From Crow-Scaring to Westminster: An AutobiographyEdwards, George, Sir
History
From Crow-Scaring to Westminster: An Autobiography
Edwards, George, Sir
George Edwards, 1850-1933
As soon as this meeting was over I again set out single-handed on a most
vigorous campaign, Mr. Thomas Thacker of East Dereham giving valuable
aid in his district. By March 31st the balance at the bank stood at L150
10s. 3-1/2d., which represented a saving upon the quarter's working of L104
2s. 10-1/2d. I had enrolled during the quarter 436 members. The entrance
fees amounted to L10 18s. 2d., as we only charged 6d. entrance fees and
4d. for youths under eighteen years. This spurred me on to even greater
efforts. It was, however, playing very heavily on my health, besides the
heavy organizing work. The work at home increased as the Union
increased, and I frequently had to sit up nearly all night on my return
home at the week-end, as the clerical work at home was more than my
niece could do; for, while she was a good writer and fairly good at
figures, she, like me, had had no training in book-keeping and we were
neither of us clerks, and we had to devise our own methods in keeping
the books, which was not the quickest nor yet the best method, and, as I
had no organizing help, I was obliged to be from home five whole days.
As I look back on those days and the long hours I had to put in, never
having an hour's rest, for I had to seize every moment I could to inform
myself on all the current topics of the day, when getting my meals
having a book or newspaper in front of me, arousing myself early in the
morning and giving myself to the closest study, I often think the then
Executive was anything but Trade Unionist. They were not only risking
wearing my life out with no remuneration (of which I did not complain),
but they were working my niece night and day for the miserable sum of
7s. per week, and they refused to let me have even an assistant
organizer until April 27th. Still, I do not regret the sacrifice I made
in the interest of humanity.
On April 27th the first meeting of the Executive was held at the Liberal
Club, Peterborough, and so fast had the Union grown during the four
months that the Executive was obliged to set on an assistant organizer.
Mr. Thomas Thacker was appointed until July, at a salary of 25s. per
week, but with no guarantee that they would continue the appointment
after that date. This showed how cautious the committee were and that
they did not intend to waste the members' money.
The appointment of an assistant organizer did not relieve me of any
work, for I continued my own organizing work with the same vigour as
before, and in addition I had to organize my assistant's work, which
also added to the clerical work at home, and the Executive made no
effort to give me any assistance at home. By July our contributions had
increased from L116 9s. 11d. to L133 0s. 1d. We had enrolled during the
quarter 350 members. The entrance fees received for the quarter ending
July were L9 15s. 8d. Our balance at the end of July stood at L242 3s.
4d., which was a saving on the quarter of L91 5s. 9d.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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