1936 Hayes & Harlington Urban District Council

Labour Party Candidates

Anna Bergitta Greenhead (ELECTED) South Ward
7, Second Avenue, Hayes
Married Women
Chairman Hayes UDC 1935-1936, Secretary Hayes and Uxbridge Divisonal Labour Party

“Council work has become her full time occupation”
“Mrs Greenheads energetic devotion to the public work with which she has been associated herself is admired by all who has any knowledge of the extent of her efforts for the welfare of the district she serves”

John “Bill” Lipscombe
222 (or 223) Station Road, Harlington
Aircraft fitter Fairey Aviation
Secretary of Hayes Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU), Shop Steward Fairey Aviation. Resident of Harlington since 1927

John Edward Dickinson
132 Crowell Road, Hayes
Gramophone Motor Mechanic
member of the electrician Union (ETU), Secretary Wood End Park Tenants Association. formerly of Essex. Came to Hayes 1930

George William Walker
Motor Fitter
73 Bourne Avenue, Hayes
Vice Chair Harlington Labour Party 1934-1935, National union of Railwayman since 1934

Douglas Page (ELECTED)
49 Central Avenue, Hayes
Beltman Engineer
(TGWU member) Joint Workers Union member at, Governor Uxbridge County School

Gordon George Smith (ELECTED)
52 Woodrow Avenue, Hayes
Engineer Storekeeper
Former National Executive Committee member of the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU), Secretary Grange park section of the Labour Party

William Cyril Mongor (ELECTED)
27 Wood End Park
Wood Machinist
members of National Society of woodcutting machinists. Resident of Wood End Park estate

Robert William Jones (National Unemployed Workers Union ) candidate
21 Acacia Avenue, Hayes
Wireless Engineer

NOTE:Labour Councillor, Robert W Gunton stood down at this election (1936) having been on Hayes UDC from 1915-1936

At his final Hayes UDC council meeting in March 1936 Gunton stated that he “wished to be associated with the great Housing estate (800 Botwell Estate, Hayes)”
(which had been considered the finest in the country and visited by delegations from America, Australia and Japan)

He had remained in the Labour Group and had fought his battles in the Group and in the Committee which was the place in which they should be fought”

In 1936 six Labour “Left” councilors broke away to form a "Genuine Labour" Group these included Wilfred Sutcliffe, Ernest Kirby Harding, William Cyril Mongor, Gordon George Smith, T.H. Denton,

Yiewsley & West Drayton UDC Labour Party Candidates 1936

Beatrix Alice Beaumont (Elected)
Housewife
17 Frays Avenue, Yiewsley
First elected women to Yiewsley & West Drayton UDC in 1933

Husband of Captain Hubert Beaumont elected to UDC in 1934, later Labour MP for Batley & Morley, West Yorkhsire (1939-1949) and Deputy Speaker in the House of Commons

Samuel “Sammy” Thorn (Elected)
NAULAW member also Salvation army
St Stephens Road, Yiewsley

George Varley (Elected)
Railway Clerk
18 St Stephens Rd, Yiewsley
Allotments, Local secretary of Horticultural society

Ronald Philip Brewerton
Baker Checker
67 Bentwick Road, Yiewsley
Local Branch Secretary of A.U.O.B.C

James Stevenson
Baker
1 Napier Close, West Drayton
member A.U.O.B.C.

John William Scott
Clerk
St Giles, Hatch lane, Harmondsworth
Chair Yiewsley Labour Party, Secretary Yiewsley Nursing Association

Harold William Dunster
Baker Roundsman LCS Co-Op
26 Castle Avenue, Yiewsley
Secretary of local National Union of Distribution & Allied Workers Union
Secretary Yiewsley Labour Party

Ruislip & Northwood UDC Labour Candidates 1936

Beatrice Georgina Reid (ELECTED)
Married Women
12 (?) Morford Way, Eascote

William Charles Locke (ELECTED)
27 Abbotsbury Gardens, Eastcote
Carpent & Joiner

Cyril Alfred Dee
Engineer
49 Sharps Lane,

John Rowlinson
Trade Union Clerk
40 Cromwell Road

Jock Lulv Whitfield
Fitter
41 Brixham Crescent, Ruislip Manor

NOTE:

Beatrice Reid & William Locke (Ruislip South Ward) election in 1936, first ever Labour councilors elected to Ruislip & Northwood council

Hayes Labour Candidates

1974

London Borough of Hillingdon Council Elections

Alfred John Charles Beck
199 Station Road, Hayes
62 years old, Contracts Manager, member of the Labour Party and Trade union for over thirty years. Offices held include Hayes Labour Party Treasurer, Secretary and delegate to Labour Party conference. Leader of Hayes UDC and London Borough of Hillingdon Chairman of Finance, education and Works. Justice of the Peace 12 years. Member of Hospital management committee.

