Robert William Gunton - Hayes Housing Pioneer

Councillor Robert William Gunton
Hayes Housing Pioneer

Robert William Gunton was one of the most prominent and influential members of Hayes Labour Party leader and pioneer of Council housing in Hayes.

R. W. Gunton was a Civil Servant and came to Hayes in 1913, living at 1 Westgate Villas, Park Road.

(Picture R.W Gunton and J.C. Drenon - Friday March 26th 1915 Advertiser)





His tenacity in pushing through the first large council housing scheme in 1920 was vital to the well being of many future Hayes residents.

Gunton was clear about the important task of securing decent Housing for Hayes in February 1915 he boldly states:-

"It was their desire to build up a clean and health town.....
Where its citizens might under ideal conditions and wish that their children might look back with pleasure to the early work of the Hayes Labour Party and be able to say with truth that the Foundation stone was well and truly laid"

Gunton was fully committed to turnin the Hayes Labour Parties commitment to affordable council housing in Hayes into a reality and to build on the work of the first Labour Chairman of Hayes Council Councillor Juan Drenon 1914-1915.

"They were determined that these houses at Botwell should not be built as barracks but on town planning, each laid out in a decent healthy way"
R.W. Gunton March 1915

Councillor Gunton stated that one of the first things the first Labour Council had done when elected in 1914 was to appoint a sanitary inspector to "compel landlords to put their houses in a proper state of repairs".

Labour had secured a majority on Hayes Council from 1914 onwards, with only the occasional interruption, Hayes being one of the First labour Councils in Britain.

In 1916 Robert Gunton was elected Vice Chairman of Hayes Urban District Council and Hayes Urban District Council Chairman for the period 1917-1918 and accordingly became one of the very first Labour leaders of an English Council.

(Juan Drenon had been elected the first Labour Chairman in 1914)

The Advertiser referring to Councillor Gunton election as Chairman in 1917 " that he was a zealous and level headed leader and on whose abilities have been well proved during his service as a member (of the Council)".

In April 1919 Gunton was involved in ensuring "May Day" became an official Council holiday, seconding the resolution he referred to Oliver Cromwell having done away with it because of heavy drinking. "They had reached a stage he thought when working class did behave themselves better". Hayes became one of the first councils in Britain to allow their employees to enjoy International Workers Day, May 1st as a public holiday.

It was Councillor Gunton who moved the resolution at the Special Hayes Urban District Council held on 12th July 1919 not to participate in the national "Peace Celebrations" on July 1919, on the grounds of cost and glorification of war, an all most unprecedented move. Those voting in favour of not participating Gunton, Mason, Fowler, Manley and Davies.

Councillor R.W. Gunton along with early Hayes Labour Councillors Juan Drenon, Henry Palmer and Percy Langton had pioneered the building of council housing in Hayes and it was Gunton as Chairman of Housing who was present when Dr Addison, Minister for Health laid the first brick of the planned 2,000 council house estate on the Glebe Field and Townfield Estate, Hayes (around what would become Central Avenue).



On the cold but bright morning of Friday 20th February 1920 Dr Addison, laid the first brick stating "I think that is well and truly laid", an act the local Advertiser & Gazette referred to as a "birth of a new city".

Such was the speed of the final agreement to build the Council houses in Hayes, that a building contractor had to be found within fourteen days and the contractor that came forward was Robert McAlpine.

The building site was feed by a siding from the Great Western Railway, a network of light railway lines criss crossed the site. Each Council house was estimated to cost £675 and it was expected that two houses a day would be built, however due to the shortage of bricklayers they initially completed just three quarters of a house.

The situation with the bricklayers took a disastrous turn in April 1920 when the bricklayers went on strike. Councillor Gunton once again came to the rescue and secured agreement from both sides to end the dispute winning the praise of Sir Robert McAlpine.

