Belgium Refugees WW1 - Hayes

Belgium Refugees 

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, an area and City destroyed by the German Army in retaliation for resistance to occupation.

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 12 October 1920

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 unvailed 12 October 1920

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



German atrocities in Belgium and France as well as raids on Scarborough and Hartlepool, Zeppelin raids all helped populate anti German feeling

Hayes Urban District Council is very unusual in refusing to  officially celebrate victory in WW1 on the grounds of cost and glorifying war

HAYES WW1 - WAR COMMENTARY

HAYES & HARLINGTON
WW1 - WAR COMMENTARY

"The patriotism of many so called patriots starts and ends with their pockets,
it was the same with the coal owners, who grow fat out of the country's needs,
and risk the country's safety rather than
give the colliers a living wage.
It is the same with the some property owners,
when it comes to compelling them to spend money
on their broken down dirty dilapidated houses,
their wails and screeches reach unto the heavens!
But they will do anything rather than their lawful duty"

Councillor J.C. Drenon
The Uxbridge Advertiser 23rd July 1915

HAYES MUNITION GIRLS

"We are the Hayes Munition girls
Working night and day
Wearing the roses off our cheeks
For very little pay
Some people call us lazy
But were next to the boys on the sea
If it was'nt for the munitions girls
Where would the Empire be ?"

The vast majority of Women Munition workers "canaries" were members of the National Federation of Women Workers Union.


BOY AT THE FRONT

Rifleman Mallet of Harefield Road, Uxbridge was one of the local men who joined up. he got to the front somehow but because of his youth 16 years old, was returned to depot of the Corps at Winchester. January 1916

LUSITANIA

C.A. Dingwall lost on the Lusitania, 07 May 1915, buried at St Johns Church, Hillingdon

CANADIAN MINERS

July 1917 Canadian Tunnelling Corps (Canadian Miners) and Canadian signalmen at Denham camp, Buckinghamshire.

Canadian Hospital at Hillingdon House and Canadian Club at 156 or 158 Uxbridge High Street opened in January 1916.

Dolphin Ground, Slough Saturday September 20th 1917. Canadian Lumberjack and Military Sports including Baseball match Canadian Foresters (Smith's Lawn) V ? ? Another ??? ? Log rowling, log sawing, chopping, best turned out, Logging Team

Smith's Lawn is in the southeast corner of Windsor Great Park,was during the Great War the HQ of the Candaian Forestry Corps and now the home of the idle rich, exclusive Guards Polo Club.


HAYES CANADIAN BROTHERS KILLED

See the William and Henry Palmer (sons of Henry Palmer founder of Hayes Labour Party) ex Hayes residents killed fighting in Canadian Regiments.

William Alfred Palmer, Eastern Ontario Reg (Killed 26 th April 1916 buried Woods Cemetery, Belgium).

Lieutenant Henry Arthur Palmer, Central Ontario Reg (killed 30th September 1918 buried Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery, Nord France)


CHEMICAL - FRITZ GETS NOBEL PRIZE

Fritz Haber who developed Chlorine gas as a weapon of war was awarded the 1918 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

SWITZERLAND WW1 POW CAMP

T. Langton one of the original members of the Uxbridgre Company 178th Battalion writes from a Prisoner of War (POW) camp in Switzerland. He reported he had been working in a forest in Lucerne with a party of fifty men for two months, but having completed the work returned to the main camp Chateau d'Oex in the hills and preparing again for another long winter. He stated that they had men of all regiments in the POW camp an that "they are all looking well, but a lot of them are down heated at not being passed for repatriation. we are all looking forward to the time to when we can get back to Blighty" (Blighty - England), and that "they will have to look sharp and get us home, as all the single chaps have married Swiss girls" and that " we must be thankful we are out of Germany". He states that some men had used their time in the POW Camp to undertake motor engineering courses, carpentry, book binding, printing typewriting courses/training etc..."so there is no need for anybody to be idle".

"Forty men have been asked for to learn piano making at Lucerne, but they do not much like this place as the "square heads" (German's) are there...I have run up against a chap named Slater who used to belong to the Old Company 26 October 1917.

NOTE:
Chateau d'Oex is now a much sought after ski resort, the hostility faced by the POW's was probably because many of the local Swiss population were German speaking and likely to be pro German. It was a grievance of the British POW's that they were being used by the Swiss as cheap labour during their forced confinement in "neutral" Switzerland.

MEDICAL STAFF ATTACHED TO PORTUGUESE ARMY IN AFRICA (MOZAMBIQUE) 1914-1919

Herbert E Osborn son of Jabez Osbourne (Providence Church, Uxbridge) living at "Kelvedon" spent twelve years in the "Zambesi" region of Africa (Mozambique)as part of a Medical Mission. During World War One he was attached to the Portgauese Army.

He married Miss Z. May Pratt of 86 Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge.. The Rev F.L.Riches Low conducted the ceremony and hoped to return to Zamesi in the Spring (8th August 1919)


SOLDERS AT FRONT PARENTS EVICTED AT HOME
Mr and Mrs Fort aged 73 and 69 evicted from Copthall Farm near Ickenham despite having six sons, five of whom are in army June 1916

PRIVATE TIPPING WOUNDED - YIEWSLEY

Yiewsley Private T.H. Tipping son of Mr and Mrs W. Tipping of 9 Bentinck Road, Yiewsley is now in hospital in Brighton suffering from wounds in the left leg, this is the third time he was wounded, each time in the leg. Private Tipping was serving with the 13th Royal Fusiliers and when he arrived in Brighton found two pals with whom he had long been serving lying in the same ward - Advertiser & Gazette- August 1919

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

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”.