Elsie “Maggie” Broughton
37 Warley Road, Hayes
former registered nurse, 58 years old. 30 years member of the Labour Party. Belmore ward Secretary and Chair. Hayes Constituency Secretary. Election agent for Middx County Council election. Five years secretary of Co-Op Party and eight years Secretary of Hayes Women’s Co-operative Guild. Labour Councillor Hayes UDC 1963-1965 and London Borough of Hillingdon 1964-1968. Hospital Committee six years. Local Old People’s Welfare Committee. Member of Hayes Trades Council since 1952. Voluntary secretary to Arthur Skeffington MP (born 25th april 1912 Handcross, Crawley, died Hillingdon 21st March 1997)

Robert John Came
40 Hunter’s Grove, Hayes
50 years Old. Member of ASLEF (the train drivers union). Held various posts in the Labour Party. Hayes Labour Party election Agent. Hillingdon borough Labour councillor 1964-1968. S.W. Middlesex Valuation Panel. Hayes G.V. Tenant’s Association, Justice of the Peace

Gwilym Arthur Childs
8, Eighth Avenue, Hayes
50 years shop steward, convenor and Treasurer AEU/F. Former Hayes Constituency Labour Party Secretary. Secretary Labour Group Hayes UDC. Councillor Hayes UDC 1962-1965. London Borough of Hillingdon 1964-1968 and again from 1970 Belmore by-election.

Stanley George Chilton
2 Hughes Road, Hayes
58 years old. Fire/Accident Insurance clerk. Treasurer Hayes Labour Party. Ward Chairman, Trade Union officer (ASTMS) and member of London committee. Hayes UDC 17 years 1947-1962 and 1963-1965. London Borough of Hillingdon four years 1964-1968. West Middlesex Planning Committee eleven years. Chairman of Southall-Hayes Branch of RAF Association. Hillingdon & Ealing War Pensions Committee.

Ossie Garvin
44 Church Road Hayes
58 years. Foreman of EMI Hayes Pattern Shop. Served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of Hayes Labour Party. Ward Chairman and Secretary. TGWU, Trade Union branch Secretary and a member of London District Managing Committee. Eighteen years Councillor Hayes UDC 1950-1965. Hillingdon Borough Alderman 1964-1968. Justice of the Peace. Member of council Tenants Association

Simon Geldberg
43a Station Road, West Drayton
44 years. Costing clerk. Treasurer and literature officer of Hayes Labour Party. Hayes UDC Councillor 1953-1965. Four years Alderman London Borough of Hillingdon. Treasurer of Yiewsley & West Drayton Tenants association. Union APEX.

Kenneth Arthur Gigg
368 Lansbury Drive, Hayes
48 years old. Plastics technologist. Member of ASTMS. London Co-op Political Committee 1959-1962. deputy leader of Ealing Council Labour Group 1954-1957. Chairman of Hayes Labour Party 1964
Chairman Hayes council of Labour 1958-1960. Deputy leader Hillingdon Labour . Combine delegate and local ASTMS committee.

Ronald Williams
368 Yeading Lane, Hayes
45 years old. Draughtsman. Member of DATA union. Political Education Officer Hayes Labour Party 1968-1969. Secretary of London West 1970. Chairman, Secretary of London South branch

Mervyn Charles Wheeler
12 Stormount Drive, Hayes
52 years old. Builders Contracts Manager. Branch Chairman and Secretary. London District delegate, 24 years trade union membership . President of Hayes Labour Party. Fourteen years Councillor Hayes UDC and four years Councillor on Hillingdon, Justice of Peace

Hayes Labour Top Ten

KEY
HAYES LABOUR PARTY
MEN AND WOMEN

Percy Langton
Henry Palmer
Juan Drenon
Robert William Gunton
Wilfred SutcliffeDouglas Page
Mrs Anna Bergitta Greenhead
Walter Ayles
Bill Lipscombe
Ernest Kirby Harding
Ossie Garvin
Peter Fagan
Peter MacDonald
John McDonnell

NOTE
This is just a rough attempt at highlighting key individuals in the Hayes & Harlington Labour Party - oh course I could have included many others.

