The year-long celebrations to mark the 175th anniversary of Swindon as a railway town continued last week when law firm Thrings hosted the Autumn Hooty Party.
The event, held in the Caerphilly Hall of Swindon’s STEAM Museum, was attended by members of the Swindon business community.
Regional law firm Thrings, which has its head office in Swindon, is headline business sponsors of Swindon175 – the initiative honouring the anniversary of the arrival of the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1841 and the birth of modern Swindon.
The Hooty Party was one of a series of business, cultural and community events and exhibitions that have been taking place year.
Swindon-based branding and marketing expert Paul Gentleman – who is working with the Swindon 175 team - said: “Swindon175 has been all about celebrating the town’s past, present and future and it’s fantastic the way business has got behind this important year of celebration.
“Rightly the profile of the town has been raised, not only to the wider region, but importantly to those who live and work here. Let’s now build on this, and together push the town further forward and show off our fantastic heritage and exciting future.”
Welcoming guests to the event, Thrings corporate partner Simon Hore pointed out that the firm has a 300-year association with Wiltshire.
“The arrival of the railway marks a turning point in the town’s history and played a central role in making Swindon the commercial centre of the region it is today.
“We are pleased to be supporting Swindon175 as a celebration of the destination’s rich heritage and reputation as a great place to live and to do business.”
The Hooty Party took its name from the hooter of the town’s famous railway works – at one time the largest industrial complex of its kind.
The hooter call used to mark the working day to employees across the town. At its peak use, the hooter was sounded up to nine times a day and for up to 12 seconds at a time. It was last heard at 4.30pm on March 26, 1986, when the works closed for the last time.
For more information about Swindon175, visit www.swindon175.com
Pictured below, from left: Thrings commercial solicitor Louisa Smith, corporate partner Simon Hore, commercial property partner Alex Pinhey and commercial solicitor Sadia Ghaffar
Pictured below: Paul Gentleman from Swindon175 addressing the Hooty Party attendees
Pictured below: Thrings corporate partner Simon Hore welcoming guests to the Hooty Party
