Engines and Men/Chapter 12
Chapter XII
The question of Federation drew us on to the eve of the sharp incidents of 1908, but it did not involve a complete history of more important events which had occurred between 1903 and 1908, including the Conciliation Boards year, 1907. To gather the threads of this wider movement we are compelled to revert to the end of 1903 as a starting point, when we find the Society delighted at having enrolled 1,145 members during the year, opened nine new branches, and having funds of £155,734. Considerable sums had been spent in defending members in legal actions respecting compensation claims, and unfair charges by Coroners, and in efforts to secure better service conditions from the companies. The bigger engines and greater loads, and the compulsory retirement, were together causing stagnation, and evidently men were feeling it. The year 1904—the year of the Longhor disaster on the Great Western, in which Brothers Lloyd and Harris were killed—was a record year for new members, the total membership being 12,000, with funds £123,000, over £10 per head. Good causes were evidently at work, backed by an organiser, for the year £905 saw a further increase of 2,800 members, accompanied by a deletion of some defaulting members, and funds of £132,665. Special grants of £50 each had been made to two members at Plaistow and Barry "for what appeared tyranny on account of the part they took in the cause of their fellows."
The Loughor disaster deeply stirred the minds of drivers, firemen, and the public, for it turned upon the use of a tank engine as leader on a double-headed express train. It was gathered that since 1876 there had been 25 reports of accidents by tank engines running off the line owing to oscillation when pushed at too high a speed. All too often "Killed by an Act of God" was the verdict on railway accidents, when everything possible was alleged to have been done by companies to avoid such an accident. The Loughor disaster happened on October 3rd, and five persons were killed. At the inquest was the usual array of experts, accompanied this time by Mr. Clement Stretton, who had visited all the wrecks of the last twenty years. It was he who advanced the theory of wreck due to oscillation, and it came out in evidence that in 38 weeks there had been 91 complaints at the shed about engines, chiefly about this one, No. 1674. This was on the second day of the inquest, and the jury, having retired for an hour, returned their verdict at 11 p.m. They found that the accident was due to oscillation of engine No. 1674, and recommended the discontinuance of saddle tank engines on fast trains, thereby fully accepting Mr. Stretton's theory.
Inquests and Board of Trade Inquiries have always formed an important part of the duties of an organiser. They are not only able to assist the member concerned, but often, by their practical knowledge, to assist the court, too. There are still a few coroners who dislike the presence of organisers, and desire that a solicitor, lacking any personal knowledge of railway life, should represent the men concerned. A coroner is as much the king of his own court as a captain is of his ship, and as yet the trade unions have only a courtesy right to place an organiser there. When Mr. Herbert Gladstone was at the Home Office he issued a circular to coroners generally, expressing his approval of the practice of allowing trade union representatives at certain inquests, a practice which he trusted would be generally adopted. In this circular, issued June 1st. 1907. Mr. Gladstone said:—
"In the case of accident in other industrial occupations, e.g., in metalliferous mines, on railways, or in the construction of engineering works, no provision has been made by Statute for the appearance of representatives of the deceased workmen or of the Union or Society to which they belong, but the Secretary of State understands that it is the general practice of coroners at inquests on industrial accidents to allow such representatives to attend and examine witnesses, and he cannot but think that where special knowledge of, e.g., railway working, is necessary for the purpose of elucidating the circumstances in which the accident occurred, the examination of the witnesses by the representatives of the railwaymen may often be of value. He trusts, therefore, that the practice may be generally adopted."
Not all coroners acted upon this, and one of them told Mr. Parfitt that it would have no influence upon him, and none but a solicitor should act in his court. As a general rule, however, they welcome the organiser, and all seem to do their utmost to probe the case to the fullest extent.
In those early days of organising, work was very hard and continuous, with the United Kingdom for a district, and six to ten weeks continuous absence from home, until the Executive resolved that every sixth week be allowed at home.
In the case of Board of Trade Inquiries, and the preliminary examination of the scene of accident, companies were far too ready to regard the organisers as undesirable intruders, and often flatly refused to allow them any facilities, or even to attend the inquiry. A case of that kind occurred at Crewe with Mr. Parfitt, but the Inspector carefully explained the whole scene for Mr. Parfitt's special benefit before the inquiry opened. It seems an outrage that while inspections took place the representatives of the men most intimately concerned should be refused facilities even to view the scene. There was a case at Highbridge on the G.W.R., _(page_169_crop).jpg)
Illuminated Address presented to Mr. Albert Fox at the close of the National Railway Strike, 1911.