Clara Barney, Mrs Frost, Chilton, Beck, Maggie Broughton,Simon Geldberg, Chris Rogers, Reg Neal, Reginald Bridgeman etc....

AYLES, Walter Henry

Born at 26 Thorne Street, Wandsworth Road, Lambeth, London on 24th March 1879, Walter H Ayles was one of the five children of a railway porter Percy Walter Ayles and his wife Elizabeth (nee Little), whose wages were 18’s week. At the age of 13, having passed the seventh standard, he went o work at a cardboard-box factory, but was afterwards apprenticed at the engineering works of the London & South-Western Railway. When the men were locked out, young Ayles, then 18, being unwilling to blackleg, put in his notice.

After six months' unemployment, he got a job in a newsagent's shop, and in March1899 went to Birmingham and resumed his trade as an Engineer. He was for three years Birmingham district secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (AEU), and afterwards, when living at Bristol, was treasurer until 1921 of four local branches of that union. His AEU officership lasted 17 years

.

In 1904 he joined the Independent Labour Party (ILP) and as a Labour candidate was elected to the Birmingham Board of Guardians (Aston) 1904-1907,

In 1910 Ayles moved to Bristol to become Bristol ILP branch full time General Secretary

During the first 18 months from his appointment the branch quadrupled its activities and greatly increased its membership.

In 1912 he was elected for Easton ward of Bristol City Council, a seat he retained until 1922. In his first year on the council he wrote a pamphlet "Bristols Next Step" and in 1923 (relected 1923-, Ayles wrote an ILP booklet on “What a Socialist Town Council Would Do”

Ayles elected to the National Council of the I.L.P 1912-1927. He has also been for the last nine years chairman of the Bristol Labour Party.

Walter Ayles persistently and energetically opposed the World War One as he had the Boer War. Arrested as a conscientious objector, he remained in the hands of the military and prison authorities for two-and-a-half years, and was confined in seven different jails. He held office in the No-Conscription Fellowship and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. In 1920 he helped found the No More War Movement (NMWM)

He was a local preacher for 20 years among the Methodists and Congregationalists, but after the war he joined the Society of Friends (Quakers). He has been for many years an active Rechabite.

Ayles stood for the parliamentary seat of Bristol East in 1918 but did not stand as he was in Prison and the ILP was short of funds. He stood for Bristol North in 1922 and was elected as Member of Parliament for Bristol North in 1923. Mr. Ayles was reputed the most effective speaker in the West of England. Election meetings at Bristol North have been described as occasions of an almost religious fervour. On the morning of polling day an ex-soldier slipped into the candidate's pocket a horseshoe which he had carried in his knapsack all through the war—and he had never received a scratch. When the numbers went up the soldier swore the horseshoe had done it. " No," said the new M.P., " it was the huge crowd of ex-Service men who worked for me."

He was Labour Member of Parliament for Bristol North 1923-1924 and 1929 1931

He fought Bristol North for a sventh time in 1935 and after defeat accepted that it was time to move on

He moved to Orpington near London and was soon elected as a Urban District Councillor in 1937

Elected 1945 for the parliamentary seat of Southall (which included Hayes) during a campaign which included attacks on Winston Churchill pre War record and calling for wide scale nationalisation.

Member of Parliament for Hayes & Harlington 1950- 1953

He retired to his house in Southall but planned to move to Scotland

His son was killed on active service during World War 2 (1943)

his first wife was Bertha Winifred Batt (m 1904) a Bristol ILP and Womens Freedom League member
His second wife was Jean Ogilvie Middleton (m1944)

Died 6 July 1953 at his home Kingussie, Invernesshire,Scotland


NOTE
Walter Ayles was selected as the Uxbridge Divisional Labour candidate in April 1937 beating Humbert Beaumont (nominated by Hayes Labour Party), Ernest Hamblin (ASLEF) and James Eldridge (an Engineer). Beaumont went on to be MP for Sunderland. Ayles was nominated by Uxbridge Labour Party.