Councillor Gunton was keen that the new Council estate would enjoy facilities such as shops as well as a Council run Cinema and a Public House (Pub) run on the Carlisle lines (Carlisle had successfully and profitably put its pubs under state control during the war to regulate alcohol (especially spirits) consumption as a safety measure as Carlisle was a Munitions town).

But not everyone supported the Council Housing scheme the local Conservatives argued that the workers houses should be but by factory owners and not paid for by the ratepayers.

The Council had previously built a few Council houses at Rosedale Avenue (Wood End) 51 houses in 1913 and in 1919 some 20 houses at Yeading (Melior Cottages).

Such was the support for the Council housing scheme locally that by April 1920 the local newspaper could announce that every member of Hayes Council was now a Labour Party member - 100% Labour.

In January 1921 Councillor Gunton could claim with some justification that

"Hayes was one of the few and probably only councils in the country that could say there were no slums existing in their district"

The Council house scheme was so popular, that delegations flooded in to see the developments, delegations from councils across the United Kingdom and as far away as America Austria and Japan.

Despite the cost, Councillor Gunton could boast in 1924 "The Labour Party was generally associated by the reactionary press with high rates, well the rates in Hayes did not happen to be high rates".

Robert William Gunton states in 1925

"convinced that every branch of the Council's work it was necessary to illuminate private contractors as far as possible.......Working people ought to be proud of the work of the Council in cleaning away slums, demolishing them, so that no reactionary Council could open them again.....The decline of the death rate (in Hayes) since the Council houses had been errected"

R.W. Gunton was Hon Secretary of Southall-Norwood "Old Contemptibles" of ex servicemen founded in 1925.

1924 Gunton states "The Labour Party was generally associated by the reactionary press with high rates, well the rates in Hayes did not happen to have high rates".

In 1924 It was reported that Councillor Robert William Gunton was not standing for Hayes Urban District Council as he was soon to move to Watford, but this does not seem to have materialised and he remained heavily involved in Hayes affairs being elected up until 1936 (?). In 1935 Councillor Gunton had been once gain elected Vice Chairman of the Hayes Urban District Council (a position he had previously held in 1916-1917, and 1919-1920).

Finally R.W. Gunton was elected as a Labour Middlesex County Councillor Alderman during the first Labour controlled Middlesex County Council in 1946.

Given Councillor Gunton's role in pioneering and securing large scale affordable and good quality housing for many generations of Hayes residents, it is a shame his work and deeds are not better known.

Michael Walker

END

The 1901 census
Possible match - Robert W Gunton aged 18 in 1901 born at Penge, South East London and a Teller at Somerset House.

Robert William Gunton - Hayes Housing Pioneer

Councillor Robert William Gunton
Hayes Housing Pioneer

Robert William Gunton was one of the most prominent and influential members of Hayes Labour Party leader and pioneer of Council housing in Hayes.

R. W. Gunton was a Civil Servant and came to Hayes in 1913, living at 1 Westgate Villas, Park Road.

(Picture R.W Gunton and J.C. Drenon - Friday March 26th 1915 Advertiser)



His tenacity in pushing through the first large council housing scheme in 1920 was vital to the well being of many future Hayes residents.

Gunton was clear about the important task of securing decent Housing for Hayes in February 1915, just before his election as a Labour Councillor he boldly stated:-

"It was their desire to build up a clean and health town.....
Where its citizens might under ideal conditions and wish that their children might look back with pleasure to the early work of the Hayes Labour Party and be able to say with truth that the Foundation stone was well and truly laid"

Gunton was fully committed to turning the Hayes Labour Parties commitment to affordable council housing in Hayes into a reality and to build on the work of the first Labour Chairman of Hayes Council Councillor Juan Drenon 1914-1915.

"They were determined that these houses at Botwell should not be built as barracks but on town planning, each laid out in a decent healthy way"
R.W. Gunton March 1915

Councillor Gunton stated that one of the first things the first Labour Council had done when elected in 1914 was to appoint a sanitary inspector to "compel landlords to put their houses in a proper state of repairs".

Labour had secured a majority on Hayes Council from 1914 onwards, with only the occasional interruption, Hayes being one of the First labour Councils in Britain.

