West Ham Municipal Elections 1897: Now and then.

On General election day May 7, a London UNISON colleauge was representing Labour outside a polling station in Ilford North, when an elderly man bought photocopies of an election leaflet, featuring his Grandfather and gave her a copy. She knew that I was a West Ham Labour Councillor and would be interested in this, so she sent me a scan.

It is a remarkable document. Plasitow ward in 1897 also incorporated my ward, West Ham.  At the time West Ham Country borough was the first Council to be controlled by Labour. In 1892 Keir Hardie had been elected in West Ham South as the first Labour Member of Parliament. Even though the Labour Party itself was not formed until 1906.

I could only find out more information on the internet about J. J Terrett and nothing on G. Bissell or G. Coe.

Joseph Terrett was elected as a Councillor at some point and wrote a pamphlet called "Municipal Socialism” in West Ham: A Reply to ‘The Times,’ and Others (London: Twentieth Century Press, 1902). Which was in response to an attack on Labour Councils for spending too much by the London Times newspaper. Terrett argued that any extra expenditure was necessary due to poverty and disease. This argument is still live today.

He also wrote a book "The Right Hon. H.H. Asquith, M.P., and the Featherstone massacre" 1906. Which was about the shooting dead by troops of 2 striking coal miners in Burnley in 1893.

In early 1893, Terrett, was a 20 year gas worker and Social Democratic Federation League activist in Burnley. He also called himself "A. G. Wolfe" for some reason. He was however attacked by Keir Hardie for being too aggressive and sectarian.

The last reference I could find on Terrett was standing in a Parliamentary by election in South London 1916 as "Independent Labour". "London Trades Union Protest Committee selected Joe Terrett to stand on a platform of opposition to the recently introduced drink orders introduced on liquor traffic by the Central Control Board.[5] Terrett promptly began his campaign with literature carrying slogans such as "Smash the control board. No more government by secretly-appointed non-representative bodies".

It is surprising how many of the issues mentioned in the pamphlet are still relevant now. Much of which (not all) I would agree with. Click on pictures to bring up details.

If you look at their "Programme" (Page 3) you will see calls for a minimum wage, paid holidays, pensions and sick pay for Council workers. They also call for the council to build homes at low rents.

They want strict enforcement of what we would call nowadays "environmental health" and municipalisation of utilities and other monopolies. As well as making sure Landlords pay their taxes.

The municipalisation of pubs and off licences is not a particularly live issue anymore.

Page 4 of the manifesto calls for free further education and the provision of sufficient toilets for both sexes. I would still agree with the call for evening meetings of all Council committees.

There is "green agenda" (planting of trees) and a cultural call for a municipal theatre.

Finally, I am not that keen on the municipal control of Police but would fully support the final demand that the Council puts pressure to bear on the railway companies to prevent "the scandalous overcrowding that occurs daily".

Some things never change.

Many thanks for sending me the pamphlet. If anyone has any further information on it, please let me know.

UPDATE: Check this post about the grave of George Coe (G.Coe)  https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2020/10/socialist-labour-west-ham-cllr-george.html 

and comments by his family

Occupy St Pauls (1887 style)

Hat tip to Hayes People History post on an early anti-capitalist protest and "occupation" at St Pauls Cathedral by the Social Democratic Federation on 27 February 1887.

"In 1886 and 1887 the Social Democratic Federation conducted a broad campaign of agitation among London's unemployed. The church parades were a form of this agitation, practised in early 1887. It was an attempt to address the unemployed from the pulpit. One parade, on 27 February 1887, took place in front of St Paul's Cathedral. During the sermon, parade participants proclaimed socialist slogans. After the service the Social Democratic Federation held three meetings in the streets, the speakers including John Burns, George Bateman and Fielding".

However, just like today's "Occupy Movement" there was some controversy and dare I say "splitting". A certain Friedrich Engels attacked the protest in a letter on 10 March 1887 "Over here the unemployed agitation by the Social Democratic Federation has also proved to be a complete flop; the church parade in St Paul's was a silly attempt to ape the Chartists and was likewise a flop, in short nothing has happened yet. Next autumn things may get better; It would be desirable if, in the meanwhile, the rascals at the head of the Social Democratic Federation were to fade away and disappear".