SUCCESS AT LAST
At the end of the year the Provisional Committee was so satisfied with
the success of my efforts that they decided to call a general meeting of
the branches formed and to invite the branches to send one delegate
each. It was left to me to make the arrangements, and Norwich was
selected as the place of meeting in the first week in February. I
engaged the large room at the Co-operative Institute. By the time this
delegate meeting was held I had formed fifty-six branches with a
membership of nearly two thousand. Fifty-six delegates, together with
the members of the Provisional Committee, attended. After paying all
expenses incurred during the five months, postage, printing of rules,
that day's conference, etc., the treasurer was able to report a credit
balance of L47 7s 5d. A statement to this effect was afterwards given to
the new Executive Committee.
By the first week in February 1907 I had completed all the arrangements
for the meeting, had the agenda printed, prepared the Financial
Statement and also had my report printed. The meeting was most
enthusiastic. Mr. George Nicholls, M.P., presided and gave a most
inspiring address. My report was received with great enthusiasm, and the
meeting then settled down to business. A resolution was moved "That this
meeting of delegates from the newly formed Union thanks the Provisional
Committee and the Secretary for their efforts to again organize the
agricultural labourers and that we at once form ourselves into a Union
and accept the rules as drawn up by the Provisional Committee." The
Council then proceeded to elect the officers and Executive Committee,
and the following were elected:--
_President_: Mr. George Nicholls, M.P.
_Vice-President_: Mr. H. A. Day.
_Treasurer_: Mr. Richard Winfrey, M.P.
_General Secretary_: Mr. George Edwards, C.C.
_Executive Committee_: Messrs. Thomas Thacker, W. G. Codling, C.
Holman, J. Stibbons, and J. Binder.
It was decided that I should receive no salary until the Union had been
running twelve months. My niece, Miss Blanche Corke, was given an
honorarium of L2 for her services during the period of the past five
months. It was also decided she should receive 7s. per week in the
future as assistant secretary.
As soon as this meeting was over I again set out single-handed on a most
vigorous campaign, Mr. Thomas Thacker of East Dereham giving valuable
aid in his district. By March 31st the balance at the bank stood at L150
10s. 3-1/2d., which represented a saving upon the quarter's working of L104
2s. 10-1/2d. I had enrolled during the quarter 436 members. The entrance
fees amounted to L10 18s. 2d., as we only charged 6d. entrance fees and
4d. for youths under eighteen years. This spurred me on to even greater
efforts. It was, however, playing very heavily on my health, besides the
heavy organizing work. The work at home increased as the Union
increased, and I frequently had to sit up nearly all night on my return
home at the week-end, as the clerical work at home was more than my
niece could do; for, while she was a good writer and fairly good at
figures, she, like me, had had no training in book-keeping and we were
neither of us clerks, and we had to devise our own methods in keeping
the books, which was not the quickest nor yet the best method, and, as I
had no organizing help, I was obliged to be from home five whole days.
As I look back on those days and the long hours I had to put in, never
having an hour's rest, for I had to seize every moment I could to inform
myself on all the current topics of the day, when getting my meals
having a book or newspaper in front of me, arousing myself early in the
morning and giving myself to the closest study, I often think the then
Executive was anything but Trade Unionist. They were not only risking
wearing my life out with no remuneration (of which I did not complain),
but they were working my niece night and day for the miserable sum of
7s. per week, and they refused to let me have even an assistant
organizer until April 27th. Still, I do not regret the sacrifice I made
in the interest of humanity.
On April 27th the first meeting of the Executive was held at the Liberal
Club, Peterborough, and so fast had the Union grown during the four
months that the Executive was obliged to set on an assistant organizer.
Mr. Thomas Thacker was appointed until July, at a salary of 25s. per
week, but with no guarantee that they would continue the appointment
after that date. This showed how cautious the committee were and that
they did not intend to waste the members' money.
The appointment of an assistant organizer did not relieve me of any
work, for I continued my own organizing work with the same vigour as
before, and in addition I had to organize my assistant's work, which
also added to the clerical work at home, and the Executive made no
effort to give me any assistance at home. By July our contributions had
increased from L116 9s. 11d. to L133 0s. 1d. We had enrolled during the
quarter 350 members. The entrance fees received for the quarter ending
July were L9 15s. 8d. Our balance at the end of July stood at L242 3s.
4d., which was a saving on the quarter of L91 5s. 9d.