In 1916 Robert Gunton was elected Vice Chairman of Hayes Urban District Council and Hayes Urban District Council Chairman for the period 1917-1918 and accordingly became one of the very first Labour leaders of an English Council.

(Juan Drenon had been elected the first Labour Chairman in 1914)

The Advertiser referring to Councillor Gunton election as Chairman in 1917 " that he was a zealous and level headed leader and on whose abilities have been well proved during his service as a member (of the Council)".

In April 1919 Gunton was involved in ensuring "May Day" became an official Council holiday, seconding the resolution he referred to Oliver Cromwell having done away with it because of heavy drinking. "They had reached a stage he thought when working class did behave themselves better". Hayes became one of the first councils in Britain to allow their employees to enjoy International Workers Day, May 1st as a public holiday.

It was Councillor Gunton who moved the resolution at the Special Hayes Urban District Council held on 12th July 1919 not to participate in the national "Peace Celebrations" on July 1919, on the grounds of cost and glorification of war, an all most unprecedented move. Those voting in favour of not participating Gunton, Mason, Fowler, Manley and Davies.

Councillor R.W. Gunton along with early Hayes Labour Councillors Juan Drenon, Henry Palmer and Percy Langton had pioneered the building of council housing in Hayes and it was Gunton as Chairman of Housing who was present when Dr Addison, Minister for Health laid the first brick of the planned 2,000 council house estate on the Glebe Field and Townfield Estate, Hayes (around what would become Central Avenue).

On the cold but bright morning of Friday 20th February 1920 Dr Addison, laid the first brick stating "I think that is well and truly laid", an act the local Advertiser & Gazette referred to as a "birth of a new city".

Such was the speed of the final agreement to build the Council houses in Hayes, that a building contractor had to be found within fourteen days and the contractor that came forward was Robert McAlpine.

The building site was feed by a siding from the Great Western Railway, a network of light railway lines criss crossed the site. Each Council house was estimated to cost £675 and it was expected that two houses a day would be built, however due to the shortage of bricklayers they initially completed just three quarters of a house.

The situation with the bricklayers took a disastrous turn in April 1920 when the bricklayers went on strike. Councillor Gunton once again came to the rescue and secured agreement from both sides to end the dispute winning the praise of Sir Robert McAlpine.

Councillor Gunton was keen that the new Council estate would enjoy facilities such as shops as well as a Council run Cinema and a Public House (Pub) run on the Carlisle lines (Carlisle had successfully and profitably put its pubs under state control during the war to regulate alcohol (especially spirits) consumption as a safety measure as Carlisle was a Munitions town).

But not everyone supported the Council Housing scheme the local Conservatives argued that the workers houses should be but by factory owners and not paid for by the ratepayers.

The Council had previously built a few Council houses at Rosedale Avenue (Wood End) 51 houses in 1913 and in 1919 some 20 houses at Yeading (Melior Cottages).

Such was the support for the Council housing scheme locally that by April 1920 the local newspaper could announce that every member of Hayes Council was now a Labour Party member - 100% Labour.

In January 1921 Councillor Gunton could claim with some justification that

"Hayes was one of the few and probably only councils in the country that could say there were no slums existing in their district"

The Council house scheme was so popular, that delegations flooded in to see the developments, delegations from councils across the United Kingdom and as far away as America Austria and Japan.

Despite the cost, Councillor Gunton could boast in 1924 "The Labour Party was generally associated by the reactionary press with high rates, well the rates in Hayes did not happen to be high rates".

Robert William Gunton states in 1925

"convinced that every branch of the Council's work it was necessary to illuminate private contractors as far as possible.......Working people ought to be proud of the work of the Council in cleaning away slums, demolishing them, so that no reactionary Council could open them again.....The decline of the death rate (in Hayes) since the Council houses had been errected"

R.W. Gunton was Hon Secretary of Southall-Norwood "Old Contemptibles" of ex servicemen founded in 1925.

