John Pattern (1868-1956)

Articles

SAW FIRST SHIP ENTER SUTTON BRIDGE DOCK

A man from who Walpole as a boy to walked from Walpole to Sutton Bridge to see the first ship – The Garland – sail into the new dock just built there is 85-year-old retired railwayman, Mr. John Pattern, of 3 Nelson Terrace, Wisbech Road, Lynn.

But it is, not surprisingly, the railway about which he can reminisce most and in an interview with a “Lynn News and Advertiser” reporter, Mr. Pattern, who will be 86 next month, said that he too could remember the old passenger station at West Lynn against the Pullover Road level-crossing. This station was recently recalled by 81-year-old Mr. Daniel Coates, of Guanock Terrace, Lynn.

“When I was a lad, my father and I brought some cattle from Walpole Cross Keys to a field near the Cut Bridges and took tickets home from West Lynn station to Walpole,” Mr. Pattern recalled.

OLD LINE

“I also remember taking a ticket from Grimston Road station to Lynn via an old line through Bawsey before South Lynn Station was opened.”

Mr. Pattern started work on the railway at Walpole in July, 1883. later moving to Sutton Bridge. South Lynn station was opened for goods traffic in October, 1885, and for passengers the following January.

Early in the April of 1886 Mr. Pattern was transferred from Sutton Bridge to South Lynn as a porter, and for two years lodged in the old station house at West Lynn. The old wooden station platform was still there then.

“West Lynn station closed when the new one at South Lynn was opened.” Mr. Pattern. recalled. “The last station master there was a Mr. Blackburn.”

SIGNALMAN

Mr. Pattern was on the railway for 47 years, first as a porter and later as a signalman. He signalled trains through South Lynn from 1893 until his retirement in 1930. The busiest time he has ever had was when he signalled 114 trains in eight hours.

He is a staunch believer in the “good old days” as far as the railways are concerned. “Railwaymen used to take more pride in their work then, and working was much happier,” he said.

One of his duties when at Sutton Bridge was to help swing the bridge across the river. And now memories of that time are revived for him every time he walks in his back garden, for an old toll-hut which formerly stood at one end of the bridge to collect fees from pedestrians and carriage-drivers now stands there. He bought it from the railway 50 years ago.

Lynn Advertiser (15 January 1954)

THAT OTHER STATION

The latter years of life often provide time to look back on past events. Recent articles in this journal referring to the building of the South Lynn Station in the latter part of last century have served to revive many fond memories among the older generation.

The ball was set rolling when Mr. Daniel Coates, of Guanock Terrace, Lynn, re- called the existence of a railway passenger station across the Pullover Road crossing.

Mr. Robert Walker, from Tennyson Avenue, then entered the discussion. He thought the Station was open in 1895.

Now Mr. John Pattern tells us he thinks the West Lynn Station was closed in October, 1885, on the opening of the South Lynn station for goods traffic.

Mr. Pattern, an 85-year-old retired porter and signalman, living at 3 Nelson Terrace. Wisbech Road, Lynn, worked on the South Lynn station when it was opened for goods in 1885 and for pasengers in January, 1886. In 1887, he recalls, there was a a series of robberies at the station.

Lynn Advertiser (26 January 1954)

Mr. J. Pattern

The funeral took place at All Saints’ Church, King’s Lynn, last Thursday, of Mr John Pattern, who died at his home, 3 Nelson Terrace, Wisbech Road, Lynn, the previous Monday, at the age of 88.

Mr. Pattern, who survived his wife by twelve years, was a native of Deptford but spent most of his life in Lynn where he worked as a signalman on the old M. & G. N. Railway until his retirement in 1930.

Mourners were Mrs J. Wright. Mrs. M. E. Algar, Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Stiles, Mr. C Pattern, Mr. F. Saintey, Mrs C. Wells, Mr. and Mrs. D. Holland, Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Stiles, Miss J. Wright, Mr. and Mrs. G. Carter, Mr. W. Carter, Mr. and Mrs. J. Williamson, Mr. and Mrs. S Gore, Mrs. C. Gore.

Others present included Mrs. E. Howard. Mr. W. Robinson, Mrs. H. Stafford, Mrs. Richardson, Mrs. K. Crawford, Mrs. Hewitt, Mrs. I. Draycott and there were many old friends at the graveside.

Lynn Advertiser (14 September 1956)