The second meeting of the Executive was held at Cozens' Temperance
Hotel, King's Lynn, on Saturday, August 3rd, when I presented my second
quarterly report as shown above. At this meeting Mr. Day, who had been
responsible for my 13s. per week, said that he considered that the Union
had got into such a position that he thought it ought to be able to pay
its secretary, especially as the Executive was employing a whole-time
organizer. It was then decided that I should receive a salary of 23s.
per week and travelling and out-of-pocket expenses, and that my niece
should continue to receive 7s. per week as assistant secretary. Thus
ended my year's work for this Union. During the year I had cycled 6,000
miles, which was over 100 miles per week.
In spite of the hard work and the long weary miles I cycled on lonely
roads, often late at night, still it was a pleasant year's work, as I
felt I was building up an organization that would accomplish some great
things for this long neglected class, and I never felt that I was
engaged in a more divine work than I was then doing. I had enrolled
during the year 6,379 members. We had taken in contributions during the
two quarters we had been officially started L299 10s., and with the L46
7s. 5d. handed over by the Provisional Committee as a balance left over
after paying all expenses with L63 7s. in donations from sympathizers,
we had saved on the two quarters' working L242 3s. 4d., which I think
everyone must admit was no discredit to me after the twelve months most
strenuous work I had put in. But the year's work was not without its
humorous side. At one crowded meeting I was addressing a man was present
who was evidently primed up for his job with plenty of beer. He kept up
a running fire of interruption. Some of the women present wrote on a big
card: "Here is the fool of the fair who has sold himself to Bung." Then
a number of strong young fellows pinned it on his coat and lifted him
bodily on to the platform amidst the laughter and jeers of the audience.
At this committee meeting Mr. Thacker was re-engaged at a salary of
25s. per week. Having now been appointed a paid official, I felt that
the responsibility resting on me was great, being the chief official of
the Union, and, as the committee had decided to meet only once a
quarter, they had placed great power into my hands to deal with the
various problems such as small disputes, lock-outs, victimization,
accident, and all cases needing legal assistance. They also appointed
Mr. W. E. Keefe of Norwich the Union's solicitor, before whom I was
instructed to put all cases needing legal assistance. This I felt was
power and responsibility that ought never to be placed upon one man,
especially in an organization that was so rapidly growing, and besides
it was making one man an autocrat, which I, as a democrat, strongly
objected to. But the Executive were staunch economists and decided to
keep the working expenses down to the lowest possible point and they
determined it should be so. The one thing they closely scrutinized was
the finance. My colleague Mr. Thacker and myself set out in all
earnestness, each holding five meetings per week with good results.
During the quarter I had several lock-out cases and victimization cases
to deal with, which cost the Union several pounds. I also put several
cases of accidents into the hands of Mr. Keefe which were successfully
dealt with by him. I ought to say here that Mr. Keefe has been a most
able and loyal solicitor to the Union. The Executive also decided that I
should prepare a quarterly financial statement and present to them at
their quarterly meeting and also send it to each branch of the Union.
The disbursement during the midsummer quarter was heavy owing to several
cases of lock-out I was called upon to support. Nothing particular
happened to cause much trouble during the autumn quarter. We enrolled
800 members and saved L127. Our balance stood on December 31, 1907, at
L361 8s. 2d. At the fourth quarterly meeting held at Lynn, January 18,
1908, the Executive again became anxious about the cost of management
and appointed a sub-committee to draw up a scheme and report as to
putting the Union on a safer and cheaper basis. They also decided that
the General Council Meeting be held at Lynn on Saturday February 22nd,
and I be instructed to make all arrangements. Further, that I be
instructed to provide each delegate with lunch and pay him his rail fare
together with 2s. for loss of time. I don't think this can be said to be
extravagant, in fact to-day the Trade Union world would consider it very
mean. I think what alarmed the committee was that the Tories had
commenced their old game and had raked up the balance sheets of the old
Union and were spreading them broadcast. They would get to know where I
was advertised to speak and send a man to distribute the lying leaflets
from house to house in the village. But the Executive need not have been
alarmed, for the man whom they were vilifying had got the confidence of
the labourers this time and they were not going to be disorganized by
such libellous leaflets. Hence the more often the attack was made, the
faster the Union grew. The General Council Meeting was held on February
22, 1908, in the Central Hall, King's Lynn, and my balance sheet showed
that we had a balance in hand on December 31st of L457 3s. 9d., a saving
since the Union was officially formed on February 4, 1907, of L410 16s.
5d., which no one can say was bad achievement out of 2d. per week
contribution.
