the area in the last 4 years, if Walter’s birthplace is not an administration mistake. In the 1871 census, George and his family have moved to 8 St Mary’s Road in Surbiton, which is now a modern building. A Victorian house still exists at the bottom of the road, which may give us an indication of the size of house they lived in. His job has remained the same, a Water Works Labourer and his oldest son now works at the Water Works as a Stoker. Mary Ann is now 11 years old and is a scholar, but is no longer the youngest child in the household, as Sarah (9), Annie (7), Emily (4) and George (3) appears. Walter does not appear in the household In the 1881 census George is now 54 and the household consists of Walter and Emily. We have a record of George in the Chelsea Water Work’s List of Company’s Workmen and employed at Surbiton, documents, dated 1881. He is recorded as having worked for the company for 27 years, 54 years old, is a Coal Weigher, &c, (implying other duties), was paid 27/6 per week and has a Garden Ground for an emolument. William is also mentioned, 16 years service, 34 years old, and engine worker, paid 30/ a week and has a company cottage and garden and about 3/- for cleaning flues. Charles is also in the document, with 5 years’ service, 25 years old, assistant Stoker and cleaner paid 25/- a week. In the 1891 census, George is still working at the water works, and now aged 64. He is down as a coal labourer. He is still in St Mary’s Road with Sarah; their cottage is now called 8 Elm Cottages. George, their youngest son is still living with them, is 23 years old and is an assistant stoker, although the water works is not specified. Marriage William married Mary in 1875. Charles married Marianne in 1880 and Walter married Mary Ann in 1882, all in St. Mark’s Church. Howard Benge The Community Brain Work George established himself in the water works in a job that was not under-paid. His son’s followed him in similar work and stayed and married in Surbiton. Stoking and Coal Weighing is not a job to be under-estimated. In order to pump the water to the reservoirs, the engines needed the right amounts of coal at the right times to ensure sufficient power without being un-economical. Sources The Surrey Comet articles from the Kingston Museum and Heritage Service Census material from Kingston Museum and Heritage Service and Kingston University’s Life- cycle database. Lambeth Water Company and Chelsea Water Company documents from the London Metropolitan Archives. Howard Benge The Community Brain .

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