1924 Gunton states "The Labour Party was generally associated by the reactionary press with high rates, well the rates in Hayes did not happen to have high rates".

In 1924 It was reported that Councillor Robert William Gunton was not standing for Hayes Urban District Council as he was soon to move to Watford, but this does not seem to have materialised and he remained heavily involved in Hayes affairs being elected up until 1936 (?). In 1935 Councillor Gunton had been once gain elected Vice Chairman of the Hayes Urban District Council (a position he had previously held in 1916-1917, and 1919-1920).

Finally R.W. Gunton was elected as a Labour Middlesex County Councillor Alderman during the first Labour controlled Middlesex County Council in 1946.

Given Councillor Gunton's role in pioneering and securing large scale affordable and good quality housing for many generations of Hayes residents, it is a shame his work and deeds are not better known.

Michael Walker

END

The 1901 census
Possible match - Robert W Gunton aged 18 in 1901 born at Penge, South East London and a Teller at Somerset House.

Juan Colonna Drenon

Juan Colonna Drenon born 1865 in Liverpool, was a newsagent/bookseller, living at Barra Hall Villa, Hayes.

He is undoubtedly one of the most important people, in the subsequent development of Hayes politically and geographically.

Juan Drenon was an early member of Hayes Labour Labour Association (later Party) and was elected as one the first Hayes Labour Councillors for West Ward in 1913.

In the following year he was elected Secretary of the rapidly expanding Hayes Labour Association in 1914


It can be no accident, that when Labour secured its first majority on Hayes council, it turned to Drenon to be its first Labour Chairman (Mayor)1915-1916. An honour not only unique to Hayes but allegedly to South East England (outside London)

During WW1 Drenon was involved with his wife in the Hayes Belgium Relief Fund, which attempted to help Belgium refugees settle in Hayes . Drenon personally accommodated a Belgium family for free, for four monthsion in his house.

Drenon also took up issue of high private rents , Drenon denounced the profiteering of private land lords, who had increased rents allegedly by as much as 3s a week. Drenon advocated the establishment of a Tenants Defence League to fight the rent increases.

Councillor Juan Drenon also made a withering attack on the ruling class and their form of patriotism , in a brilliant and blistering attack in July 1915 ,denouncing them accordingly.....

"The patriotism of many so called patriots, starts and ends with their pockets.
It was the same with the coal owners who grew fat out of the country’s needs and risk the country’s safety rather than give the colliers a living wage”

Later, Drenon became the first Labour Justice of the Peace in the area and also elected as a member of Uxbridge Joint Hospital Board.


Drenon's legacy to Hayes is the generally high standard of Council housing in Hayes. He was one of the main advocates of the massive post WW1, Hayes Housing scheme and accompanying town planning.


Councillor Juan Drenon's, endeavours were recognised by the Council, in the naming of Drenon Square after him.

In August 1917, Drenon wrote to the council resigning his Council seat "for business reasons and living now many miles outside the district"

Drenon moved to 5, Wroughton Terrace, Hendon and was at some point employed as a clerk.

Juan Colonna Drenon died Napsbury Hospital, 10th April 1921

Juan Colonna Drenon deserves much greater recognition in Hayes,


NOTES:



His wife was Maud Agnes Sparkes of Paddington/clerkenwell (married March 1910 at Hendon)

JC Drenon went to America (New York) in 1892 to find work

picture of J.C. Drenon 26th March 1915 Advertiser

We believe he was Born in Liverpool in 1865

• Child: Reina DRENON Birth: 1893, Uckfield, Sussex, Englandrrotnvf
• Child: Ethel Colonna DRENON Birth: 16 Apr 1896, St Pancras, London
• Child: George Colonna DRENON Birth: 20 Oct 1897, Islington, London
• Child: Vera Marion L. DRENON Birth: 23 Mar 1899, Islington, London
• Child: Ruby Leonore DRENON Birth: Mar 1903, Islington, London

Belgium Refugees - First Hayes Immigrants - Workers Union

Hayes Belgium Relief Fund
The first immigrants

Hayes Belgium Relief Fund was established at a public meeting 23rd October 1914, after the Emergency Committee had received a letter from Local Government Board asking Hayes to offer hospitality to Belgium refugees.
At the outset of World War One and the German invasion , Belgium refugees had flocked to Britain (an estimated 500,000 in total).