Ayles links to Hayes, went back many years, in fact to 1915, when he helped the local Labour Party during the Hayes UDC election, I take it this contact had been through his Engineering union contacts

Mrs Anna Begitta Greenhead

Mrs A. B. Greenhead of 7, Second Avenue, Hayes, had first come to Hayes in 1915, joining the Labour Party in 1920. Elected as a Labour representative on Uxbridge Board of Guardians in 1925 and as a Labour councillor for Hayes Urban District Council in 1930. Elected as first woman Chairman (similar role to Town Mayor) of Hayes & Harlington Urban District Council in 1935-1936.

Elected Uxbridge Divisonal Labour Party Secretary in 1936 beating, Workers Union, Branch Secretary Douglas Page also of Hayes

also Secretary Hayes Labour Party

The local newspaper stated “Council work has become her full time occupation” and that

“Mrs Greenhead's energetic devotion to the public work with which she has been associated herself is admired by all who has any knowledge of the extent of her efforts for the welfare of the district she serves”

Mrs Greehead speaking of her year as Chairman 1935-1936 that while it had been had been a difficult year " her special consideration during the time she had served had always been the children and Hayes Council was doing all possible to persuade Middlesex County Council to put a scheme of feeding necessitous into operation".

Mrs Anna Greenhead stated that a scheme had been developed of Cranford Park similar to the layout at Gunnersbury Park, Acton

In 1937 lost as Official Labour candidate to Wilfred Sutcliffe "Genuine Labour" a Trade union clerk of 68 Central Avenue, Hayes by 82 votes in the 1937 Middlesex County Council Election for Hayes.

Hayes Amalgamated Engineering Union

The first local, Southall branch (which covered Hayes) of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (later Amalgamated Engineering Union) was established in 19th July 1911 by Mr Black, with 26 mebers and with Mr Dumbleton as Secretary, Mr Cantwell as Chairman and Mr Watts as Vice Chairman. It was noted that "many of there members belonged to Hayes".

By December 1913 the local Engineering Union branch could report with some pride that "no higher wages paid in any district of the United Kingdom than those the workers received at the Goss Printing Works, Hayes. and that "Hayes was considered the pioneers in respect of good wages". Mr Dumbleton reported that "As engineers they live in a veritable Garden of Eden and it he hoped it would not be long before they got the fruits of their labours an eight hour day forty-eight hour week".

The first big Engineering strike locally was in May 1917 when 550 Engineering Union members went on strike over a number of grievances and several factories were affected

During the 1922 Engineers lock-out. The Southall AEU Lock Out Committee wrote to the Uxbridge Board of Guardians requisitioning poor law relief for those locked out and requesting the Guardians receive a delegation, which included Mr J.E. Armstrong, Mr W. H. Harvey and Mr C. Brooks. This was agreed bu the Board, after a resolution was moved by Mr Garrod and Mrs Groundsell and was carried 8-7. It was agreed by the Guardians that each would be agreed on a case by case basis.

Between 1919 and 1931, Mr G Hillier was the unions' local branch secretary

By June 1934 the Southall district of the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) could claim 815 members and by June 1935 it had doubled it's membership to 1,430.

In the 1930's Mr "Bill" William John Lipscombe was the Hayes branch secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) employed as an aircraft fitter at Fairey Aviation Factory living at 222 (or 223), Station Road, Hayes. Bill Lipscombe had lived in Harlington since 1927.

The AEU Hayes No1 branch meeting at the Labour Hall, Pump Lane, during this period

AEU Strike at Fairey in 1937 over victimisation of union steward

At the opening of Bedwell House (Harlington Labour Hall) in 1939 Lipscombe stated "in 1929 Harlington was still a rural district.......today....Harlington was one of the strongest places for trade union activity in West Middlesex"

By 1959 the Southall District (which included numerous Hayes branches) of the Engineering Union could claim a membership of 16,500.

