One of the joys of an interest in railways is that it touches so many other subjects, and a practical example can be found on one of the entry doors of the museum carriage at Toddington on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway.  Although the red and yellow cast iron plate bearing the words “CRUMP  ALVIN WORKS  GLOUCESTER” is not strictly speaking a railway relic it does hark back to the days when Gloucester played a more important role in British manufacturing industry, itself nurtured by an expansive railway network.

However, in early 2011 I was very pleased to receive an email from David Martin Crump, great grandson of founder Henry Smith Crump, who was able to fill in many of the historic details behind the maker’s plate at Toddington.

Henry Smith Crump was one of seven children born to William Crump and his wife Harriott .William was a grocer who employed 2 grocery assistants and 2 servants – presumably he needed help with the kids.  Harriott was presumably the daughter of George Smith, the next door neighbour at 66 Westgate Street in Gloucester.

Crump Works – located next to where Gloucestershire Heritage Hub ( formerly Gloucestershire Archives) stands today –  made pre-fabricated iron barns, water troughs and other agricultural equipment.

In January 2021, Jim Pratt, a volunteer at the Cookworthy Museum in Kingsbridge, Devon, contacted me with a picture of the H. S. Crump scarifier that he had recently restored.

Then, in May 2021, Kenneth Lewis of North Devon was kind enough to send me some pictures of a Crump built horse drawn implement – purchased at a farm sale in 1992 – which he has restored as a flower planter. As it turned out, his colour scheme was exactly the same as the plaque on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

Then, in the summer of 2021, a gentleman in Aberdeen, Scotland, emailed me with some pictures of a circular object cast by H S Crump which he had found in his garden. This may possibly have been something to do with Aberdeen’s cloth Mills, but if anyone has more specific information I would be pleased to learn more.

February 2026 meanwhile saw Ben Walker being kind enough to send me pictures of a Crump built lamp hut at the railway station at Craven Arms in Shropshire.

As can be seen from the illustration below, Crump Alvin Ironworks won many agricultural show medals during the 1870s and 1880s.

Henry Smith Crump became a wealthy man as a result although it is believed that the demand for metal during the First World War caused the demise of his business.

However, it is also believed that the company later became known as Crump and Barron and moved to Ladybellegate Street, Gloucester, in the 1930s.  Henry, the son of Henry Smith Crump and grandfather of David Martin Crump, continued in business with an ironmongery shop.

The son of Henry Crump – and father of David Martin Crump – was Martin Crump who was a partner in the firm Sandoe and Son who ran the Gloucester fruit and vegetable market which was originally located on the site of today’s Gloucester Bus Station before moving to St Oswald’s Road in 1962.

If you have any more information on Henry Smith Crump and his Alvin Works that you would like to add to this article then please feel free to email me

In fact in early 2013 I was contacted by Mrs Fiona Woollett who was born in 1963 as the daughter of James Forbes who married Pamela Eve Tanis Atcheson – pictured left and below left-  in 1955.

Pamela Eve Tanis Atcheson and her husband James Forbes both studied at RADA and were professional stage actors

Pamela Eve Tanis Atcheson was the daughter of Eve Atcheson – pictured above –  but was brought up in Harrogate by her grandmother – whose maiden name was Crump and is pictured below. The grandfather of  Pamela Eve Tanis Atcheson was Sydney Atcheson, who died on 6 January 1954 aged 79 years.

Mrs Woollett also very kindly sent me some pictures of the family bible that her mother left to her which, as can be seen below, show the following inscriptions.

HJ Crump  21 July 1862   “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Henry Martin Crump Born 14 November 1872, Christened 24 February 1873 “Abbey” Tewkesbury Henry Martin Crump died on 27 June1943 aged 71 years George Wallace Crump  Born 2 January 1844,  Christened 26 March 1844 “Abbey” Tewkesbury.  Died 23 July 1915.  He seems to have been buried 27 or 29 July 1915 ) aged 71 yearsFlorence Winifred Crump  Born 24 September 1845, Christened 2 November 1845 Gertrude Anne Crump  Born 18 February 1877 ( the handwriting is unclear) Christened 5 July 1877.  Died 11 August 1844. Mrs Woolett was also able to tell me that Henry Smith Crump – who started the Foundry –  died on 14 February 1927 and was buried on 18 February 1927 aged 82 years, meaning that he was born in 1845. Martin Crump, died on 22 August 22 1941 and was buried on 27 August 1941 aged 92 years.

In addition, Fiona Woollett was also kind enough to send me some images of a Florence Winifred Crump’s recipe book and a box belonging to Florence’s great grandmother.