Women's Tax Resistance League - Uxbridge

The Women’s Tax Resistance League (1909–1918) was a group closely associated with the Women's Freedom League (estb 1907), which supported non payment of taxes until women secured the vote.

The Women's Tax Resistance League was officially established on the 22nd October 1909

The Women's Freedom League colours were Yellow (or Gold), White and Green

Uxbridge Women’s Tax Resistance League.

On Thursday evening, 16th March 1911, a good public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Uxbridge. The chair was taken by the Hon. Mrs. [Evelina] Haverfield, who gave a most earnest and spirited address upon the fundamental basis of the Suffrage movement. Mrs. [Margaret] Kineton Parkes spoke on the principles of tax resistance, and gave a short resumé of the work being done by the society formed to put these principles into practice.

Mrs. [Anne] Cobden Sanderson made an urgent plea to the women of Uxbridge to boycott the Census, and gave most lucid and logical reasons why the women should refuse to be counted, and endeavoured to show the serious results which follow to women from legislation without their consent. This meeting was entirely given and arranged by Miss [Kattherine] Raleigh, who is a member of the New Constitutional Society for Women’s Suffrage, and also the “Women’s Tax Resistance League.”

Report in Votes For women - journal of Women's Freedom League

25th March 1911

Katherine Ann Raleigh

Katherine Ann Raleigh (8 Park Road, Uxbridge) was the most influential Suffragette in the Uxbridge area, and was the driving force behind the Uxbridge NUWSS, Women's Freedom League and Women's Tax Resistance League.

Eldest in a gifted family, she was University women and a member of the University Club. When she arrived in Uxbridge, she drew around her a circle of friends at her weekly gatherings to whom she freely gave the benefits of her knowledge of literature and her talent for dramatic reading.

A Greek scholar, Librarian for the Hellenic society, She spent much time in Germany studying Folk lore, Member of English Folk Lore Society.

Katherine Ann Raleigh, became well known for her Suffragette work, wrote numerous pamphlets.

Raleigh was the first women (Uxbridge) council candidate in the Borough

Katherine Ann Raleigh died in January 1922 and is buried at Abney Park Cemetery, Highbury.

Katherine Raleigh deserves more recognition within the Borough. Photo Gazette 22 January 1922

In 1913 Marion Cunningham was secretary of the Hayes-Southall Women's Freedom League, lead by Charlotte Despard  (see other posts)

In July 1917 Miss Katherine Ann Raleigh, the assiduous local worker on behalf of the Women's cause (Suffragette) had refused to pay certain taxes as a protest to the government in not guarantying the franchise (Vote) to women,
Her property was seized and sold on this occasion a half dozen silver tea spoons in a case. these were bought by another suffragette Miss Underwood ( Believe this is F. A Underwood 31 Rush Hill Road, Clapham (Clapham Women's Freedom League)

Tory thugs broke up Women's Tax Resistance League and other suffragette meetings in West Drayton and Harefield

Uxbridge Tax Resistance League held meetings at the Pump Uxbridge

Uxbridge & District Women's Freedom League

Secretary: Miss Katherine Raleigh 8 Park Road, Uxbridge.

Hayes-Southall Women's Freedom League
Secretary: Marion Cunningham Mid London (late central) Women's freedom League

Secretary Mrs Tritton 1 Northcote Avenue, Ealing.

Quaker Suffrage Society established 1911

Secretary Sophia Seeking 6 Brookfield, West Hill, Highgate, London

Evelina Haverfield

Evelina Haverfield nee Scarlett was born in Scotland on the 9th August 1867. On her marriage to Major Henry Haverfield she moved to Devon, Caundle Marsh, Dorset and later Peace Cottage, Brendon, North Devon.

She accompanied her second husband John Blaguy to South Africa, where he was in the militar y. Her sister Ella Scarlett- Synage) a doctor, was also in South Africa working with Millicent Fawcett in monitoring the British Concentration camps for Boer prisoners and their families.

On her return to Britain, Evelina Haverfield became a prominent suffragette, initially involved in in the West of England National Union of Women Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) she joined the Women's Social & Political Union (WSPU) 1909 and became secretary of Paddington branch of the WSPU in 1910.

Her horse riding skills were used to great advantage by the suffragettes when tackling mounted police and in providing mounted horse escorts for suffragette events.
She was arrested for her part in the suffragette "Black Friday" on 18th November 1910 an accused of assaulting a police officer, on her arrest she was reported as stating that " next time I will bring a revolver".

A year later, 1911 she was sent to Holloway jail for two weeks for her part in suffragette disturbances on 21st November 1911
By 1914 she had joined Sylvia Pankhurst's East London Federation becoming its treasurer.
It was during her suffragette work that Haverfield came into contact with Vera Holme, who would later become her Lesbian partner.