Many Belgium refugees seem to have been progressed initially through the Earls Court Camp in London.
The Hayes Committee looked after 100 families, many of the women and children, but also wounded Belgium soldiers. (Some refugees we know were from the Louvain region of Belgium)
Initially, the committee tried to secure accommodation for the refugees at White Hall, Hayes End, but Hearne House and Lodge were secured, later The Gables at Wood End and Mr Drenon (Labour Councillor) took refugees into his home at Barra Hall.

Some of the younger Belgium men secured work in the Hayes factories, but work at the Army Motor Works was said to be "irregular". Despite a national shortage of Labour, pay and conditions for the Belgium workers seem to have been bad, local employers taking the opportunity to cut pay rates. Belgium workers who protested at poor conditions were threatened with being conscripted into the Belgium Army.

A number of local Belgium workers in the factories joined the Workers Union, who had appointed a national Belgium full time officer, Jan Chapelle (a well know Belgium trade union leader) to look after their interests.
The committee raised money by local collections and Belgium flag days

Hayes Belgium Relief Fund Committee:

Dr W. D. Hopkins, Cllr Juan Drenon JP, Mrs Gunton, Mrs Hudson, Mrs Ellis, Mrs Ritchings, Rev Mr E.R Hudson, Mr I. Ellis, Mr J. Hibbert, Mr H.W. Hunt, Mr E. Tucker, Mr E. J. Nyblom, Mr E. Window Hayes Belgium Relief

Committee Secretaries: Mr Montague Rose, The Bryan, Keith Road, Mr W. Herbert Rhodes 17, Cranmer Road


Note:
Rhodes was a Labour Councillor as was Juan Drenon
LOcal branch Secretary of the Workers Union was Douglas Page

Picture Top
Belgium monument on the embankment in tribute of the Belgium refugees, unveiled 1920

Hayes Labour Attide to WW1 (Update)

Hayes and World War One -WW1

It is clear despite a significant minority of the Labour Party opposing World War One, The vast majority of the British Labour Party ended up supporting the War, and it seems this division was reflected locally in Hayes, West Middlesex.

While there may have been concerns about the War by Hayes Labour Association founder Percy Langton, accusing the “gutter press ” of having “done more to bring about this war than the Kaiser.”

The German invasion of neutral Belgium and abuses of Belgium civilians had swung support to the pro War lobby.

Former Hayes Urban District Labour Councillor, Henry Palmer, who had by 1915 emigrated to Canada stated

“We are fighting a just and right war and one that was forced on us to keep our honor we were bound to help the weak and those of us who have to give up our sons to go, know that if they never come back they died doing their duty for their country. Both of my sons have gone and if they never come back I say God’s will be done

Henry Palmer; Stratford Canada December 1915

Henry Palmer, like so many paid a heavy price for his beliefs, both his sons were killed by the end of the War. William Alfred Palmer Eastern Ontario Reg (Killed 26th April 1916 Woods Cemetery, Belgium). Lieutenant Henry Arthur Palmer Central Ontario Reg (killed 30th September 1918 Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery, Nord France)

Leanold W Spencer Uxbridge ILP Secretary (Belmont Road,Uxbridge) was also killed, 1st September 1915. shot in head aged just 26. He had been a founder member of Uxbridge Labour Party and was the first man to motor cycle up Snowdon, Wales

L.W Spencers, Regiment took major loses and he underwent terrible ordeal suffer from hunger, thirst, sleepless nights and 7 months on constant bombardment, he slept with his motorcycle by his side doing his Christian socialist duty
13th Kensington Battalion Cyclist Orderly he is buried at Longuenesse St Omer