William John "Bill" Lipscombe

Bill Lipscombe Came to Harlington in 1927, he was an Aircraft fitter at Fairey Avaitation, Branch Secretary of the Engineering Union. Joined the Harlington Labour Party in 1929, became a Labour Councillor on Hayes Urban District Council and Greater London Council, Councillor for Hillingdon 1964-1967

By 1961 Lipscombe was a Justice of the Peace, and Secretary of Unity Halls based at Bedwell House and living at 319 Station Road, Aviation

Robert Small - Workers Union

Robert Small
Labour Parliamentary Candiate 1923

Robert Small was selected as Uxbridge Division (including Hayes) Labour Party Parliamentary candidate for the 1923 General election. (other nominations included Dr Sommerville-Hastings and John Beckett of the ILP).

Robert Small was a Scotsman and since the age of twenty had been involved in the Labour Movement.

From 1912 he devoted his energies as a full time worker, becoming the Glasgow and Clyde Workers Union Organiser and Scottish Organiser for the General Federation of Trades Unions. Secretary of Glasgow Labour Party and Scottish Independent Labour Party (ILP) Executive Committee member, member of the ILP's Agricultural Committee, (member 16 years of ILP by 1923). Member of Middlesex Agricultural Concilliation Committee and Middlesex, Hertfordshire & Essex Joint Industrial Council. He was a prominent member of the Agricultral Wages Board.

Later he became the local, London and Southern Counties Workers Union Organiser. It was because of his local negotiations that he had become known, though it was he who had helped lay the foundations for the Labour Party victories on the Clyde at the general Election.

It was stated that he was a personal friend of all the present Glasgow members of Parliament Robert Small had the best wishes of Labour leader Ramasey MacDonald and George Dallas (Dollas) Divisonal Organiser of the Workers Union.

It must have been Robert Small's Workers Union (later TGWU) links at Hayes, as it was stated he "was well known in the consituency" that secured him the nomination as Labour Candiate. He was supported during the election campaign by Miss Saward, Workers Union Women's Organiser and local Workers Union, Hayes Branch Secretary, Labour Councillor Douglas Page.

Hayes in 1901 was a sleepy agricultural village in West Middlesex owned by just a handful of landlords. With a population of 2,594. However, at the turn of the twentieth centaury and in a hanful of years, Hayes was transformed into one of British Empires major centres for the mass production of the "new" technologies of the day, such as gramophones, typewriters, and printing equipment. Its population increasing from just 4,261 in 1911 to 8,394 by 1921.

It was the decision of Hayes Development Company to acquire land adjacent to Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1899 to build modern factories upon that lead to Hayes rapid expansion.

The choice of Hayes for the site of so many new factories was according to the local newspaper, no accident. The Advertiser, February 1907 staes hayes was chsoen for the following reasons: -

a) The short distance from London
b) Accessibility to rail and canal routes
c) Lower council rates
And ironically
d) Because the labour market in London was not controlled by the London Trades Union Council

Ironic, because Hayes would become one of the most trade unionised areas in Britain, exerting considerable influence on the Hayes Labour party, which itself dominated Hayes politics for the next one hundred years.

Yiewsley Labour Party 1919

Labour Party Concert at Yiewsley, West Middlesex February 1919

The local Yiewsley Trades Council & Labour Party arranged a very successful concert on Friday evening 21st February 1919 at the assembly hall, Yiewsley
for which they were fortunate in securing the services of the Railway Clerks Association (TSSA) (Marylebone Branch) Musical and Dramatic Society.

This talented party gave a programme full of good things and in solo, duet and dance the members were most enmtertaing. The party consisted of the Misses Wendon, Doris, Allen, Sallis, Hawkes, Bird, Moscovitz and Messrs Higgs, Gould, Wareham, Floyd and Rousell. The latter a ventriloquist of no mean order gave several smart shows, whilst Miss Hawkes sweet voice and pretty manner won the warm appreciation of the crowded audience. Mr Wareham too proved a great favourite and was loudly encored on each appearance.

During the interval Mr Herbert William Knowles the Chairman introduced two of the Labour candidates for the Yiewsley urban District Council election Mr H. Ashby (Chairman of Yiewsley Labour Party) and Mr J. Worsell (Secretary of Yiewsley Labour Party). 