The obstacles raised by the North Western received a smart check by a blocking motion on one of their Bills in the House of Commons, and on the Taff Vale line the era of secrecy ended with the terrible accident near Pontypridd, in which some twelve people lost their lives. Trade Unionism has advanced in this respect. In 1905 John Drummond was appointed organiser for Scotland, residing in Glasgow. The silver medal, duly inscribed, was instituted as a present for those securing 25 members, the Executive Committee in charge at that period (1903 to 1906) being Messrs. Atkinson, Cheshire; Cooper, South London; Millman, Midlands: Mabberley, Bristol; Moore, Lancashire; Chapman, Yorkshire; Hawkins, West of England; Warwick, South Wales; Clarke, North London and Shipley, Scottish.
The text of the Locomotive Enginemen's Certificate Bill was presented to the Trade Union Congress in 1905, and Mr. G. N. Barnes, M.P., was in the following year asked to pilot the measure through the House. Mr. Fox waited on Mr. Lloyd George at the Board of Trade to ask his support, Mr. Parfitt was nominated as a Parliamentary candidate if a suitable vacancy offered itself, and Mr. Fox was in touch with South Leeds. Unfortunately, the Secretary's chances of election in the two contests he fought there were seriously diminished by his attitude towards the A.S.R.S. Before the first effort to secure the seat, he had decided upon a certain militant policy towards the all grades union, and the result of the mutual warfare is traced in many unhappy episodes between 1905 and 1911. The joint national strike in that year did something to close the breach for a time, but in the six years alluded to there were continuous controversies and storms. The Aylesbury disaster in January of 1905, in which the driver, Barnshaw, did not know the road, was seized upon by the "Railway Review" as an occasion for a very sharp attack on Mr. Fox in relation to circumstances attending the Inquiry. Competition had reached a battling point, and there were no bouquets between Mr. Bell and Mr. Fox. I want to touch lightly rather than labour some of the episodes, for time heals much, and no good service can be done by embitterment over the past. I notice that J. H. Thomas, of 32, Broad Street, Swindon, comes on the scene as a delegate to a conference under Clause D of the Federation Scheme in January of 1905.
In April of that year the Executive sat for several days, an unusual feature then, to consider a National Programme for Enginemen, and on two days there sat a national conference of delegates at the People's Hall, Leeds, to ratify that programme. It was not an ordinary delegate meeting of the Society, but a gathering representing all enginemen, the first of its kind, and, said the Executive Report, "the importance of such a meeting cannot be over-estimated." In many respects the year 1905 made an indelible impression upon the Society, and looking back upon it now, the chief event was probably the Conference mentioned, and the adoption of the uniform National Programme. It was not made effective in the sense of being presented by the Executive to all companies, but its true importance lay in the fact of the adoption of the principle of a national programme for all enginemen. That is why the Conference in the People's Hall, Leeds, must always find its place in history. It laid the foundation for advance in 1907 and later years.
The London District Railway was being electrified, and questions regarding motormen caused another acute passage between Messrs. Bell and Fox. Together, for the first time, they met a Board of Directors, but, it is recorded, "Mr. Bell did not in any way support Mr. Fox, either in the Board-room or elsewhere, in his endeavour to retain two men in the motor cab. For this Mr. Bell must take the responsibility." Mr. Keir Hardie raised the matter in the House of Commons, and a protest was sent to the Board of Trade against one man being in the motor cab. It was carried also before the Trade Union Congress.
While this storm continued there was an interlude, owing to the committal for trial on a charge of manslaughter of Driver Webster, of Stratford, following a fatal collision. Webster had seen 50 years service without accident, and the Society acted promptly and well for his defence. He was tried by Mr. Justice Grantham and a jury at the Old Bailey, and after lengthy evidence was acquitted, Mr. Justice Grantham adding that he hoped Webster would be driving for many years to come without accident. But Webster had not escaped injury, and soon he was incapacitated. The litigation dragged into 1906, when Webster was paid a final settlement of £128, in addition to sums previously paid.
The trial was scarcely over when Mr. Bell issued a printed report of a joint executive meeting, alleged to have been altered in several places after the Associated signatures had been appended, and certain remarks of Mr. Bell's were put into heavier type. While vigorous protest was being made, Mr. Fox was in the field in South Leeds, with a strong A.S.R.S. section impairing his chances, and Mr. Millman was authorised to contest Mid-Glamorgan if opportunity came. The opportunity did not come, but South Leeds was contested, Mr. Fox losing with a vote of 4,030. The result came almost at the same time as the result of the election of the second organiser, previously referred to. The four highest votes in the eight candidates were: Drummond, 2,138; Bromley, 1,158; Vaughan, 906; Atkinson, 617.
