Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 07 April 1933
The Local Elections
Little excitement, and less “feeling” than usual, were roused by the urban council elections on Saturday, and polls generally were light. The keenest fights and heaviest polls were at Wombwell, Darfield and Thurnscoe; among the lowest were those at Mexborough and Conisboro’, both of which were well under fifty per cent.
The results showed a marked swing over to Labour in most districts, though taking the area as a whole there was nothing in the nature of a “landslide.” Labour gained or re-gained majorities on the councils at Mexborough, Wombwell and Darfield. One or two old councillors were among the rejected, and several “first-timers” scored triumphs. The Labour party’s most sweeping successes were at Thurnscoe and Darfield, where they won all seats, and at Swinton.
Swinton rejected Mr. Arthur Carr, an Independent, with twenty years service on the Council; and another well-known figure in local government in the area, Mr. Arthur Bramham, was unseated at Thurnscoe.
It was not the women’s day. The only woman candidate returned was Mrs. Marie Singleton, who gained some compensation for her sex by topping the poll at Mexborough. Wath rejected all three feminine aspirants. Wombwell had one woman candidate who polled unexpectedly heavily but was nevertheless unsuccessful.
Mexboro’
A Labour Gain
Mrs. Singleton at The Top
1611 *Marie Singleton (Lab.)
1572 *Jesse Walton (Lab.)
1357 *Vincent Wragg (Lab.)
1252 *John Wood (Ind.)
1186 Arnold Shaw (Lab.)
1151 Joseph Harrop (Lab.)
1063 Stanley Bannister (Ind.)
1044 Charles Biggins (Ind.)
0548 Arthur Edward Payne (N.U.W.M.)
In the thinnest poll for several years the four retiring members were returned at the head of the poll, and Labour gained from the Independents the seat vacated by Mr. Frank Harrison, who did not seek re-election. This success was sufficient to restore to the Labour party the “balance of power” they lost last year. There was little excitement on polling day and the only signs of election were a few red favours, a few placards, and a lorry load of children chanting an invitation to “Vote Labour.” There was a smaller crowd than usual outside the Market Hall for the declaration of the poll by Mr. F. E. Hall, deputy returning officer, and the little ceremony was concluded very quickly.
Mrs. Singleton said “how proud and pleased” she was to be returned at the head of the poll. She was not going to make a lot of promises, because it was always difficult to keep promises. She looked on local government as “a very serious matter.” Laws were mole in Parliament, but it was in the local council chambers that they wre administered, beneficial or otherwise.
Mr. Walton said “I Will work for you as I have done hitherto.” He congratulated them. “members of the organised working class,” on their success that day. The services of the members they had returned would prove whether those members were worthy of their confidence or not.
Mr. Wragg, commenting on the compliment the town had paid Mrs. Singleton, regarded it as the electors’ comment on what occurred at the last annual meeting of the Council. It was then Mrs. Singleton’s turn for the chairmanship, but she was “turned down” by “the other party.” He called them a party because they “hung together” in the voting. The township that day had returned Mrs. Singleton at the head of the poll, and she would “naturally become chairman of the Council.” The town had returned four of the Labour representatives, and that was “a good majority.”
Mr. Shaw thanked his helpers for “the work behind the scenes,” but regretted that only 45 per cent. of the electors had thought it worthwhile to go to the poll. “The other 55 per cent., I suppose, will be the grumblers.” His only promise was “The town first, and its ratepayers.”
Swinton
Full Team
Labour Strength Increased To Eleven
Park.
Maurice Creighton (Lab.), unopposed.
Roman Terrace.
Frank Burns (Lab.), unopposed.
Kilnhurst.
*Alfred Russell (Ind.), unopposed.
Conisborough
As You Were
“Shift System” at the Booths
North.
339 *T. J Gregory (Lab.) … 339
80 J. T. Asher (Ind.)
32 per cent voted.
South.
775 *B. Roberts (Lab.)
605 R J. Troughton (Ind Lab.)
59 per cent voted.
East.
334 *J. I. Webster. (Ind.)
199 W. Rigby (Lab.)
40 per cent voted
West.
321 *R. H. Shepherd (Lab.)
193 J. Leatherland (Ind.)
40 per cent voted.
Denaby.
- A. Chadfield (Lab.) unopposed.
The total poll was equivalent to 43 per cent. of the electorate. All the retiring members were returned, and the construction of the Council is:
Labour 8, Independents 6, Minority Movement 1.
On Saturday the total votes cast for the Labour nominees were 1634, for other candidates 1382. The unemployed were engaged as poll clerks on a “shift” system. There was not much excitement and the poll till late afternoon was very light.
