Clement E. Stretton

Clement Edwin Stretton (3 October 1850—20 February 1915)[1] was a consulting engineer and author of several books and numerous papers on the subjects of railways and freemasonry, being active during the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries. His two major works, The Locomotive Engine and its Development (1887), and Safe Railway Working: A Treatise on Railway Accidents, Their Cause and Prevention With a Description of Modern Appliances and Systems (1892), ran to 6 and 3 editions respectively. He also produced a lengthy history of the Midland Railway (1901).

Clement E. Stretton

C.E.
Born(1850-10-03)3 October 1850
Leicester, England [1]
Died20 February 1915(1915-02-20) (aged 64)
Leicester, England [1]
OccupationConsulting engineer, author
EducationRugby School [1]
Subject
SpouseAlice Hannah Thompson (m. 14 February 1878, d. 28 November 1885) [2][3]
Children
  • Clement (b. 12 May 1879) [4][5]
  • Alice (b. 28 June 1880) [5][6]
RelativesClement (father)

During his lifetime Stretton was (and still remains) a somewhat controversial figure as his writing on railways was often heavily criticized for alleged inaccuracies and fabrications. He became involved in long-running and bitter dispute with G. A. Sekon, editor of The Railway Magazine.[7][8][9]

Life

Stretton was born in 1850 and lived in Leicester,[10] and in 1866 was articled to a Civil Engineering firm for £300.[10]

Stretton claims he was assigned to work at a quarry in Cromford, Derbyshire.[10] He claims the Guild Masons at the quarry refused to work with him, but when he joined the Operative Society after a few days he received total support from them. Stretton thereafter worked his way through the degrees of the Operative Masonry.[10]

In 1871 also became initiated into Speculative Freemasonry at the Leicester Lodge.[10]

Stretton was a prolific railway writer but there are wide and strong concerns about inaccuracies and the possible fabrications of stories.[8]

In 1908 Stretton re-visited the Derby Lodge and noted a substantial decline in membership.[10] This initiated Stretton into an attempt to make efforts to revive Guild Masonry and ensure the traditions were not lost.[10] He has received credit for his work in passing down the information from the Operative Guild which might otherwise have been lost.[11] John Yarker of Manchester was also active in these efforts.[12]

Stretton died in 1915.[10]

Legacy

Railway track items in the Stretton Collection are held at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery.[13]

Bibliography

Stretton was a prolific writer on railway and masonic matters, his larger works online include:

  • Safe Railway Working: a Treatise on Railway Accidents: Their Cause and Prevention With a Description of Modern Appliances and Systems (3rd ed.). London: Crobsy, Lockwood and Son. 1893 [1887]. OCLC 503789878. OL 20605374M.
  • The Locomotive Engine and Its Development (6th ed.). London: Crosby, Lockwood and Son. 1903 [1892]. OCLC 265878314. OL 20443807M.
  • The History of the Midland Railway. London: Methuen & Co. 1901. OCLC 503789580. OL 6922282M.

References

Footnotes
  1. "Death of Mr. Clement Stretton: Interesting Leicester Personality". Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury. 27 February 1915. p. 2.
  2. "Marriages". Leicester Journal. 22 February 1878. p. 8.
  3. "Alice Hannah Stretton (24 Mar 1853–28 Nov 1885)". Find A Grave. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  4. "Births". Leicester Journal. 16 May 1879. p. 8.
  5. "Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881". Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1881. Class: RG11; Piece: 3160; Folio: 57; Page: 16; GSU roll: 1341754 – via Ancestry.co.uk.
  6. "Births". Leicester Journal. 2 July 1880. p. 8.
  7. Gwyn & Cossons (2017), p. 13.
  8. KPJ (2019).
  9. Jack (2001), p. 5.
  10. Kibble-Rees (2016).
  11. Carr (1911), p. 55.
  12. Belanger (2016).
  13. Gwyn & Cossons (2017), p. 10, 42.

Sources
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