Both candidates gave a short speech on local affairs dealing particularly with housing, the great and increasing need for which they emphasized

Uxbridge Advertiser Friday February 26^th 1919

West Middlesex Elections 1919

Labour Success in

West Middlesex 1919

On the 17th of April 1919 representatives of Uxbridge Divisional Labour Party
(which included Hayes) meet at the Assembly hall Yiewsley, to celebrate recent Labour election successes and make a presentation to William Henry Knowles of a “very handsome silver tea service with inscribed silver tray” for his work as Divisional agent to Harry Gosling in the recent (December 1918) General Election.

Councillor Robert W Hudson of Uxbridge was Chairman, also present Mr & Mrs Harry Gosling, County Councillor William Henry Knowles (West Drayton), Councillor Mrs B.A. Chard (Southall), Mr Groundsell (Southall), Councillor Robert William Gunton (Hayes) Councillor H. Ashby (Yiewsley), J. Worsell (Yiewsley). Councillor W. Tulett (Uxbridge and the Uxbridge Labour Party Divisional Secretary, Percy Osbourn Langton (Hayes).

While it had been a shock to the local Labour Party machine(and no doubt, Harry Gosling a high profile candidate) that they had not won the Parliamentary seat in 1918, they had built up an effective electoral machine which paid of in the Middlesex County Council and Urban District Council elections of 1919.

Percy Langton, Labour Party Divisional Secretary stated

“If they made progress at the present rate the Labour party would soon be in complete control of every municipal body within the area.

On Harefield Parish Council they now had three direct representatives of Labour, and two others pledged to support the policy of the party.

At Hayes they had one County Councillor (Ben Smith), two Labour Guardians, and seven Labour councilors out of nine on the Hayes Urban District Council.

At Southall they had a Labour County Councillor in Mr James Culley, two on the Guardians and held their own on Southall Urban District Council.

At Uxbridge Urban District Council they had five Labour Councillors.

At West Drayton three and at Yiewsley in addition to Mr W. H. Knowles as Middlesex County Councillor for Hillingdon district, they had a Labour Guardian and two Labour Councillors on the Urban district Council.

In all they now had thirty five Labour representatives on local and county bodies, as against seventeen last year, an increase of over one hundred per cent”.

Mr W.H. Knowles stated

“That if they were to win (the Constituency) they had got to understand one thing – that it was a composite constituency. They had a residential area, a rural area and an industrial area, and it was most necessary that they had assistance of the people in the residential areas – and all pull together”.

Other speakers included R.W. Gunton, Hayes Labour Party Honorary Organiser, as well as Mr Groundsell, Mr Tulett, Mr H. Ashby and Mrs B. A Chard

NOTE:

HAYES LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
J. W Davies; Lancelot Fowler ; Robert W Gunton ; G Manley ; William Rawlings, F Woodard ; Fredrick V Mason

UXBRIDGE LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
R.W. Hudson, H.W. Carlo, J C Barnes, W.E. Black, W. Tullett,

YIEWSLEY LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
W. Roberts and H. Ashby

HAREFIELD LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
Dr Compton, G.M. Winwright, W. Watkins, S.E. Bishop, J. Bryant, and E. T Gregory,

 (Harefield Progressive Councillors) - Field, Jeffrey and Turner)

SOUTHALL LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
(to be completed)………

CHESHAM, BUCKS
Labour secure two seats, first ever

WOMEN CANDIDATES AND VOTERS 1919

1919 was the first year women (albeit over 30) could vote in local elections and the first Labour Women candidate to be elected as a Councillor was Mrs B. A Chard at Southall in 1919

Mrs B.A. Chard (Southall) and Mrs L. Groundsell (Southall) were elected to Uxbridge Board of Guardians in 1919

The other women to be elected in 1919 were Mrs E. F. Darlow (topped the poll) and Mrs St Clair Townsend at Rusilip-Northwood UDC

The only other Labour woman candidate was Mrs H.C. Allen who finished bottom of the Uxbridge UDC poll.

The talented Uxbridge Suffragette Society organiser Katherine Ann Raleigh had stood for Uxbridge in 1909 making her one of the first women council candidates in Britain.

Mrs B.A. CHARD

Councillor Mrs B. A Chard came to Southall in 1898, helped found the Women’s Co-Operative Guild and the Women’s Railway (Union) Guild. During the World War 1 she helped women munitions workers, in groups of up to eighty to find accommodation in Hayes and Southall area.

Elected as Southall Labour Councillor in 1919 and onto the Board of Guardians, became Chairman of Southall Urban District Council in 1926