Stan and Pansy. Date and location unknown.
Last Update: Sept 12, 2004
I've created this page as a companion to Memoirs of a Railwayman by Stanley Rowe Mercer, Stan's memoirs that I put on the web in November 1996.
Stan died before he could complete his writings, so his memoirs never brought us up to date with Stan and Pam's life. This page will attempt to add some colour to the later years and the images will let you put faces to some of the names.
I will gradually be adding family memories, photos and newspaper articles. Keep checking back for updates. For other family photos, history and information, visit my Family page.
For more information or if you have any comments, you can write to me at Dave@McClellandMedia.com
Stan and Pansy (centre) at a party. On the left is Pam's sister Ruby and husband, Wilf Selby. On the right is another sister, Iris, with her husband, Arnold Booth. Date and location unknown.
Stan and Pansy, with daughter June
NOW TRAIN BLAZE HERO WILL BE REWARDED SHEFFIELD railway guard, 53-year-old Stanley Mercer, sprang into action when he smelled burning on his early morning passenger train. Desperately he searched through every coach until he came to the leading brake van next to the engine - where he found a fire in the roof. Slamming on the emergency brake, he fought the flames with buckets of water carried from the engine until the danger was over. A British Railways spokesman said: "Mr. Mercer's prompt action prevented the fire spreading, with possibly more serious consequences." And now Mr. Mercer, a passenger guard at Sheffield Victoria Station, is to get his reward. On Thursday he will be presented with a cash gift and a letter of commendation by Mr. S.C. Webb, traffic manager at Sheffield. York Train The fire broke out on the 8.17 a.m. from Sheffield Victoria to York on January 28. Mr. Mercer smelled the burning as the train was running between Hickleton Main and Moorthorpe. After putting the fire out, he made a further detailed examination of the brake van at Moorthorpe and then kept a sharp lookout for the remainder of the journey to York - where the train arrived only six minutes late.
SHEFFIELD railway guard, 53-year-old Stanley Mercer, sprang into action when he smelled burning on his early morning passenger train. Desperately he searched through every coach until he came to the leading brake van next to the engine - where he found a fire in the roof. Slamming on the emergency brake, he fought the flames with buckets of water carried from the engine until the danger was over. A British Railways spokesman said: "Mr. Mercer's prompt action prevented the fire spreading, with possibly more serious consequences." And now Mr. Mercer, a passenger guard at Sheffield Victoria Station, is to get his reward. On Thursday he will be presented with a cash gift and a letter of commendation by Mr. S.C. Webb, traffic manager at Sheffield. York Train The fire broke out on the 8.17 a.m. from Sheffield Victoria to York on January 28. Mr. Mercer smelled the burning as the train was running between Hickleton Main and Moorthorpe. After putting the fire out, he made a further detailed examination of the brake van at Moorthorpe and then kept a sharp lookout for the remainder of the journey to York - where the train arrived only six minutes late.
SHEFFIELD railway guard, 53-year-old Stanley Mercer, sprang into action when he smelled burning on his early morning passenger train. Desperately he searched through every coach until he came to the leading brake van next to the engine - where he found a fire in the roof. Slamming on the emergency brake, he fought the flames with buckets of water carried from the engine until the danger was over. A British Railways spokesman said: "Mr. Mercer's prompt action prevented the fire spreading, with possibly more serious consequences." And now Mr. Mercer, a passenger guard at Sheffield Victoria Station, is to get his reward. On Thursday he will be presented with a cash gift and a letter of commendation by Mr. S.C. Webb, traffic manager at Sheffield.
The fire broke out on the 8.17 a.m. from Sheffield Victoria to York on January 28. Mr. Mercer smelled the burning as the train was running between Hickleton Main and Moorthorpe. After putting the fire out, he made a further detailed examination of the brake van at Moorthorpe and then kept a sharp lookout for the remainder of the journey to York - where the train arrived only six minutes late.
