DARE TO BE A UNION MAN
In the autumn of 1889 the men in Norfolk began to want to form a Union
again. This time they appealed to me to lead them in the district in
which I lived. For some weeks I refused to take any leading part, but
was willing to join a Union. I had only just got settled down
comfortably after my terrible eighteen months of bitter persecution, and
was just anxious to remain quietly at work. I had no wish to enter into
the turmoil of public life. But at last, through the men's constant
pleadings, I yielded to the pressure. On November 5, 1889, eleven men
formed a deputation and came to my house and stated they represented a
large number of men in the district who had decided to form a Union and
they wanted me to lead them. I questioned them in order to ascertain if
they had seriously thought the matter over. They assured me they had. I
also informed them that in my judgment no Union would stand which had no
other object than merely to raise wages and that they must go in for
something higher than that. I then asked them what Union they wished to
form, or did they wish to link up with Arch's Union which was almost
defunct. They expressed a wish to form a Union on the same lines as Mr.
Rix had formed his, and I was asked to write to Mr. Rix to come over and
address one or two meetings and explain the rules of his Union. This I
did. Mr. Rix agreed to come, and two meetings were arranged to be held
within a fortnight, one at the White Horse Inn at Cromer and the other
at the Free Methodist Church at Aylmerton. Both meetings were packed and
were addressed by George Rix and myself. Large numbers gave in their
names for membership. It was decided to form a Union on the principle of
the rules as explained by Mr. Rix, to be called the Federal Union,
Cromer District. The objects of the Union were to be as follows: To
improve the social and moral well-being of its members; to assist them
to secure allotments and representation on local authorities and even in
the Imperial Parliament; to assist members to migrate and emigrate. Ten
shillings per week to be paid in strike and victimization pay. Legal
advice to be given. Each member to pay 1s. per year harvest levy to
enable a member to have his harvest money made up to him in case of a
dispute. Each member to pay a contribution of 2-1/4d. per week, or 9d. per
month, 8d. per month to be sent to the district and 1d. per month to be
kept by the branch for branch management.
I was elected District Secretary, with no salary fixed for the office. I
set about the work in all earnestness, addressing five meetings a week,
and writing articles in the weekly papers each week. I kept at my daily
work all this time, my employer, Mr. Ketton, putting nothing in my way,
allowing me to leave my work an hour early whenever I required to do so
and always allowing me to go "one journey." I opened branches at Gresham
and Alby Hill (the very place at which I was turned out of my house only
five years before). Branches were also opened at Aylsham, Hindolveston,
Foulsham, Reepham, Guestwick, Kelling, Southrepps, Gunthorpe, Barney,
Guist, Cawston, Bintry, and Lenwade. To many of these places I had to
walk, as there was no train service except in a few instances and then
only one way. Numbers of the villages were ten and twelve miles from my
home. I often left a meeting at ten o'clock at night and reached home at
two o'clock in the morning. I could not cycle in those days. This work
continued for over nine months, and during this time I enrolled over
1,000 members at no expense to the Union.
In the autumn of 1890 a general meeting of the members was called, and
this meeting decided I should become a whole-time officer and offered me
L1 a week. This I at once declined on the ground that the labourers were
only receiving 10s. per week, and said I should only take 15s. per week
until the labourers received an increase in their wages. From this date,
greatly against my wishes, I became a paid official of the Union.
Although at this time there was a great revival of the Union spirit, and
men were anxious to join a Union, the National Union, of which Mr. Arch
was the leader, never again took any hold outside Norfolk. County Unions
rose rapidly in other counties under various leaders, Warwickshire under
the leadership of Mr. Ben Ryler, Wiltshire was financed by Mr. Louis
Anstie of Devizes, and Berkshire was financed by the Misses Skirrett of
Reading and led by Mr. T. Quelch. All these were, however, short-lived.
In Norfolk we made rapid progress. Arch revived many of his branches in
North-west and East Norfolk and progress was made by me in North
Norfolk. I helped to start a district in South Norfolk, of which Mr.
Edward James of Ditchingham became secretary. My district, not being
satisfied with its isolated position, made an offer to the two other
districts, namely, East Dereham and Harleston, to become amalgamated in
some way, and thus enable us to become a strong force. Both, for reasons
best known to themselves, preferred to remain independent. I, however,
was convinced that we should never be a force strong enough to meet the
farmers, who were rapidly organizing, so long as we remained little
isolated Unions. In fact, we were nothing more than tiny rural Unions. I
felt rather than continue along those lines I would give the whole thing
up, and I placed my views before my district committee--a splendid body
of men. They at once gave me full power to open correspondence with the
secretary of a Norwich Union, Mr. Joseph Foyster, now a member of the
Norwich bench of magistrates, and the late Mr. Edward Burgess, of
"Daylight" fame, who was president of the Union, which was started about
the time our Cromer district came into being. A conference of the two
Unions was held at the Boar's Head, Surrey Street, Norwich, and after
some discussion an agreement to amalgamate was arrived at, each district
to hold its own funds and to pay a quarterly levy of 2d. per member to a
central fund, which was to be used as a reserve fund in case of a
dispute in either district. An Executive was elected which was to have
control of the Union. Mr. Edward Burgess was elected president and
Messrs. John Leeder, Robert Gotts, J. Spalding, Frank Howes, Joseph
Foyster and A. Day were appointed as the Executive. A Mr. Millar of
Norwich was elected General Secretary with myself as General Treasurer.