In 1906, sad to relate, there were complaints of bad language used in club-rooms and branch-rooms about politics! The divided ones sought the advice of the Executive, who replied that they knew no politics but Labour. In that year the Labour Representation Committee became the Labour Party, and the Society had begun to regularly send its delegates. Messrs. Fox and Drummond were submitted as candidates. A feature of the period was the issue of loans to members, many of whom took the advantage of borrowing £250 or so, to buy their own dwellinghouses. The West Brompton branch found it had no further service for the model engine, as the line was electrified, and sold it to the Executive for £18. Many compensation cases were demanding attention, sums up to £450 being secured in addition to £150 previously paid by instalments. Mr. Fox was nominated for the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress, and his subsequent visit to America was mooted. He and Mr. Parfitt were appointed to visit the Dublin and Belfast Engine Drivers' Trade Union, to discuss amalgamation, and in October, just after the Trade Union Congress, there was a return to animosity between the two Societies. Mr. Bell had acted independently over the District Railway question, and when reproached for it under the Federation scheme, he replied that if he needed assistance, and could not conduct the case alone, he would inform his Executive to that effect.
The Salisbury disaster of July 1st, 1906, gave pause to the controversy between secretaries for a time. Driver W. J. Robins and his mate, A. Gadd, both of whom were killed, were members of ours, and the Society had their interests watched by counsel at the inquest, which took place on July 16th. The jury found the accident was due to excessive speed round the compound curve after passing Salisbury Station, for which they blamed Driver Robins, but they found the company was to blame for that fact as well as the driver. Robins had never driven through Salisbury station before, and was never warned before starting of the danger of the curve and the speed limit of thirty miles an hour over it. Salisbury was not a case of derailment by the wheel-flange mounting the rails, but of complete over-turning by a heavy engine losing its true centre of gravity on the curve. It raised the whole question of height and weight of boilers, and their limit by the gauge of 4 feet 8½ inches. Robins drove at a speed exceeding 60 miles an hour, over a curve which has a super-elevation of 3½ inches at the centre. It was just beyond that point that the engine rolled on its side and brought about a tremendous wreck. The funeral of the two members, Robins and Gadd, at Tooting, was a very impressive ceremony. The two flower-covered coffins lay side by side in the Church, and at the close of the service, which was very largely attended, the South Western Railway Band played the "Dead March."
Then came Grantham, on September 19th, when the express, King's Cross to Scotland, did not pull up in the station, but passed through at high speed. But no harm need have come of that if the main line had been kept open. Instead of that, the express was turned on to the Nottingham branch line, which has a sharp curve and return curve, over which no train can pass safely at a speed greater than fifteen to twenty miles an hour. It was this which made disaster inevitable at Grantham. The fireman on the wrecked train was "a gentleman apprentice," which generally means that the driver is responsible for everything. Already a speed of seventy miles an hour had been reduced to forty miles by the first application of the vacuum brake, and the opening of the large ejector would have stopped the train soon, but the branch loop killed all hopes, and a dozen lives were lost in the destruction. Thus, although Grantham confirmed Salisbury as to speed on curves, the direct cause at Grantham certainly was the setting of the points for the branch. Driver Fleetwood knew the road well, and on the previous night had duly stopped the same train at Grantham.
The year 1906 was important to railwaymen for other and more permanent reasons. The "all-grades" movement put a sting into much of Mr. Bell's contact with the A.S.L.E. & F., but if the hostility and very paltry actions of the period were designed to rout the Associated, or even to check its prosperity, the designs were tremendously astray, for the membership funds continued to grow apace. Railwaymen were organising and breathing new life. They talked firmly about the eight hours day, and the ten hours maximum for all railwaymen. Their programmes all demanded better wages, less overtime, and less Sunday work. They wanted recognition by the companies, which would not meet either Society to discuss their programmes. They regarded their employees as "free and independent men, and denied the right of trade unions to speak for them, as they were not feeling any unrest, and were not underpaid," and so on.
This preliminary round of 1906 led to the crisis of 1907, and ultimately the strike of 1911. Late in 1906 an Executive had been elected to serve for the next three years, the members being R. Atkinson (G.C.), Cheshire; J. M. Bliss (L.B. & S.C.), South London: W. Clarken (M.R.), Midlands; Geo. Moore (L. & Y.), Lancashire; C. Shipley (N.E.), Northern District; W. Chapman (G.N.), North Midland; D. Brodie (N.B.), Scottish; Geo. Wride (G.W.), Bristol; R. Bowden (G.W.), West of England; W. Warwick (L. & N.W.), South Wales; W. Clarke (G.E.), North London. It was this newly-elected committee which sent out the circular of January 18th, 1907, giving details of the National Programme to be submitted to all companies, after its adoption by the Conference on January 8th. In brief this programme provided for the eight hour day, the guaranteed week, exclusive of Sunday duty; Christmas Day and Good Friday to be paid as Sunday, at time and a half rates; mileage clauses with a limit of 250 miles as a day's work; drivers' wages, 6s. daily, advancing to 8s. daily after six years; firemen's wages to be 4s. daily, to 5s. 6d. after six years experience; 5s. weekly extra for men living in London; cleaners to have 15s. to £1 weekly, by advances of 1s. per week, per annum; promotion to be by seniority; lodging allowance 2s. 6d., and where there are dormitories, 1s. 6d. daily; being 3s. and 2s. respectively in London.