During World War One Haverfield was appointed Commandant in Chief of Women's Reserve Ambulance (Green Cross Society) in August 1914, but left after a disagreement and became involved in the Scottish Women's Hospital in Serbia from 1915.
She spent the rest of her life fighting for the rights of the Serbian people

Evelina Haverfield died on the 21st March 1920 of pneumonia in Bajina Basta , Serbia, and is buried in the local cemetery, later a children's health centre was named after her in the town.

Picure right of Evelina's grave (Thanks to Tom Allan)

Hillingdon Herald - Women's Centre circa 1988

National Union of Railwaymen banners

Bottom picture West Ham NUR Strike Committee 1919

100-year-old NUR railway banner goes on show after restoration

Grimsby Telegraph

August 13th 2011

A 100-year-old railway banner restored after being found in a state of disrepair has gone on display at Immingham Museum.
The painted silk banner belonging to the New Holland branch of the National Union of Railways (NUR now RMT) was discovered in storage in Doncaster several years ago.

1. ARRIVAL: From left, Mayor of North East Lincolnshire Councillor Sue Pickett, Roger Whyman, Mike Burton, Brian Mummery and Doug Pickett with the banner.

It was restored by a conservator in Leeds with a £5,000 grant acquired by the museum, and it now hangs proudly alongside the other exhibits. Adrian Coggin, treasurer of the museum, said: "It was found in a derelict state and we felt it was too good to let go. It's a big part of this area's railway heritage."

The banner depicts the steam locomotive Sir Sam Fay, named after the Great Central Railway's general manager.

Roger Whyman, chairman of the museum's management committee, said: "The New Holland branch was formed before the NUR was created in 1913 by the amalgamation of three railway unions.
"The records we have been able to find suggest that this banner pre-dates the amalgamation.

"We believe this is the original banner, which was then modified after the amalgamation."

Alice Wheeldon - Derby WW1 Martryr

Alice Wheeldon Alice Ann Marshall was born in Derby on 27th January 1866. For many years, she was an active revolutionary socialist and later joined the Women's Social and Political Union. With her daughters Hettie (an SLP member who married Arthur MacManus, the first chair of the Communist Party) and Winnie Mason, she became involved in opposition to World War I. In January 1917, Wheeldon was sent four vials of curare. She later claimed that these were to be used to kill guard dogs at a concentration camp for conscientious objectors. When this package was intercepted, she, along with Hettie, Winnie and Winnie's husband, Alfred Mason, were all charged under the Offences Against the Person Act 1862. Extraordinarily, Alice was found guilty of conspiracy to murder the Prime Minister David Lloyd George and Labour cabinet member, Arthur Henderson. Supposedly, she planned to spike the Prime Minister’s boots with poison when he put them out in a hotel hall way for cleaning! Despite the ludicrosity of this, she was sentence to ten years' imprisonment; Winnie and Alfred Mason to shorter terms, while Hattie was acquitted for lack of evidence. Alice was sent to Aylesbury Prison, where she went on hunger strike. She was released on licence in December 1918, just as she was beginning to attract widespread attention for the injustice done to her, for fear that she would die in prison and this acquire martyr status. But she died of Spanish influenza on 21st February 1919. There is little doubt that her health had been weakend by prison and her hunger strike, whether – since the Spanish flu epidemic was so virulent - it is just to blame her death on her tribulations is anyone’s guess. (For the full story, see Chapter 8, `Class war or imperialist war? The Derbyshire labour movement and the politics of 1914-1918’ in Graham Stevenson’s `Defence or Defiance’ elsewhere on this site, first written in 1982.) Pic right: (from left to right) Hettie, Winnie, and Alice in prison It has taken many books, plays, radio and television stories to create a new mood about the Wheeldon case but even quite mainstream contemporary opinion has now arrived at a settled view that the Wheeldon trial and subsequent convictions were quite legally unsound and that the victims were framed by the security services in a move purely designed to discredit the anti-war opposition. Sources: Graham Stevenson’s `Defence or Defiance’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; David Doughan ‘Wheeldon , Alice Ann (1866–1919)’ (2004); May 2007 History Today The great-granddaughter of suffragette Alice Wheeldon – jailed in 1917 for plotting to poison Prime Minister David Lloyd George – hopes to clear her ancestor's name after jetting 10,000 miles from Australia. Chloe Mason wants an apology from the Ministry of Justice for the treatment of Alice, jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of the plot.

Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants 1871-1913

On the 26th November 1871 a group of railwaymen meeting in the People's Hall, Holbeck, Leeds, made the decision which resulted in the establishment of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.

Within the next two weeks, further meetings in London enthusiastically endorsed the launching of the new Society, such as that at the Winchester Arms, 63 Southwark Street, London, chaired by Mr Pritchard a vetran of the campaigns of 1865-6.