I left my position as secretary to the Cromer district. This arrangement
did not last long. Mr. Millar soon left the city and was never known to
come back again. I was asked to accept the position of General
Secretary, which I did. In the Cromer district the following were
amongst my most staunch supporters: Messrs. John Leeder, James Leeder,
Robert Gotts, Miles Leeder, Edward Holsey, John Spalding, Thomas Painter
and Robert Leeder. These men stood by me until the last, never
faltering.
The amalgamation being effected and the rules drawn up and registered,
we made rapid progress. The Norwich district boundaries were fixed east
and south of Norwich. I opened branches at Newton Flotman, Surlingham,
Crostwick, Costessey, Eaton, Lakenham, Great Plumstead, Kirby Bedon,
Rockland St. Mary, Stoke Holy Cross, Rackheath, and Salhouse. In the two
districts in twelve months we reached 3,000 members. Arch's Union also
made progress. The late Mr. Z. Walker was his Norfolk organizer, and
that Union reached about 5,000. We never exceeded these figures.
Although there was a spirit of rivalry between us, the utmost good
feeling prevailed. We never went into each other's district, and always
aimed at preventing overlapping, frequently appearing on each other's
platforms.
Although I started out with the idea of avoiding strikes, we had not
gone far before we found that was impossible. The first struggle we had
was at Hindolveston. A Mr. Aberdeen set his men to cut some meadow grass
and for this he offered them 3s. 6d. per acre. These terms the men
rejected and a lock-out took place. I was informed and I sought an
interview with the employer. This was scornfully refused and a message
was sent out to me that if I went on to his place again he would set the
dog on to me. I indignantly replied that I expected I was dealing with a
gentleman, but regretted to find I was dealing with a man who was not
sufficiently intelligent to treat another with respect. I also told him
I was sure that in less than a week he would send for me and that I
would then mete him out the respect he should have shown me. This was
what did happen. The men would not consent to see him, but referred him
to me. Within a week he sent for me and I settled the dispute by making
arrangements for the men to receive 5s. per acre. That was my first
effort as a leader and peace-maker. While the dispute lasted the men
received the lock-out pay of 10s. per week. The next dispute was at
Great Plumstead in the Norwich district and was of a more serious
character for one hundred men came out in a demand for 1s. increase in
wages. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed, but we found we were in for a
very stiff fight. The Farmers' Federation found up a few men to fill the
places of those on strike, but we were not dismayed. Enthusiastic
meetings were held in every village covered by the Union, and at these
songs written by members of Arch's Union were used by permission of
those concerned. These were sung to well-known Sankey hymn tunes.
One favourite song sung to the tune of "Dare to be a Daniel" was:--
Standing by a purpose true,
Heeding your command,
Honour them, the faithful men,
All hail to the Union band.
_Chorus._
Dare to be a Union man,
Dare to stand alone.
Dare to have a purpose firm,
Dare to make it known.
Another song we sung was "The Farmer's Boy":--
The sun went down beyond the hills,
Across yon dreary moor.
Weary and lame, a boy there came
Up to a farmer's door.
"Will you tell me if any there be
That will give me employ,
To plough and sow, to reap and mow,
And be a farmer's boy?"
Another was "The Labourer's Anthem."
The sons of Labour in the land
Are rising in their might.
In every town they nobly stand,
And battle for the right.
For long they have been trampled on
By money-making elves,
But the time is come for everyone
To rise and help themselves.
_Chorus._
So now, you men, remember then,
This is to be your plan.
Nine hours a day and better pay.
For every working man.
This last song reveals that over forty years ago the men had the ideal
of a fuller life. The struggle in question lasted nearly a month, but we
gained the 1s. increase.
The next battle was fought side by side with Arch's Union. This was over
the resistance of a wage reduction. It was on a large scale and was
fought with great bitterness. Many of the men were evicted from their
homes. This time we were not successful by reason of the fact that the
years of 1891 and 1892 were years of great agricultural depression and
there were large numbers of unemployed in the villages. After a bitter
struggle the men went back to work at the wage offered them. This
greatly dispirited the men, though I did my best to encourage them both
on the platform and in the press.