The discord existing between the two Societies was exemplified at Barry, where, on March 24th, Mr. Fox was refused a hearing, and was unable to address a meeting because some of the other grades had organised a "rough house" for the occasion, bursting open the doors, and indulging in general disorder. Evidently they repented on reflection, as Mr. Fox was able to address a well-ordered meeting in Barry a few weeks later. "I understand," wrote Mr. Fox, "that there were amongst them professing Christians and members of chapels in Barry." Incidents like this indicate that the two forces were far from ready to stand shoulder to shoulder in common cause like they did in 1911 and 1919. They magnified mole-hills into mountains of difference, and said sharp things against each other, while the directors looked quietly on, lying low, like Brer Rabbit, and sayin' nuffin'. This made favourable ground for Mr. Lloyd George to come forward as the "friend" of the railwaymen, as he did later.
Correspondence between the two Societies came to narrow limits, letters from the A.S.R.S. being only formally acknowledged. During that summer, Theophilus Millman got into hot water for taking lunch with the officials concerned at an Inquiry. I see no harm in that, especially as poor Millman had had no food for 13 hours. Some branches felt it was compromising with the devil, and strongly protested. In that year, too, Ivor Gregory was discharged at Taunton, and while his claim for victimisation was disallowed, he was engaged as a clerk in the Head Office.
A third organiser was appointed, the voting being:—W. Warwick, 2,490; J. Bromley, 2,469; R. Atkinson, 1,903. Thus Messrs. Parfitt, Drummond and Warwick were in the field in 1907, and were instructed to reside at London, Glasgow, and Chester respectively "forthwith." That led to a little friction, as the Society had already recognised the principle of extra pay for London. Fifteen new branches were opened in one month that year, and even on the S.E. & Chatham the Society enrolled 600 members. It was certainly a moving time, with 219 branches at work, and amid the activities came the case of Driver Gourlay, the Scottish driver who was sentenced to imprisonment for manslaughter. Gourlay was not a member of the Society, but his harsh treatment for an error, after long years of faithful service, caused a national outburst of indignation. Practically every member signed a petition for his release from prison, which was presented to the Secretary for Scotland, with 21,000 signatures appended. But the law moves very slowly for a workman, unless he has stolen a loaf of bread, and Gourlay had completed his bitter sentence before the Secretary for Scotland had completed his consideration of the appeal.
The contest for organisers led to vacancies on the Executive, of which Mr. Geo. Moore was made President. Mr. F. Robotham, of Swansea, came on for South Wales; Mr. W. Chapman, of Doncaster, for the North Midland; and Mr. Clarken, of Nottingham, for the Midlands. The quarrel between the Societies found reflection in the Press as well as in branch-rooms. There was a projected libel action against a Bolton paper, and many resolutions from branches. Most of them "supported Mr. Fox," but Stratford and a few others protested against Mr. Fox's reported speeches, and called for a better spirit. The Executive passed a special resolution on the matter, recording that it had not received any invitation from the A.S.R.S. to sanction an all-grades movement according to the Federation Scheme Clause A. They held that in making his statements Mr. Fox was acting with a sole desire to promote the best interests of the Society, and they expressed implicit confidence in him.
The storm, however remote it may seem now, was real enough at the time, and it had serious effect in South Leeds. The attention of the Labour Party Executive was drawn to damaging remarks in the "Railway Review," and the assistance of the Trade Union Congress Parliamentary Committee was invoked to check the campaign. Delegate meetings of the A.S.R.S. had been held on October 5th and 19th, and then on October 20th, at the Euston Theatre, London, Mr. Fox delivered a speech which caused them further annoyance, and their committee declared: "We cannot proceed further with this scheme owing to this breach of confidence by the General Secretary of the A.S.L.E. & F." The unexpected happened, for early in 1908, Sir J. Lawson Walton died, and Mr. Fox found himself launched into a bye-election for South Leeds, under the hot resentment of A.S.R.S. members for his alleged indiscretions. However fully justified he may have been, the result of this difference was a foregone conclusion. The election was fought and lost, and, said Mr. Fox: "It is to be regretted that the slander, falsehoods, and trickery of the supporters of the supposed railway crisis should have allowed a difference between two Societies _(page_179_crop).jpg)
Mr. George Moore,
Assistant General Secretary since 1910.
Just before this election, and at the close of the "supposed" railway crisis, other incidents of a personal nature had been discussed, but I feel that no good purpose is served by relating them.