HAYES WARD REPORT. April 1973
Thank you Mr Editor (Hayes and Harlington Labour Party Journal) for your last number which was very good indeed. When I think how difficult it is to find something fresh to say about our activities I realise how hard. you must work to fill your excellent little journal.
From Hayes Ward we have nothing to report,, we still battle on with the same loyal few doing the work. How very few there are we realised to our cost during the recent GLC Election, (When Peter Russell was elected for Hayes & Harlington with a 7,000 majority)
For several weeks before April 12th our lives seemed to consist of canvassing, writing,. folding, and delivering. In this I feel sure we were not alone, it is sad to think ,that nearly all Wards suffer from lack of helpers. If it is any consolation the Tories must have been worse off, if their lack of effort was anything to go by. It was rather annoying to see known Tory supporters coming along to the Polling Station with our Poll cards, because their Party hadn't bothered to give them their polling number,
However, the marvelous result here made all the hard work worth while, and I am sure that in Comrade Russell we have a sincere and hard working representative,
Now- - -what else has happened, you will probably have read a report of the Labour Party Dinner and Dance., It was, I think one of the most successful we have had. The problem now is - - where can we hold another? Our Social Committee Secretary has written to many places, but they are all very expensive, and in many cases want a guaranteed" number of around l80.
There was a suggestion that we might have one for the Borough, but this seems to have fallen by the wayside
For the first time we, the Hayes & Harlington Labour Party Women's Section had a good deal of support for our jumble sale, and it was heart warming to see the number of male helpers who came along. Some felt that we should have made more money, but I think that is debatable. There has to be a choice of practically giving the jumble away and asking a fair price and having it on our hands I personally favour the first course, remembering the old 'bird' in the hand maxim,
Hearing of the death of George Marshall (twice Labour Chairman of Hayes & Harlington Urban District Council) set me thinking of when we first started the Women's Section, Mrs Abbott was secretary and about five of us met on alternate Tuesday afternoons in the Labour Hall, Mr George Marshall (Labour hall caretaker in later life) was always there either repairing tables or chairs, cleaning or working on the ground at the side which he used as an allotment.
He often had a cup of tea with us and talked of the old days on the Hayes Council. He had a little "lean-to” at the back of the Office where he did all sorts of jobs and it always seemed to us that he really loved the old place.
From that to the Labour Hall to-day. There are some General Management Committee delegates who seem to be of the opinion that the Labour Hall Trustees have some kind of magic power. At the drop of the hat they can conjure up an accommodating developer who will build a marvellous Hall to our requirements. If this were so, we should have been luxuriously housed long ago.
If any member has about £55,000 he wishes to invest the Trustees will be only too glad to accept the offer,
Just before the schools broke up my husband and I went to two very enjoyable entertainments. The first held at our Lady and St Anselms was the combined efforts of four Primary Schools. The Choir and the Orchestra were conducted by Mr Eric Stephenson and the way those children followed his baton was really marvelous. At the conclusion Father Fische thanked the children in a very amusing manner. The second event was a production of Hayden's Creation by the choir and orchestra of Hayes Grammar School
Margaret Wiltshire.
Hayes & Harlington Labour Party Journal “News & Events
21st edition of this monthly journal April 1973
450 copies printed