The following is an extract from my report:--
FELLOW WORKERS,--In presenting to you my first balance sheet and
report, I wish to thank you for the confidence you have placed in
me during the year. Also to thank the officers and friends who have
given me such valuable service in establishing the Union. Our
worthy President, Mr. George Nicholls, M.P., has spared no effort
to help us and has attended as many meetings as his parliamentary
duties would permit him. Mr. Herbert Day has rendered able
assistance.... During the year I have attended 183 meetings for the
Union, and in addition to these meetings I have attended 83
meetings in connection with my duties as Guardian and County
Councillor. Mr. Thacker has addressed, since his appointment in
March, 170 meetings and has cycled 3,240 miles. I have cycled since
January over 4,000 miles, and since I commenced to organize for the
Union in July 1906, over 7,000 miles.
We have received urgent appeals to visit other counties, but the
committee up to the present have only permitted me to visit
Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, outside of Norfolk branches. In
these two counties have been formed:--Cambridgeshire: Friday
Bridge, Leverington and Wisbech St. Mary's. Lincolnshire: Gidney
Drove End, Gosberton, Holbeach, Sutton, Sutterton, Walpole St.
Andrews, Gedney Dyke, Sutton St. Edmunds and Billingborough. In
Norfolk we have made rapid progress during the year. We have been
called upon to place a large number of cases in our solicitor's
hands, which he has dealt with in a most able manner. In three
cases he was able to effect a settlement which put into our
members' pockets L236 12s. 6d. I think the Union ought to
congratulate itself that it has such an able advocate as Mr. Keefe.
Brethren, in closing my report, let me give you a note of warning.
We are on the eve of a great social upheaval, the greatest the
world has ever seen. It has already begun by the great Labour
unrest throughout the industrial world. It is a proof that the
workers are determined upon better conditions of labour. There is,
however, a great fear that the capitalist class will use every
means in their power to prevent the emancipation of the workers,
and to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Alas! how often have we in
the days of the past in our efforts to bind you together in the
bonds of unity had to exclaim, like the prophets of old, "who have
believed our report?" Our class has been contented for so long to
be blinded by the capitalist class and has put too much faith in
the political parties instead of thinking and acting for
themselves. This spirit of apathy and childlike dependence must
cease. You must think and act for yourselves and take an
intelligent interest in all the great social problems that affect
you as a class.
Considering all the opposition that we shall have to meet, it will
require our united efforts to prevent the privileged class crushing
the noble efforts that are now being made for industrial freedom.
We are now celebrating the first anniversary of the establishment
of our Union. Its progress has not been quite so rapid as some of
us had hoped after the bitter experience of the rural workers
during their disorganized state. We thought that it would have
required very little effort to have organized at least 20 per
cent., and it would not have been necessary to have spent a large
amount of money and time. I was well aware by my past experience
that a great deal of opposition would have to be encountered, but
the cost of organizing is certainly beyond my expectations.
Notwithstanding all this, there is a good awakening, and I have
strong faith that before many years our Union will become a great
national movement, which certainly will be essential if the rural
worker is to take his part in the social battle that is about to be
fought.
You are the worst paid and worst housed and work the longest hours
of any other class. While every other class have their holidays,
you have none. The system under which you hire your cottages makes
you complete slaves. Your poverty-stricken condition is a standing
disgrace to a country that boasts of its high state of civilization
and calls itself Christian. It is unjust and inhuman. This terrible
curse and stigma will have to be abolished. It will, however, be a
most arduous task. The battle will be fierce and long. Some of us
may have to lay down our weapons of warfare before the battle is
over, but it will have to be fought and the victory won. Take
courage, then, my brethren, go forward with manly conduct, be
sober, let your action be honest and straightforward to your
employers, and your complete emancipation is assured.
Courage then, my Brother,
The day has come at last;
The clouds are lifting quickly,
The night is breaking fast.
Be strong then of courage,
Our cause is just and right,
And he who holds by justice
Is sure to win the fight.
Yours faithfully,
(_Signed_) GEORGE EDWARDS,
_General Secretary_.
GRESHAM, _December 31, 1907_.
A resolution was passed adopting my report and balance sheet and a vote
of thanks was given me for my year's work. The Council elected an almost
new Executive. Mr. Petch was put on representing Lincolnshire, Mr.