BLAZE TRAIN GUARD HERO GETS THANK-YOU CHEQUE RAILWAY guard Stanley Mercer, wearing his familiar buttonhole of primroses, sat back in the Station Master's Office at Sheffield Victoria Station today and recalled the drama of the 8.17 when smoke billowed along the corridors of the packed train as he fought a fire. Mr. Mercer, aged 53, of Binsted Road, Sheffield, a guard for 18 years, was highly commended by Traffic Manager Mr. S.C. Webb for his prompt action in tackling the blaze in a brake van on a Sheffield-York train in January. "If you had not acted so quickly, the whole train could have been on fire," said Mr. Webb. The draught rushing along the corridors of a moving train could have resulted in the fire spreading and a panic of the passengers. Commendation Mr. Webb, watched by the station master, Mr. P. Williamson, and Mr. Mercer's colleagues, presented a letter of commendation and a cheque to Mr. Mercer. Mr. Mercer had noticed a smell of burning when the train was between Hickleton Main and Moorthorpe. He examined every coach until he discovered fire in the roof of the leading brake van. He applied the emergency brake and when the train halted extinguished the fire with buckets of water obtained from the engine. "Nobody knew there was a fire, although smoke was billowing along the corridors," said Mr. Mercer today. Wintry Day "It was a cold, wintry day and everyone had the doors and windows shut." A railwayman for 38 years, Mr. Mercer is a keen gardener. He's able to boast that he has never worn a buttonhole that he has not grown himself.
RAILWAY guard Stanley Mercer, wearing his familiar buttonhole of primroses, sat back in the Station Master's Office at Sheffield Victoria Station today and recalled the drama of the 8.17 when smoke billowed along the corridors of the packed train as he fought a fire. Mr. Mercer, aged 53, of Binsted Road, Sheffield, a guard for 18 years, was highly commended by Traffic Manager Mr. S.C. Webb for his prompt action in tackling the blaze in a brake van on a Sheffield-York train in January. "If you had not acted so quickly, the whole train could have been on fire," said Mr. Webb. The draught rushing along the corridors of a moving train could have resulted in the fire spreading and a panic of the passengers.
Mr. Webb, watched by the station master, Mr. P. Williamson, and Mr. Mercer's colleagues, presented a letter of commendation and a cheque to Mr. Mercer. Mr. Mercer had noticed a smell of burning when the train was between Hickleton Main and Moorthorpe. He examined every coach until he discovered fire in the roof of the leading brake van. He applied the emergency brake and when the train halted extinguished the fire with buckets of water obtained from the engine. "Nobody knew there was a fire, although smoke was billowing along the corridors," said Mr. Mercer today.
"It was a cold, wintry day and everyone had the doors and windows shut." A railwayman for 38 years, Mr. Mercer is a keen gardener. He's able to boast that he has never worn a buttonhole that he has not grown himself.
After his retirement from British Rail at age 60, Stan took a part-time job preparing cars for customer delivery at a local Volkswagen dealership, J. Gilder's and Co. Ltd. in Sheffield, England.
Tragedy struck on the day Stan, 65, retired from work. By a staff reporter STANLEY MERCER'S working life ended in tragedy. After a celebration drink with workmates on his last day at J.Gilder's and Co. Ltd., 65-year-old Stan, of Deer Park Road, Walkley, (actually Stannington-DM) Sheffield, collapsed and fractured his skull. He was taken to Sheffield's Royal Hospital where he was critically ill until his death on July 30, a Sheffield inquest heard. During his stay in hospital his injury was aggravated when he fell from a chair, after having physiotherapy treatment, and broke his nose. ACCIDENTAL "But the fall in hospital did not speed up his death in any way," said Dr. Rodney Gunn, surgical registrar at the Royal Hospital. "Mr. Mercer, who was being fed through a nasal tube died after inhaling vomit." South Yorkshire Coroner, Dr. Herbert H. Pilling, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, said no-one at Mr. Mercer's workplace was responsible for his fall and the hospital staff did not appear to have been negligent in any way. But he did recommend that patients should be more closely guarded when they are sitting out of bed.
By a staff reporter STANLEY MERCER'S working life ended in tragedy. After a celebration drink with workmates on his last day at J.Gilder's and Co. Ltd., 65-year-old Stan, of Deer Park Road, Walkley, (actually Stannington-DM) Sheffield, collapsed and fractured his skull. He was taken to Sheffield's Royal Hospital where he was critically ill until his death on July 30, a Sheffield inquest heard. During his stay in hospital his injury was aggravated when he fell from a chair, after having physiotherapy treatment, and broke his nose.
