Colonel Stephens comes to Resolfen

Colonel Stephens 1868 -1931

A Report on the February Meeting of Resolfen History Society.

This month’s speaker was Mr Stephen Garrett of Chingford, Essex. He took “Colonel Holman Stephens in South Wales”, as his topic, the story of an extremely colourful entrepreneur especially in the building of light railways.

He began his light railway career by building the Kent and East Sussex Railway and also played a part in the building of the Metropolitan Railway .He also sailed close to the financial wind and his ventures were renowned for being makeshift in terms of financial backing and rolling stock. His main interest in South Wales involved mineral railways in both the Aman , Swansea and Gwendraeth Valleys where he built anMr Garrett began his talk by stating that most of what was known of Stephens’ early history had been drawn from letters to his parents. Although he is not thought to have had any Welsh ancestry it is interesting that he always referred to his parents as “Mam” and “Dah”. Stephens was born in 1868 and was the godson of the painter Holman Hunt. The title Colonel referred to a career in the (now) Territorial Army where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel while pursuing a career as a railway engineer and entrepreneur in his private capacity. During the First World War he was given the option of pursuing his railway career or enlisting full time. In choosing the latter he seems to have been influenced by the drowning at Gallipoli of 129 soldiers he had been closely involved in recruiting.

He began his railway career as an assistant to the Engineering department of the Metropolitan Railway. From here he went on to survey, promote and build small independent railways and to rebuild existing lines. He often sailed close to the financial wind and his ventures were renowned for being makeshift in terms of financial backing and rolling stock. His main interest in South Wales involved mineral railways in both the Aman, Swansea and Gwendraeth Valleys where he was responsible for rebuilding the Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Railway after the Board of Trade had discovered that it was carrying passengers without the necessary safety precautions. His rather cavalier attitude often led him intio conflict with the Light Railway Commissioners. A later scheme involved the building of the Gower Light Railway between Mumbles and Port Eynon. This scheme was scuppered once again by a lack of finance, local opposition from the Mumbles Tram Company and the unfortunate intervention of the outbreak of the First World War.

Stephens was also noted for having never owning a home and instead lived in hotels and gentlemen’s clubs. This enabled him to bend the ear of influential individuals with the hope of bankrolling his various enterprises. He died, of a heart attack, in 1931, fortuitously before the collapse of his remaining ventures. Mr S R Garrett LLB ; MA (Oxon)

Mr Gwyn Thomas thanked Mr Garrett for almost entertaining evening and described Colonel Stephens as someone who could not be criticised for a lack of enthusiasm.
Next month’s speaker will be Mr Jeff Childs of Dinas Powis.
Trefor Jones.