COUNCILLOR GEORGE MOSES
George Moses was one of the foremost politically "progressives" in Hayes, Middlesex, at the early part of the twentieth century.He lived at 1, Blythe Road , Botwell, Hayes and was a grocer by trade.
Moses was politically close to the Liberal Party and infact nominated the Liberal candidate Sidney Pocock in the 1906 General election, but would later back Labour candidates such as Henry Palmer Hope Cottage, High Road, Hayes , Hayes first Labour Councillor and in 1911 stand as a Labour candidate.
Moses had been elected to the old Hayes Parish Council as early as 1903 and stood for re election in 1905 held on 3rd April, the polling station being at Dr Triplett's School.
Other Hayes Council candidates in 1905 included
John Brown, Railway Arms, Licenced Victuallar
John Hetherington, Cumbria, Station Road, Engineer
Albert John Humphrey, Paignton House, Railway Station Master
Ernest William Shackle, Redleaf, Hayes, Farmer
The full list of Hayes councillors elected in 1905 included
Mr E.H. Beckett Chairman, Mr J. Richards Vice Chairman, Thomas Bradberry, Egerton Henry Tucker, JohnHetherington, George Fulford, George Moses and Dr E.J. Parrott with Mr C. Dudley Lewis Clerk and Mr C. Curtis Gray Surveyor.
The failure of Shackle to be elected was surprising given that at this period in time many "Working men still "doffed" their hats to the local Squire Shackle.
George Moses early ally on the council was George Lowe, a Florist of Angel Lane, Hayes who was also politically close to the Liberals.
Local "progressives" who backed Sidney Pocock at the general election of June 1906, include:-
Egerton Henry Tucker, Issac Ellis, Albert Edward Viveash, Walter Ayres, John James Richards, James Smith, Thomas Smith, Henry Palmer (later founder of Hayes Labour Party in 1910), George Spink.
Sidney Pocock came within 145 votes of unseating the Tory grandee and founder of the Primrose League Sir Freerick Dixon-Hartland for the Uxbridge Division
Mr Moses "I have protested against the employment of outside Labour at 4.5p per hour I strongly advocate local labour and trade union wages to all bona fide workingmen resident in the Parish".
George Lowe "Would like a fair wage clause in contracts and employment of local labour" and Councillor Isreal Ellis (Jewish Industrial School) also supported fair wages.
At the March 1908 UDC election, Georges Moses was nominated by George Lowe and seconded by Daniel Bunce.
Moses spoke at a Liberal meeting at the Council School Botwell in 1908 when J.W.Kennedy of Ealing presided and the main speaker was Alderman West ex Mayor of Battersea, other speakers included Councillor Moses and Lowe.
George Lowe who was finally elected in April 1908, seconded George Moses resolution on trade union rates of pay.
August 1908 George Moses moved that the council introduce trade union rates of pay, this was again not supported.
At the 1911 Hayes UDC election George Moses stood as a Labour candidate along with William Rawlins 1, Sydney Villas, Blythe Road and Henry Palmer, Hope Cottage, High Road, Hayes.
The Labour Election platform for Hayes UDC in 1911 included
Municipal Housing
Town Planning
Public access to Open Spaces
Fair Wages (Trade Union rates of Pay)
Allotments
Extra Polling Station
The election was held at Dr Tripletts School Monday 27th March 1911 between the hours of 8am to 8pm .
* Click on photos to enlarge - Moses shop from Middx.net
