Station master at Twickenham
When the very first ‘rugby special’ fast trains brought spectators from London to the new Rugby Union ground in 1909.
The first Twickenham railway station opened in 1848, with two platforms around a double track and a Gothic-style brick station
building. James Carpenter was the station master here in 1909 when the majority of the 3,000 spectators passed through the station
to watch the inaugural match at the new Rugby Union ground nearby.
James was the son of a gardener, born in Froyle near Alton in 1856. He started his working life as a railway clerk and by his 30s
he was station master at Medstead, then at Farnborough and later to Twickenham.
The Rugby Football Union bought 10 acres of vegetable gardens at Twickenham in 1907. The first stands and roads were built and
by 1909 the stadium was ready for its first match Harlequins v. Richmond on Saturday 2 October. With a capacity of 9,000 seated
undercover and a similar number standing a great many spectators were anticipated. The London and South-Western Railway
Co. had announced a special fast train departing Waterloo North for Twickenham in 22 minutes, with return post-match special
services too.
Harlequins defeated Richmond 14 points to 10. And in post-match analysis the newspapers were complimentary about the
excellent dressing accommodation but critical of the Press facilities, and of the condition of the ‘pitch’ saying the grass was
too long, the going was heavy after rain, and players were being tripped up by awkward turf. One newspaper remarked that
“Twickenham is possessed of an obsolete station with pettifogging approaches and exits, and we are inclined to regard the
transhipment of a score of thousand people in a few hours without mishap as a triumph of luck. The winding steps and bottle
necked approaches have been described as death-traps.” Another complained “the ground cannot be considered as cheap and easy
of access from London”. New platforms were built in 1938, with the station being completely rebuilt in 1954. The station was
drastically overhauled, at the Rugby Football Union’s behest, to help improve the handling of spectators. It opened in 2020 as
Twickenham Gateway.
Twickenham’s first railway station https://www.kentrail.org.uk/twickenham_old.htm