"But the fall in hospital did not speed up his death in any way," said Dr. Rodney Gunn, surgical registrar at the Royal Hospital. "Mr. Mercer, who was being fed through a nasal tube died after inhaling vomit." South Yorkshire Coroner, Dr. Herbert H. Pilling, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, said no-one at Mr. Mercer's workplace was responsible for his fall and the hospital staff did not appear to have been negligent in any way. But he did recommend that patients should be more closely guarded when they are sitting out of bed.
Most of the newspaper clippings and photographs here were found in a small suitcase Pansy brought with her from England. A small sticker on the top says, "My dear Stan's memories." It contains photographs of people long forgotten, Stan's old tobacco pipes and personal papers.
My dear Grandmother, Pansy Mercer, passed away September 24, 1995, after a short illness. I found it especially hard at the time as I was working away from home and wasn't able to see her in her last few days. I especially regret never sitting down with her and capturing some of her memories on videotape. We have some video of Pansy at family events and I have an audiotape of a story she told me of her war-time memories that aired on CBC Radio.
Pam Mercer taken 1986
Pansy (Pam) Mercer Pam was heartbroken in 1974 when she lost her beloved husband, Stan, after an accident. She was not to know then that she was to live another twenty-one years after his death, six of these in Canada. Pam was dedicated to her family and to her work. She was employed by the Great Universal Stores in Great Britain for over thirty years; finally as an Accounts Inspector. She retired at age sixty-five, but never lost her mathematical gift for figures. She had the ability to calculate columns of figures in her head faster than any calculator. Even to her last days, this ability never left her. She was very loved and respected throughout her working life, with many friends, and she loved every minute of it. In 1989, Pam left England for Canada to join her daughter June, son-in-law Dave and grandsons David and John. This was a very bold step to take at seventy-nine years of age, but she found good friends here and it became her home. Pam's request to us when she left England was that, on her death, her ashes be laid to rest with her husband Stan, in the cemetery of the Christ Church in Stannington, near Sheffield. To grant this wish is the least we can do. She will join Stan on November 8th, 1995. Rest in peace Pam. We love you. Pam kept a little book at her bedside, The Friendship Book of Francis Gay. Her bookmark was at this poem. At the end of the tunnel There's always the light, There's always the dawning After the night, Always the solace After the pain, Ever the sunshine After the rain; Look up at the rainbow Arched up at the sky, A symbol of promise When things go awry. - Dorothy M. Loughran
Pam was heartbroken in 1974 when she lost her beloved husband, Stan, after an accident. She was not to know then that she was to live another twenty-one years after his death, six of these in Canada.
Pam was dedicated to her family and to her work. She was employed by the Great Universal Stores in Great Britain for over thirty years; finally as an Accounts Inspector. She retired at age sixty-five, but never lost her mathematical gift for figures. She had the ability to calculate columns of figures in her head faster than any calculator. Even to her last days, this ability never left her. She was very loved and respected throughout her working life, with many friends, and she loved every minute of it.
In 1989, Pam left England for Canada to join her daughter June, son-in-law Dave and grandsons David and John. This was a very bold step to take at seventy-nine years of age, but she found good friends here and it became her home.
Pam's request to us when she left England was that, on her death, her ashes be laid to rest with her husband Stan, in the cemetery of the Christ Church in Stannington, near Sheffield. To grant this wish is the least we can do. She will join Stan on November 8th, 1995.
Rest in peace Pam. We love you.
Pam kept a little book at her bedside, The Friendship Book of Francis Gay. Her bookmark was at this poem. At the end of the tunnel There's always the light, There's always the dawning After the night, Always the solace After the pain, Ever the sunshine After the rain; Look up at the rainbow Arched up at the sky, A symbol of promise When things go awry. - Dorothy M. Loughran
Pam kept a little book at her bedside, The Friendship Book of Francis Gay. Her bookmark was at this poem.
At the end of the tunnel There's always the light, There's always the dawning After the night, Always the solace After the pain, Ever the sunshine After the rain; Look up at the rainbow Arched up at the sky, A symbol of promise When things go awry. - Dorothy M. Loughran
At the end of the tunnel There's always the light, There's always the dawning After the night, Always the solace After the pain, Ever the sunshine After the rain; Look up at the rainbow Arched up at the sky, A symbol of promise When things go awry.
- Dorothy M. Loughran
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