"A meeting will be held at the Winchester Arms, Southwark Street on Sunday December 3rd (1871) to further the objects of securing ten hours for a day's labour, payment for Sunday duty and weekly payment of wages. Chair to be taken at 6 o'clock. Please inform your mates and solicit them to attend."

Printed on tiny slips of paper four inches by two inches, in order not to attract the attention of the employers, this was the message passed between railwaymen that led to the forming of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.

Despite the justified caution of the founders (there was an early proposal for a secret sign and password for the union) the union found a substantial support from railway workers and even "progressive" Member of Parliament such as Michael Thomas Bass (Derby) and his agent Charles Bassett Vincent who helped and encouraged railwaymen to organise and fund the influential "Railway Service Gazette" begun on 6th January 1872, forerunner of "Railway Gazette".

On March 2nd 1872 its Rules were registered with the Register of friendly societies.

ASRS General Secretary and President
Bermondsey ASRS Sash
Railway workers London, Brighton & South Coast Line 1871

The union held its first delegate conference on 24 June 1872 at the Sussex Hotel, Bouverie Street near Fleet Street, London.

Within twelve months the union had 17,000 members.
ASRS Headquarters at City Road, London - 306 City Road, London


ASRS Banner Hopkinstown, South Wales Aug 1911

On the 29th March 1913, the Amalgmated Society of Railway Servants amalgamated with the united Pointsmen's & Signalmen's Society (4,101) and the General Railway Workers Union (23,158) to become the National Union of Railwaymen and is nown as the RMT Union.

Michael Walker

First ASRS rail union delegate conference Sussex Hotel, 21 Bouverie Street, London 24th June 1872

Bedford - J. Abbott
Broad Street - J. Bull
Camden - G. Boon
Hull - G. Billoney
Boston - P. Bannister

Wellingborough - J. Bowley
Manchester - T. Baker, T. Burns, R. Salmon
Birmingham - J.W. Biggs. A. Bladon, C. Crossley
Doncaster - A. T Caesar
Stratford - J. Carter, W. Maston
Stourbridge - S. Carr
Bermondsey - E. W. Campion
Ardwick - J. Cordwell
Worcester - F. Dance
Salford - H. Dickenson
Grimsby - D. Dalton, E. Harford
Hereford - H. Davis
Bow - T. Evans
Toton - G. Foreman
Brighton J. T. Gladwin
Plumstead - W. J. Gwynne
Accrington - R. Gibson
South Eastern - W.S. Grabham, W. King
Sheffield J.Graham
Nine Elms W.Jeffs
Battersea R. Whitmore
West End No 1 - H. Kemp, J. Pafford
Wakefield - E. Lunn
Merthyr - J Morish
Manchester J Marsden
New Mills - J.R. Peters
Gorton - J.R. Palmer
Wolverhampton - T. Penzer
Birkenhead - J. Price
Crystal Palace - W. Reeves
Burslem - A. Strenton
Brick Lane - E. W Sainsbury
Dudley - J. Skinner
Greatbridge - T. Swinburne
Cardiff - G.A. Skilling
Kings Cross - C. Shrives
Pontypool - J. Tucker
March - C. Turner
Aberdare - S. Wyatt
Leeds - W. Whitehead
Newport - J. Williams

Officers G. Chapman General Secretary, Dr J Baxter Langley Chairman and J Climpson Treasurer

Note an initial inspection of the names of delegates at this conference would seem to highlight a number of persons on Welsh descent.




ASRS General Secretaries
1871 - 1874 G. Chapman
1874 - 1883 F. W. Evans
1883 - 1897 E. Harford
1897 - 1910 Ricahrd Bell MP (Derby)
1910 - 1916 J.E. Williams

ASRS Presidents
1872 - 1873 Dr J. B. Langley
1874 - 1876 Cannon J. D. Jenkins
1877 - 1891 P.S. Macliver MP (Plymouth)
1892 - 1898 W. Hudson
1899 - 1901 G. Thaxton
1902 - 1904 W. G. Loraine
1905 - 1906 J. H. Thomas (later MP Derby)
1907 - 1909 J. R. Bell
1910 - E. Charles
1911 - 1916 A. Bellamy

Click on ASRS any pictures to enlarge

ASRS & ASLEF 1911 Strike badge
ASRS rail union sash Bermondsey, London
ASRS Marshal sash (star with loco design)
ASRS rally Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
ASRS Birmingham 
NUR Bermondsy ASRS Sash (© Mary Evans Picture Library)

Notes:

Sheffield ASRS Rail union branch established January 1872 Mr Havard Secretary

ASRS rail union - Worcester Pioneer branch 4th annual dinner April 1873 - Mr Francis Dance presided - Union Inn, Carden Street - 80 present