Arnett, Mr. Giles and Mr. Reeder were new members. A new spirit was
infused by the election of the new members, but even these were afraid
to launch out and engage more organizers and extend our borders into
other counties, but decided to confine my labours to the Eastern
Counties. The new system of working the Union, however, increased the
clerical work at home, as I was responsible for the mapping out of the
districts for the superintendents and for keeping a record of their
work. I was also expected to continue my organizing work as before,
which I did. We made rapid progress, and by March 31st we had enrolled
700 new members during the quarter, and when the Executive met on April
25th I felt, unless there was speedily an alteration, I should soon have
a serious breakdown, as the night and day work was telling on my health.
It took my niece all her time to keep the accounts, hence I had to have
all correspondence sent on to me day by day for me to answer, and,
further, there were so many small cases of disputes and victimization
that had to be investigated. The responsibility upon me was too great a
mental strain, still I kept at it, as success was attending my work and
it buoyed me up and kept me going. Still, the evil day had to come, and
in June I broke down and had to take three weeks' complete rest. My
niece was also on the point of getting married. The committee met to
receive the report for the June quarter, the meeting being held in Lynn
on July 14th. I was able to report that we had enrolled 1,040 members
during the quarter and that we had added to our capital L175 during the
quarter, and that our capital now stood at L632 12s. 6d. The committee
decided to give me a free hand to do such work as I felt able to, with
the understanding that the committee wished me to take sufficient rest
to enable me to recoup my health. I took three weeks' rest from all
public meetings. At this meeting the committee presented my niece with a
case of knives and forks and an artistic address in recognition of her
services to the Union. They also decided to increase my salary 5s. per
week to enable me to secure another assistant. The joint salary of my
niece and myself was 30s., 7s. per week for her and 23s. for myself.
Now I was to pay an assistant 12s. per week and I receive 23s. as
before. My niece was married on August 4th. She and her husband, Mr. W.
Painter, went to Lancashire to live, and Miss Alice Pike of Gresham
entered the service of the Union as an assistant secretary. We still
kept my small bedroom for an office, for which I never charged a penny.
It was, however, being crowded out, and what the Sanitary Inspector
would have said if he had made an inspection I often wonder.
At this time I received an application from the East Winch Branch
secretary to hold a Sunday meeting on the common in that village. I
objected, and only consented on the condition that the meeting should be
of strictly religious character. This was agreed to, and on the last
Sunday in July the meeting was held, and I advertised it as follows:--
EASTERN COUNTIES AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS' AND SMALL HOLDERS' UNION.
A Camp Meeting will be held under the auspices of the above on
Sunday on the Common, East Winch. Services to commence at 2.30 and
6.30 p.m. Addresses will be given by C. Reynolds, George Edwards,
General Secretary, and others. The Westacre Brass Band will be in
attendance. Sankey's hymns will be sung.
It was a beautifully fine Sunday, and the services were attended by over
2,000 people. Such a sight had never been witnessed before in the
village. The singing was most hearty, accompanied by the band. I took
for my text in the afternoon "The labourer is worthy of his hire," and
in the evening my text was "Thy kingdom come." The evening discourse was
fully reported in the _Lynn News_. This caused a great stir. Some
denounced it as mixing up politics with religion, others said they had
never heard the Gospel preached like it before, and demands for Sunday
meetings came in rapidly. Before the summer was over similar meetings
were held at Wells, South Creake and Swaffham, which were attended by
thousands of people. The later meetings were addressed by Mr. George
Nicholls, M.P., Mr. R. Winfrey, M.P., Mr. H. A. Day and myself. This was
the beginning of the Sunday meetings, and so long as I was responsible
for conducting them they were always conducted on strictly religious
lines. We always opened with prayer and lessons from the Scriptures were
always read. Large collections were received. So great was the interest
taken in them that the committee decided to continue them in 1909. They
also decided to have some Labour hymns of their own, and Mr. Day, Mr.
Green and I were asked to make a selection. Mr. Green composed some of
the most beautiful verses I have ever seen, and they were set to
Sankey's tunes. I often wish the Union had kept them, for they have
never found better. The following are a few of them:--
THE MODEL CHURCH.
(_Tune_: Sankey 608.)
Wife, I have found the Labour Church
And worshipped there to-day:
It's not like those so long we've known
Where parsons preach for pay.
But one that's built of human love
To bless the human race,
No church that ere before it stood
Filled so divine a place.
It's such a church that I, dear wife,
This very day have found.
There's no deception in its faith,
It stands on hallowed ground.
Ground sanctified by martyr's blood
Who o'er its surface trod,
When battling for their liberty
Their Conscience and their God.
