From Crow-Scaring to Westminster: An AutobiographyEdwards, George, Sir
History
From Crow-Scaring to Westminster: An Autobiography
Edwards, George, Sir
George Edwards, 1850-1933
In the autumn of 1889 the men in Norfolk began to want to form a Union
again. This time they appealed to me to lead them in the district in
which I lived. For some weeks I refused to take any leading part, but
was willing to join a Union. I had only just got settled down
comfortably after my terrible eighteen months of bitter persecution, and
was just anxious to remain quietly at work. I had no wish to enter into
the turmoil of public life. But at last, through the men's constant
pleadings, I yielded to the pressure. On November 5, 1889, eleven men
formed a deputation and came to my house and stated they represented a
large number of men in the district who had decided to form a Union and
they wanted me to lead them. I questioned them in order to ascertain if
they had seriously thought the matter over. They assured me they had. I
also informed them that in my judgment no Union would stand which had no
other object than merely to raise wages and that they must go in for
something higher than that. I then asked them what Union they wished to
form, or did they wish to link up with Arch's Union which was almost
defunct. They expressed a wish to form a Union on the same lines as Mr.
Rix had formed his, and I was asked to write to Mr. Rix to come over and
address one or two meetings and explain the rules of his Union. This I
did. Mr. Rix agreed to come, and two meetings were arranged to be held
within a fortnight, one at the White Horse Inn at Cromer and the other
at the Free Methodist Church at Aylmerton. Both meetings were packed and
were addressed by George Rix and myself. Large numbers gave in their
names for membership. It was decided to form a Union on the principle of
the rules as explained by Mr. Rix, to be called the Federal Union,
Cromer District. The objects of the Union were to be as follows: To
improve the social and moral well-being of its members; to assist them
to secure allotments and representation on local authorities and even in
the Imperial Parliament; to assist members to migrate and emigrate. Ten
shillings per week to be paid in strike and victimization pay. Legal
advice to be given. Each member to pay 1s. per year harvest levy to
enable a member to have his harvest money made up to him in case of a
dispute. Each member to pay a contribution of 2-1/4d. per week, or 9d. per
month, 8d. per month to be sent to the district and 1d. per month to be
kept by the branch for branch management.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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