Reminiscences of Rotherham
by G. Gummer, J.P.
« « prevcount out the coins one by one on the table in front of the chairman. As the coins bega to pile up the audience cheered and booed. Upon the chairman being offered a handful of gold to seal the wager, it was refused, Mr. Morgan declining to hold the stakes or to have anything to do with what he termed a very foolish action. This closed an exciting and in many respects an illuminating episode.
MAYOR-MAKING, 1885
The Liberal majority in the Council paid my father the compliment of asking him to allow himself to be nominated for the position of Mayor. Alderman Newsum proposed and Councillor Kenyon seconded the nomination on the ninth, whereupon Mr. Wilfred first rose and asked the chairman’s (Councillor Neill’s) permission to propose another gentleman, stating that although he had not obtained his permission to accept office, he was convinced he would make an excellent Mayor.In spite of the protests raised by the last admission, Mr. Hirst continued and managed to deliver a fairly lengthly speech, and at the end named Alderman Marsh for the position, only to be met with a sharp refusal from the Alderman, who announced that he was sup porting the election of Mr. W. H. Gummer - a remark which elicited hearty cheers from the ratepayers present. Unabashed by this set-back, Councillor Hirst persisted in making further remarks and urging reasons why AId. Marsh should be elected.
Mr. Councillor Morgan then delivered an ironical oration which brought about the intervention of the chairman, who said it was understood the election should be unanimous, and he appealed for harmony. Still Mr. Councillor Morgan persisted, and, becoming more personal, referred to the constitution and the laws of the land, based, he said, upon God and the Bible. With wild gestures he demanded to know if Councillor Gummer believed in God and the Bible, a question the company showed their resentment of by loud booing and telling the speaker to shut up.
Mr. Councillor Woodhouse rose to say he thought it wrong to drag in religion. 'I prefer Mr. Gummer, be what he may', ” he said, 'to a canting, whining hypocrite, who visited the church to make people believe be went to worship, and at the same time would be planning how to injure his fellow men'.
The youngest recruit, Mr. Albert Leggoe, deemed it necessary to remark that 'although a diminutive man he had his feelings and objected to being passed by four of his colleagues in the street and no notice taken of him, he also had a Mayor to propose, but, unfortunately, not having got his consent, he could not proceed with it.
Then came a word from Mr. Councillor Benjamin Sorsby, whose objection to Mr. Gummer seemed to be because, in his opinion, 'he was not as honest and straight as Alderman Marsh'.
Twelve speeches were delivered before the vote was taken, which resulted in seventeen voting for Couneillor W. H. Gummer, two against, and four neutral. The Council consisted in those days of only 24 members.