Oh, come with me, I pray thee, wife,
And worship at its shrine,
Give thy adhesion to its Cause,
And make its interest thine,
Its songs are of the right to live
For every one who toils,
With their freedom of accession
To live upon the soil.
My heart grew restive at its words,
My spirit caught the fire,
I joined the utmost of my voice
To that most ardent choir,
And sang as in my youthful days,
Let tyrants prostrate fall,
Bring forth the honest man of toil,
And crown him, crown him, crown him.
Crown him best of all.
Come, wife, that fight will soon be o'er
The victory's nearly won:
The better land is just ahead,
I see its rising sun.
We're nearing now its happy shore,
Where streams of plenty run,
And there we'll never want again,
There'll be no sorrow there,
In that just land where all is love,
There'll be no sorrow there.
THE UNION LIGHT.
(_Tune_: "Stand up for Jesus.")
Stand up, the men of Labour,
Who toil upon the land,
For better homes and wages
Make one united stand.
Your captains, they will lead you,
If you will follow on,
Now is the time, O comrades,
Haste age to come along.
STRONG HUMAN LOVE
(_Tune_: "Lead, Kindly Light.")
Strong, human love! within whose steadfast Will
Is always peace.
O stay with me, storm-tossed on waves of ill;
Let passions cease.
Come thou in power within my heart to reign.
For I am weak and struggle has begun.
This book, which contains some of the finest phrases with twenty-six
songs, was used for years at our meetings as our official hymn-book, but
after a time it was revised and in my judgment some of the best hymns
were left out. Still, I must not complain, as young folks are anxious to
keep up to date.
The committee at their last meeting took the step of forming
Conciliation and Arbitration Councils, and they decided to move the
following resolution at the General Council Meeting:--
That the Executive be authorized to endeavour to form Conciliation
and Arbitration Boards for the area in which the Union works. On
such Boards the employers and labourers be equally represented and
an outside Chairman be appointed, and they shall have power to
consider all questions in this area of wages and conditions of work
and for the immediate future. Pending the carrying out of this, the
Executive Committee be instructed to request the Farmers'
Federation to agree to a rise of 1s. per week from March next.
So far as this resolution was concerned the Farmers' Federation refused
to meet us. It was, however, evident that the men were getting restless,
and I could see that unless the Farmers' Federation were prepared to
meet us there would be a grave danger of a serious outbreak in the near
future. We closed the year 1908, however, with a balance of L997 18s.
6d.
In September 1908 Mr. Rippingall of Langham died and a vacancy was
caused in the Walsingham County Council Division. At the request of the
members living in this district and with the permission of the Executive
I was put forward as a Labour candidate. This time I decided I would run
purely as an independent Labour candidate, and that I would have nothing
more to do with either political party. I had all my bills printed in
the Union colour, green. I also used the motto I selected for the Union:
"Be just and fear not." I fought the election single-handed. I acted as
my own agent and arranged my own meetings, the only assistants I had
being my colleague Mr. Thomas Thacker and Mr. Robert Green. My assistant
did the clerical work. We addressed all the envelopes, folded all the
addresses ourselves and posted them. We had meetings in every parish in
the district. The labourers were very enthusiastic. I soon found the
leading Liberals were most anxious to find some excuse to vote against
Labour in spite of what I had done for the party in North Norfolk. The
excuse they found was no party politics in County Council elections.
Yet, strange to say, my opponent Mr. Walker and his agent were strong
Tories. No one thought I stood a shadow of a chance as a direct Labour
candidate. The contest lasted three weeks and it was a most strenuous
fight. My colleague Mr. Thacker and myself worked night and day. We
threw all our strength into the contest, holding meetings and addressing
envelopes during the day. As the election drew near we realized it would
be a close contest. My opponents were confident that they were winning.
On the day of the election the farmers and tradesmen rallied up to the
support of my opponent. Every available conveyance was brought up to his
support and all my supporters had to walk. Many had to walk three and
four miles to vote after they had done their day's work, but did it
cheerfully, many going to vote before going home to tea. At the close of
the poll everyone realized it was a very close fight. Even the Tories
were not so sure that they had won. I appointed my colleague and Mr. H.
J. Gidney, who rendered valuable help during the election, as my
counting agents. The counting of the votes was done in the Returning
Officer's house, and then for the first time I found out that his son
was my opponent's agent and had been acting as Deputy Returning Officer.