At Uxbridge, Labour Councillor Robert Hudson got caught up with the jingoism of the day in stating that “We are all British before Party”

A more main stream Labour Party view of the War was stated by Labour Perspective Parliamentary Candidate for Uxbridge Parliamentary Division (which included Hayes) Harry Gosling (Later TGWU President) at a meeting in Harefield in late1918

“I hate war and militarism but I would object to anyone taking a liberty with me (?) I believe country was absolutely right in the action it took, but it need not mean that they should go on fighting for ever and ever, the war must be settled”

In Hayes the immediate impact of the War was improved wages offered by the factory owners, (and huge numbers of women rushed to new jobs - some soilders wrote to complain about their pay compared to these young women's) as the factories switched from consumer goods to War goods. This no doubt also muffled opposition to the War in Hayes

As the impact of the War hit home, food prices rocketed and rents often doubled, there was growing local support for those that protested, such as the local National Union of Railwaymen’s branches protest at price of food “ which they viewed with alarm and extreme dissatisfaction the present high prices of food “

On Rent’s, Labour Councillor Juan Drenon was at the forefront of the campaign to expose “profiteering” by Private Landlords. It was stated that “Rents in 1915 were 3s above that charged pre-War”

Councillor Drenon in a blistering attack in July 1915 stated,

"The patriotism of many so called patriots, starts and ends with their pockets. It was the same with the coal owners who grew fat out of the country’s needs and risk the country’s safety rather than give the colliers a living wage”

By November 1915, Councillor Drenon was so concerned about the situation with regard to rents that he called for the establishment of a Tenants Defense League similar to that established elsewhere.

Councillor Drenon had also taken into his home a number of Belgium refugees (500,000 nationally), the Belgium's being the first wave if immigrants to arrive in Hayes looking for work in the Munition factories.

Hayes Belgium Relief Fund was established by Hayes Labour Councillor Mr Herbert Rhodes on October 23rd 1914 and its primary purpose was care for the Belgium refugees, especially mothers and children. by 1916 it was looking after one hundred families in Hayes alone. (a number of the refugees was from Louvain, Belgium). Hayes also saw a regular Belgium Flag Day to raise money

Elsewhere, in West Middlesex the harsh treatment and eviction of those with husbands and sons in the Armed Forces was typified by the heartless eviction of Mr and Mrs Fort aged 73 and 69 respectively, residing at Copthall Farm, Ickenham, who had five out of six sons in the army and one son in a restricted occupation. This eviction was not uncommon and showed the scant regard business showed to the poor during the War.

Little wonder, that the Hayes Labour Party was supportive of the principle of £1 a week for soldiers and their dependents .

In the early part of 1918 the Thames & Medway region of the National Amalgamated Union of Labour organised a delegation to visit the troops in the front line, This delegation included locally Hayes Labour Councillor Woodward. Woodward stated in Febuary 1918 that

“The impression the trip made upon him, an impression that was shared by every member of the NAUL party was the fighting must continue until a clean and lasting peace is assured”

“The only complaint I heard from Tommy was about the smallness of there pay… compared to that earned in the munitions factories”.

When conscription was introduced, a local Uxbridge branch of the No Conscription was established, primarily consisting of ILP members and included Norman Cox (Hillingdon)and Adam Priestley (Northwood). Most conscientious objectors received short shrift and were handed over to the military authorities and ultimately prison.

At Harrow School, the school boys organised a strike in order to remove a Teacher, Mr Sutherland from employment because he was a conscientious objector

In total 16,000 men refused to fight of whom most were pacifists, 7,000 acted as stretcher bearers and suffered high casualty rates.


A unique letter home from Reginald Hamaton of Hillingdon who was in the Army of Occupation in (Cologne) Germany in January 1919, shines a small light on the situation in Germany.

