Reminiscences of Rotherham
by G. Gummer, J.P.
« « prevevidently brings shrewdness and common sense into court.It is pleasing to be able to repeat this testimony to a man who, by sheer ability and unselfish and valuable service, rose to occupy nearly every position the town could bestow upon him. In his day, no man could equal him as a speaker. He often made most interesting speeches in the Council Chamber, some lasting for an hour or an hour and a half. Vehement at times, and with serious, perhaps exaggerated emphasis, he carried conviction with him. He married the daughter of a well-to-do Milkman named Hobson, who was particularly proud of his son-in-law’s elevation to the position of chief magistrate. Hero worship, however, becomes painful when overdone, as it was in this instance by Hobson’s constant attendance at court and following the Mayor through the streets in silent and humble admiration when he left the building.
When misfortune overtook him, as it occasionally overtakes the best of men, he left the town, and no doubt often looked back with fond recollection of the work in which he had taken so leading a part.
ALD. W. H. GUMMER, J.P.
No man should enter public life who worries. To dwell upon a worry is only to increase it and become prematurely aged. Mr. Ramsey Macdonald, M.P., said some time ago, No man should go to sleep with the conflict of public life on his mind. Whilst public life has its compensations it also has its misfortunes; there are always interested and ignorant individuals ready to scoff at honest. expressions of opinion and impute unworthy motives to those with whom they disagree
Few men in Rotherham suffered as severely as my father from this. Born in Lyme Regis in 1829, he came to Rotherham when twenty-one years of age, and after making a position for himself, entered into public life and became a member of the Masbro’ Burial Board. When the town received municipal status he was elected a councillor for the Masbro’ Ward. Losing his seat owing to his opposition to differential rating, an advantage enjoyed by Masbro’, he afterwards sought re-election to the Council and fought a contest in the East Ward, where he found opposition of the most unscrupulous kind. Accusations of compelling his tenants to frequent his opponent’s pawnshops to obtain money to pay the rent were thrown at him. Charges of jerry building and of being an Atheist and other even more personal remarks were made at every meeting. In spite of this abuse the confidence of the electorate manifested itself in the majority of votes being recorded in his favour. In the year 1880, having served the town as councillor for the East Ward for six years, he put into words what he and other public men were thinking, and what many of us think to-day. In his address to the burgesses he said; 'I have come to the conclusion that the ratepayers are under obligations to their representatives, and not the representatives under any obligations to the ratepayers as is generally supposed.' For thus speaking his mind he was accused of insulting the burgesses, and his re-election was opposed by Mr. Alfred Cox, a furniture dealer, in Wellgate.
Ezra Tee, an employee of Messrs. Guest and Chrimes, a disagreeable man who delighted in waging perpetual warfare and whose chief object in life seemed to be to remove my father from public office made himself very prominent in this election. To those of Ezra Tee’s calibre and class we were indebted for the lowering of the value of all public honours. No abuse or misrepresentation was considered too bad to level at the candidate’s head. Any charge, however recklessly made, received credence by him and his friends.
In commenting on this contest, the Rotherham and Masbro Advertiser devoted a column and a half of valuable space, and next »
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