A great fight was put up in South by the newcomer, Mr. Troughton. The expression “It’s a walk over” was often heard during the few days preceding the election in East and perhaps this kept a lot of people from voting. Only 40 per cent voted there. The Labour party had put in a lot of work in the attempt to capture the ward and as a result polled the second highest figure on record for them. Mr. Rigby’s 199 has only once been exceeded by the former county councillor, Mr. A. Roberts, who obtained 203 ten years ago. In the West Mr. Leatherland did not score so many as anticipated. He ran on his own initiative as an unemployed man. Mr. Asher must have been disappointed with the result in North. The counting was quickly done at the Church Hall and before 8.45 the deputy returning officer, Mr. Spencer Baker, announced the result.
Mr. Roberts proposed the usual vote of thanks. He also thanked his supporters and said he would do his best for the whole township.
Seconding, Mr. Webster commended the unemployed who acted as poll clerks. Their work was most expeditiously done and was highly creditable to them. He complimented his opponent on his splendid effort and clean campaign. He hoped in view of his fine fight the Labour party would “find him a seat somewhere—but not in the East ward.” The speaker did not believe in canvassing and had done none. The vote was a privilege to be utilised without coercion, and he had conveyed only a dozen people by car to vote; and those could not reasonably be expeted to walk.
Mr: Leatherland said “Any fool can run with the crowd but it takes a hero to fight on his own.” As an unemployed man he had studied local government and his work would go on. He was defeated but not daunted.
Mr. Baker, replying, said he expected to get into “hot water” over working the shift system of poll clerks. He was told by people of experience that it would not work. But it had worked. He had tried to distribute the work and make it “all prizes and no blanks.” It was a departure to engage 24 poll clerks, 14 of whom were unemployed and the result was a tribute to their intelligence.
Darfield
Pulled Over
Independent Majority Lost
677 *R. Randerson (Lab.)
606 S. Blackwell (Lab.)
364 *T. Hardman (Lab.)
304 A. Collindridge
Labour made a clean sweep, capturing two Independent seats, including the one vacated by Mr. A. Ward, who did not seek re-election. The poll was heavy, with 2,465 votes cast against 1,662 last year. The Independents, who have held precariously to a majority of one for a long time, have now seen this turned into a Labour majority of three.
The new members aro Messrs. Blackwell and Bly. The former has contested unsuccessfully once before, but Mr. Bly was elected at the first attempt. Mr. Blackwell is a Y.M.A. official (Darfield branch). Charitable movements have always received his support and he has always taken a great interest in sport, particularly football. He was connected in an official capacity with Darfield F.C. for a long time.
Mr. Bly is the youngest candidate elected. He has been a keen student of local government and economics in W.E.A. classes for several years.
Mr. Collindridge issued a typewritten manifesto on the eve of the poll in which the Labour party were denounced ma the inventors of the means test.
Wombwell
North Ward Surprise
Labour Party “In Power”
Central.
John Willie Mellor (Lab.) 767
Ernest James Thompson (Ind.) 496
(Electors 1507; voted, 1243; percentage 82).
Hemingfield.
805 *Reg. T. Preston (Lab.)
387 George Parr (Ind.)
100 Joseph Jackson (lnd.)
(Electors, 1706; voted, 1292; percentage, 75).
North.
630 Thomas Bradley (Lab.)
423*Fredk.T. Hatswell (Ind.)
(Electors 1346, voted 1053, percentage 78).
South-East.
834 *John Pascoe (Lab.)
283 Victor A. Barrows
(Electors 1193, voted 907, percentage 76. )
South-West.
959 *David Cookson (Ind.)
673 Sarah Jobson (Comm.)
(Electors 2487, voted 1638, percentage 74).
Labour gained one seat and now definitely holds the balance on the Council. Mr: Hatswell, the only retiring candidate defeated, is manager of the Mitchell Main by-product works. There was a mean average of 74 per cent. polled, with the heaviest in Central and the lightest in South- West. The surprises were the substantial victory of Mr. Bradley in North and Mrs. Jobson’s big poll in South-west.
Election day events took their usual course. Following a slight rush at the opening of the polls, a long lull occurred. A large percentage voted in the last two hours, and in one or two instances cars bringing rotors arrived “just in time to be too late.” Good feeling prevailed with occasional touches of comic relief. At 8-1 a.m. a voter rushed out of the polling booth at Kings’s Road load proclaiming jubilantly that Mrs. Jobson was in front by one. He was the first to vote!
Mr. Thompson put up a surprisingly fight against one of the strongest Labour candidates in Central. There was a “tit- or-tat” swing-round in the North. Three years ago Mr. Hatswell gained his seat by defeating Mr. Bradley.
