Papers of William Laight Applin

Papers of William Laight Applin, Wolverton Carriage Works, c 1893 – 1898. William Laight Applin, was a Herald painter at the Wolverton Carriage Works, and in fact, lived on the Stratford Road opposite the Works. He worked there in the late c 1893 – 1898 and died in Wolverton in 1918. He was employed by the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) as a Herald painter / Draughtsman, and one of his specific tasks was the heraldry on the Royal Carriages as well as general carriage signwriting. Some photographs that he took of some of the Royal insignia on these carriages, as well as a transfer go the LNWR crest.

Hand-pricked stencils that were used to transfer the designs onto the item to be painted, by the use of French chalk. There are also some draft designs, including designs for the London and Birmingham Railway, the London and North Western and Caledonian Railway, and Bishop’s Castle Railway, Wrexham. There is also a small amount of correspondence regarding the purchase of a camera, which can be seen reflected in one of the photographs of the carriages. In addition, also, a Wolverton Fire Brigade card. 1 file.