No . 136
The Trusty Servant
Archibald James Glen Walker Travelling Home for Christmas
Dr Birgitta Huse , who is a social anthropologist , was struck by an unusual plaque in Cloisters , and uncovers here the pathetic story behind the memorial .
The First World War was in its last few turbulent months , and the socalled Spanish ‘ flu pandemic was just beginning , when Archibald James Glen Walker joined Winchester College as a Commoner in May 1918 for Cloister Time . In the House photo ( Fearon ’ s ) the thirteen-year-old boy in the first row looks smaller than his companions . His posture is upright and centred , sitting on the grass with crossed legs . His facial expression is determined as he looks straight towards the camera .
My attention was first caught by his memorial plaque at the East Wall in Cloister . The plaque shows Archibald James ’ s portrait chiseled in white stone . The text below the portrait reads :
In memory of Archibald James Glen Walker , much loved Son of Archibald and Adelaide Walker , Newark Castle , Ayr . Commoner of Winchester College , born April the 28 th 1905 , died December the 22 nd 1920 . He was killed by an accident on his journey home for Christmas . Vitam petiit desiderium cordis tribuisti .
This left me sad and curious . What happened on his journey ? The memorial plaque - a piece of material culture – led me to meet College archivist Suzanne Foster , work through college registers and superficial first layers of stories about the family before unearthing what happened on this journey .
A . J . G . Walker was the elder son of Archibald Walker and Adelaide Orr . College Register 1901-46 offers some more information :
WALKER , ARCHIBALD JAMES GLEN ( D-1920 3 ), b . 28 April , 1905 , e . s . of Lieut . -Col . Archibald Walker , Newark Castle , Ayr , and Adelaide Orr , d . of James M . Thomson , Glasgow ; bro . of G . E . O . W . [ George Edward Orr Walker born 1909 ] D 22 Dec ., 1920 , on a railway journey . Tablet in Cloisters .
In the 1920s the Midland Railway train towards Glasgow left from St Pancras , passing Luton , Leicester , Nottingham , Sheffield , Leeds and Carlisle before the Scottish Railway took over in order to continue via Dumfries and Kilmarnock towards Glasgow . A . J . G . Walker was expected home on Wednesday , 22 nd December , 1920 , but his journey ended unexpected and brutally in the early morning of that day near the train ’ s last stop at Masbro , Rotherham , not far from Sheffield . His body was found on the line at Treeton Junction .
In the College Headmaster ’ s Admission Registration there is a note that A . J . G . Walker died ‘ by walking out of the train .’ What does this mean ? Under the title Fall from a train . Holiday Tragedy investigated at Treeton the Sheffield Daily Independent reports on the 24 th December that ‘[…] he opened a wrong door from his first-class compartment , and fell on to the line . […] the compartment of the corridor train was a coupe one with lavatory accommodation .’ Coroner J . Kenyon Parker is cited : ‘[…] persons suddenly awaking from sleep , sometimes scarcely knew what they did .’ The article also mentions that the boy ’ s father was a director of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company . I wonder how he felt about his son ’ s dying while travelling by train .
The Wykehamist No 602 , February 7 th , 1921 briefly informs : ‘ ARCHIBALD JAMES GLEN WALKER . Born April 28th , 1905 . Entered Winchester College ( D ) from Horris Hill , Cloister Time , 1918 . Killed December 22nd , 1920 . Son of Archibald Walker ; Esq ., Newark Castle , Ayr .’
Life continued . George Edward Orr Walker ( 1909-1973 ), Archibald James ’ s younger brother , joined Winchester College in 1923 .
AJG Walker ( bottom middle ) 1918
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