To this arrangement I raised the strongest protest. The counting was
most exciting; we kept side by side all the time, and at the close the
Returning Officer declared we had tied. We were not satisfied and
demanded a recount, and, further, the number of votes did not correspond
with counterfoils. The result of the recount left us as before. Still,
there were four papers short. At this stage the keen eye of my colleague
detected four papers under the looking-glass, and these four votes were
mine. None knew how the ballot papers got under the glass, but they were
there and were mine, and I was declared elected. My opponents were
indignant, and protested that when the general election for the Council
came their candidate would fight again. But this the poor man was not
allowed to do, for within three months after this contest he was taken
seriously ill and died.
At the yearly meeting in March 1909, when the election of the committees
took place, I was put on to the Small Holdings Committee, Public Health
Committee and Old Age Pensions Committee. These committees I felt more
deeply interested in. The first was a movement which the Union had made
a part of its object.
On squaring up the accounts of the election I found that it had cost L3
19s., which was caused by hire of rooms, printing and postages.
I was the first direct Labour representative elected on to the County
Council, and, being free from any political ties, I felt myself free to
take any action I thought was best in the interest of the class I
directly represented. I devoted most of my energies to the working of
the Small Holdings Act. I soon found, however, we were up against a big
problem and that land was not so easy to get as I had thought it was
before I was a member of the committee. The Act was surrounded with so
much red tape and the landlords' interests were safeguarded at every
turn, which enabled them to put obstacles in the way and make it most
difficult to obtain land that we could let to the men at reasonable
rents, and our progress was very slow. Hundreds of applications for
land were sent in, varying from five acres to fifty, especially after my
election, as they apparently thought I, being a Labour member, would
carry everything before me. Apparently they thought that we had nothing
to do but to go and take the land and buy it in the same way as we go
and buy any other article. Hence hundreds of men got tired of waiting.
But we made good progress, and by October 1909 we had obtained over a
thousand acres of land and put over 115 men on to the land.
At the general election of the Council in 1910 I moved from the
Walsingham District to the Free Bridge Lynn Division, according to the
promise I had made previous to my going to Walsingham at the
bye-election. This time I was fighting a sitting member and one of the
largest farmers in Norfolk. I again stood as a direct Labour candidate.
This time I had less help than before, as my colleague was fighting the
Litcham Division for a seat on the Council and Mr. Robert Green was
fighting the Walsingham Division which I had left. The only helper as a
speaker was my old friend Mr. Thomas Higdon, the hero of the Burston
School Strike. The contest was a sharp one. My opponent had the help of
several of the members of the Council, both Liberal and Tory, who were
being returned unopposed. This contest nearly knocked my assistant Miss
Pike and myself up, but in spite of the number of speakers brought into
the division, I won the election by a majority of eighty. I had,
however, in this contest a good deal of local help from amongst my own
people, as we were better organized in this division, notably Mr.
Matthew Berry of East Winch and Mr. James Coe of Castleacre.
At the first meeting of the new Council I was put on to the following
committees: Public Health, Mental Hospital, Small Holdings, Old Age
Pensions, Western Highways. From this moment I was treated with the
greatest amount of respect by every member of the Council and listened
to with interest. I set myself to work diplomatically to accomplish the
things for which I was sent there, for I found on going into the Mental
Hospital, although the problem of dealing with those mentally affected
is a pathetic one, still to me it was pleasant work, as it touched my
humanity, and I found Dr. Thompson, the Medical Superintendent, most
human and kind, and beloved by all brought into contact with him. I
found also that whilst demanding strict discipline, as he must do, still
to his staff he was most fair and always willing to listen to a
grievance. I have had to discuss matters with him at different times as
the Trade Unions' representative on the committee, and I am pleased to
say we have been able to make many improvements in the working
conditions of the staff since I have been on the committee. About this
time they were engaged in erecting a nurses' home. This completed, we
then pushed through another scheme, new stores and hall which is used
for balls and entertainment for the inmates and staff. I am pleased to
say that every comfort for these poor unfortunate creatures is studied.
I have had to put up one fight since I have been on the committee in
connection with the dietary. I fought most strenuously the question of
margarine, but got defeated.
The Small Holdings movement made rapid progress. I soon found this added
considerably to my labours. It meant nearly two days per week, and with
my District Council and Board of Guardians work I was very heavily
harnessed with local government work. It was, however, educational and
interesting. About this time I was elected Chairman of the Erpingham
Rural District Council Sanitary Committee, but I used to so arrange my
Union work that I never neglected one of their meetings.