“We are very lucky here as we are in Jerry’s peace time barracks, and have nice single cots, pillows, and soft beds, plenty of coal for the fire, “bags” of electric light, etc. We are not allowed to walk or talk with the civilian population…..I suppose this is the place where they make the Eau de Cologne, but I have not seen any about. Of course, I cannot speak any German, and it is hard to understand the people, but they are very nice and treat us very good – far better than I thought would be the case. It is funny to see Jerry’s bicycles with the patent spilings for tyres. As you know, he has no rubber, and his motor lorries have iron tyres, and it makes the people look when they see all ours using rubber. Another thing they are very short of soap”.


At the end of the War, what is of note is the refusal of the Labour councillors and therefore the Hayes UDC to mark or participate in the victory and peace celebrations carried out by nearly every other council in the country.

NOTE

Picture
Belgium refugees monument, South Bank, London

Belgium's can therefore claim to be the fist immigrants to Hayes (excluding people from Wales and North of England)

Independent Labour Party (ILP) Uxbridge, Headquarters at Rockingham Hall,Uxbridge

Private Carl Siebenhuhner, German Prisoner Drowned at Denham

While bathing in the river Colne at the prisoner of War camp, Denham Lodge, on Saturday 9 August 1919, a German prisoner named Siebenhuhner got out of hid depth.

He was unable to swim, and seeing that he was in difficulties, his comrades immediately went to his assistance, but without success and the body disappeared. Dragging operations were at once instituted, and the body was recovered from the water in less than a hour,

At the inquest held at the Lodge on Tuesday evening, by Mr A. E. Charsley coroner for South Buckinghamshire a verdict of accidental death was returned.

The deceased, who was twenty seven years of age was a single man, and had been a prisoner of war since 1916. the accident was particularly unfortunate as he was expecting to return to his home in Germany shortly.

The funeral of private Carl Siebenhuhner took place at Denham on Wednesday,

The coffin covered with a flag, and surmounted with a couple of wreaths of holly and evergreens from his comrades, was placed on one of the motor lorries, and the cortege moved off from the camp at Denham Lodge with a firing party of the Royal Fusiliers leading and the whole of the Prisoners of War numbering about forty, following behind the coffin.

In addition to the two wreaths on the coffin, one of the German prisoners carried a beautiful wreath of white carnations subscribed for by all his comrades.

The first portion of the burial service was conducted by the Rector, the Rev G.C Battiscombe, was taken in the church and afterwards six of his comrades, specially chosen because of their near residence to him in Germany bore the coffin to the grave. Here the rector concluded the burial service, three volleys were fired and the last post sounded.

The coffin bore the inscription Siebenhuhner, Carl 133^rd Infantry Regiment, died August 9^th 1919, aged 27One of the wreaths was from his friend Erde

Early Hayes Labour Association Councillors

Henry Palmer (Bricklayer) 1911-1913

Oak Cottages, High Road

Percy Osborne Langton (Clerk) 1912-1915

18 Angel Lane, Hayes End

Juan Colonna Drenon (Bookseller) 1913-1917 (UDC Chair 1915)

Barra Hall, Wood End, Hayes

William Rawlings (Packing Case Maker) 1914-

(Chair 1919) 1 Sydney Villas, Blythe Rd

Frederick V Mason (Machinist) 1914-1920

6 Silverdale Rd

Robert William Gunton (Civil Servant) 1915 -1936

1 West Gate Villas, High Road, Hayes

F Woodard 1914 -1920

W. Herbert Rhodes (Painter) 1915-1919

17 Cranmer Rd, Hayes End

Fredrick Henry Conway (Woodworker)

11 Austin Road, Hayes

George Alfred. Manley (Sanitary Engineer) 1919-(Chair 1920)

6 the Parade, High Road

H. Booth 1917-1919

Launcelot Fowler 1919-

J.W Davies 1919 ???????

Robert John Leach (Engineer) 1920

1 Clare Villas, Clarendon Rd

Albert Edward Knight (Insurance Agent) 1920-

The Nursery, Pistill Lane

Horace Sydney Greenhead (Engineer) 1920

19 Tudor Rd