Considering there were eleven candidates in the field, the counting was done with commendable dispatch. By 9-30 Mr. P. M. Walker, deputy returning officer, was able to announce the results from the balcony of the Town Hall to a big crowd. Cheers and counter-cheers went up from party supporters. Following the announcements the candidates went out to thank their workers and – voters. Messrs. Pascoe, Burrows, and Cook offered generous appreciation to their opponents for clean fights. Mrs. Jason announced that “the struggle and the fight” would still go on.
The vote of thanks to the returning officer and staff was proposed by Mr. Mellor and supported by Messrs. Preston, Cookson. Pascoe, and Bradley.
Replying, Mr. Walker commented on the absence of ill-feeling that sometimes marked elections at Wombwell. He congratulated the winners and offered consolation to the losers.
Thurnscoe
Record Poll
2067 *W M. Starkey (Lab.)
1919 Joseph Hughes (Lab) .
1810 Charles H. Williams (Lab.)
1790 C. R. Turner (Lab.)
735 *A. Bramham (Ind.)
434 H. Schofield (Ind.)
308 *J. W. Broadhead (Ind.)
In the heaviest poll ever recorded at Thurnscoe the Labour party made a clean sweep, polling a total of 7586 (four candidates) against the Independents’ 1477 (three candidates).
Two retiring Independents were unseated, and one was at the poll.
A crowd of about 500 listened to the declaration and heartily sang “The Red Flag” after giving three cheers for the elected candidates.
The Council is now constituted of eight Labour and four Independent members.
Though a awing over to Labour was generaIly anticipated, the defeat of Mr. Bramham, or at least, the heavy nature of it—caused surprise in some quarters.
The Labour party had taken up the campaign very enthusiastically, holding a series of meetings throughout last week, concluding with a final rally on Friday which was addressed by Mr. Tom Williams, M.P.
Proposing the vote of thanks to the deputy returning officer (Mr. J. Ledger-Hawksworth) and his staff Mr. Starkey thanked the electors for putting him at the head of the poll and pledged himself and his colleagues to “do their duty to the public.”
Wath
“Not Ready Yet” Feminine Trio Rejected
Winterwell.
*J. A. Braithwaite (Lab.) unopposed
Melton.
- Burgin (Lab.) unopposed
Central (Two Seats).
504 *G Cook (Ind.)
453 Eva Mills (Lab.)
East.
430 *J. T. Shaw (Lab.)
377 Clara Jaques (Ind.)
Wharncliffe.
587 *W. Popplewell (Ind.) 587
321 Emma Haith (Lab.)
The net result is no change. All the retiring members were re-elected, and a vacancy caused by the death of Mr. W. Waddington, an lndepenaent, was filled by another Independent, Mr. Price.
Polling day was very quiet. Once again women candidates were unsuccessful. The result was declared by the deputy returning cancer (Mr. Isdenolson) and received enthusiastically by a large crowd.
Mr Popplewell, who received an ovation, moved the customary vote of thanks and commented on the friendly spirit which had prevailed during the day. It “spoke well for the Wharncliffe ward.”
Mr. Cook, seconding, said it was “the happiest election he had ever contested.” There had not been one discordant note. “I raise my hat to the lady who has put up such an excellent fight.”
Mr. Price said during his campaign he had made no promises, but he would endeavour to service all classes to the best of his ability.
Mr. Shaw was unable to attend through illness, and Mrs. Shaw deputised in a brief speech of thanks to the electors.
Mrs. Mills had the biggest ovation of the evening. She said, “The Central ward has seen a victory. We have never before polled 453 votes in this ward. We have not got in this time, but we shall. There is a little more bias to break down against the womenfolk. This is only my second time of asking, but I shall try again.
“Once again the Council has left out a woman.” said Mrs. Haith. “When will the menfolk be ashamed of themselves; and realise what a woman can do?” She expressed appreciation of the way the election had been fought.
Mrs. Jaques also remarked that apparently the Council was not yet ready for a woman member. “This is my leave-taking of you on the Guardians Committee, but I have had a very happy time and thoroughly enjoyed working there for you.” (Applause).
Bolton
Labour Take All.
1596 D. Griffiths (Lab.)
1596 * A. Fouchard (Lab.)
1457 Arthur Bailey (Lab.)
1391 *J. Petty (Lab.)
655 Bert Crowther (Ind.)
The three retiring Labour members were returned, and Mr. Smith’s seat was filled by a fourth Labour nominee, so that the net result was “No change” so far as party strengths are concerned. The Council has a predominating Labour majority.