Reminiscences of Rotherham by Alderman Geo. Gummer, J.P.

Reminiscences of Rotherham

by G. Gummer, J.P.

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being returned for the North Ward. From 1874 to the date of this publication either my father or myself has had a seat on the Council.

a record of service it will be difficult to beat. Mr. Councillor Hall, one of the first Labour members, joined the Council in 1893. Twenty- six years later his son was elected Councillor for the St. Ann’s Ward.

Another instaace of the service of father and son is that of Alderman Geo. Clarke, who entered the Council in 1885. His son, John (Dr. Clarke), followed 24 years later, his father still being in office, although 82 years of age.

OTHER RECORDS

The Habershon family have created a record in municipal service. The first Mayor of Rotherham, Alderman Habershon, served from 1871 to 1883. In 1887 his son, Mr. John Broadhurst Habershon, entered the Council and remained until 1892, retiring on account of ill-health. Matthew Joseph Habershon, another son of the first Mayor, became a councillor in 1904, and sat undisturbed for 15 years. And now the grandson is not only a member of over 14 years’ standing,but has held the position of Chief Magistrate and is at the present time an alderman of the borough. We have one instance of father and son having held office as Chief Magistrate, but none where three generations have given their services for lengthened periods in a corporate capacity or where grandfather and grandson have occupied the chief position in the borough, except the Habershons.

Another record is even more interesting than the above. It will be within the recollection of many of my readers that during the Mayoralty of Alderman Kelsey in 1883, to the surprise of everyone but those directly concerned, the Mayoress presented his Worship the Mayor with a son. This is the first and only instance of such an event in our municipal history. Following the custom usually adopted in these cases throughout the country, Alderman and Mrs. Kelsey were presented with a silver cradle by the members of the Corporation and the townspeople.

DIFFERENTIAL RATING

When the town rose to the dignity of a Borough the population was only 25,000 and the rateable value under £100,000. To-day the population is nearly 75,000 and the rate- able value in the neighbourhood of £320,000. It may not be generally known that Kimberworth parish at one time had a lower rate than the parish of Rotherham, the former being 4/3 in the pound against a rate of 4/10 in Rotherham. This arrangement naturally gave rise to a great deal of jealousy and ill-feeling. Before this anomaly became a thing of the past, repeated battles royal took place in our local Parliament. It was only after a iong struggle that the majority were brought over to the view that Masbro’ people should not be rated less heavily than the good folks of Rotherham simply because the silvery Don happened to run between the two townships. To the more enlightened and intelligent it was surprising that this procedure should ftnd advocates for this popular policy. Why differential rating should ever have been upheld in a community enjoying identically the same advantages of water supply, lighting, and sanitary and street administration, it is difficult now to under stand. My father, although a representative fer the Masbro’ Ward, was a strong advocate for equalisation of rates. On the expiration of his term of office - he was only elected for one year - he was opposed by Mr. Thomas Tyler, next »

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