HARLINGTON DEAD AND WOUNDED 1915

Up to the present time (April 1915) about 200 men from Harlington have enlisted in the army or are in the Navy serving their King and country.

Of that number the following Harlington men have been reported in the casualty lists.

W. Pearce - Royal Marines (Missing)
Richard Carrod - Royal West Surrey regiment (Missing)
Arthur Douglas Cook - Royal Scottish (Killed)
William Peggrem - Welsh Regiment (Wounded)
John Smith King's - Royal Rifles (Wounded)
F.W. Stevens - Royal Fusiliers (Wounded)
Frank Stevens - 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (Wounded)
Albert Tripp - Welsh Regiment (Wounded)
Thomas Tubb - Field Artillery (Wounded)
Alfred Warren - 2nd Worcestershire (Wounded)

PRIVATE STEVEN'S WOUNDED

Private Frank Stevens Royal Fusillers, 2 White Hart Cottages, Brickfield Lane, Harlington wounded for a second time a bullit passed right through his body and he is suffering frost bite is now lying in St Thomas's hospital. (Advertiser & Gazette - March 1915)

BOTWELL BROTHERHOOD ON THE WAR

"Do they believe all the lies and calumnies spread by the daily Liar and Daily Distress against the German nation who are the nearest allied to us by both blood and principle. What can the Brotherhood say of those pathetic and unauthorised meetings between British and German solders on Christmas Day 1914 ? Will they not agree that such an occurrence in itself condemns the war by blundering ambition have no enmity and are jolly fellow on each side" (Botwell Brotherhood February 1915)

BELGIUM REFUGEES AT HAYES

Hundreds of Belgium refugees were working in the Hayes munition factories, they even had their own section and union officer of the Workers Union, Jan Chapelle (Belgium Metal workers union), which had at it's height 5,000 member. (see posting on Hayes Workers Union established in 1914 Secretary Douglas Page and Uxbridge Workers Union established in August 1918 Secretary Mr Russell 90 Bridge Road, Uxbridge.

The Labour Party was heavily involved in the Belgium Relief Committee, especially Councillor Juan Drenon.

POYLE MILLS TWO KILLED THREE INJURED

Poyle Powder Mills, Berkshire, munitions factory. Mr Cogswell Harrison young manager killed and his assistant Dorothy Moss. Three others including Mr Donath and Ms Fibey and Ms East were all badly burnt. Dr Walker and Nurse K. Robinson were soon at the scene Explosion heard in Botwell, Sipson, Harlington, a window pain of school at Harmondsworth broken. After the explosion an enormous cloud of smoke April 1915

Uxbridge ILP Leader Killed

Leanold W Spencer Uxbridge Independent Labour Party Secretary (Belmont Road, Uxbridge) was also killed, 1st September 1915.

Shot in the head aged just 26. He had been a founder member of Uxbridge Labour Party, first Labour Councillor in Uxbridge and was the first man to motor cycle up Snowdon, Wales.

L.W Spencer, 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.

He was in the 13th Kensington Battalion, Cyclist Orderly he is buried at Longuenesse St Omer.

GERMAN PRISONER'S TRAGIC DEATH

Private Carl Siebenhuhner, German Prisoner Drowned at Denham, Buckinghamshire. (a village just outside West London)

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 his 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 (taken at the prisoner at the Battle of the Somme). 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 by soilders from the Royal Fusilers and the last post sounded.

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

In the 1960's the German War Graves Commission established a permanent site in a pine forest at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, and Karl Siebenhuhner body was transfered to Staffordshire.

Carl Siebenhuhner was reinterred 24th November 1962


Karl Siebenhuhner - German Prisoner of War, World War One.

Many German POW's worked on farms around Denham and Harefield at the end of WW1, its a shame one young German survived the mud and murder of the Somme to die in Colne on a hot summers day.


CEYLON

Kamal Chunchie, born Kandy, Sri Lanka 1886. A policeman from Ceylon joined the Middlesex Regiment in WW1 and was wounded twice. After the war on 9th February 1926 he opened the Coloured Men's Institute in Canning Town, probably the first community organization of its kind.
Died 1953

MISS WARRENDER RETURNS FROM THE BALKHAN WAR

Miss Eleanor Warrender of High Grove, Eastcote has arrived back in England (January 1913) after serving three months in the Greek Military Hospitals, nursing the wounded. Miss Warrender has been actively associated with the Uxbridge detachment of the Voluntary Aid Organisation. The Balkan War is not her first experience of military service for her name is associated with Mrs George Cornwallis-West of the South African hospital ship Maine . Advertiser and Gazette 3 February 1913.

American Hospital ship was built at West Hartlepool, England and launched in July 1887, Maiden Voyage: 1887, Destruction: Wrecked off the Island of Mull, 1914

"Maine" arrived at Durban, South Africa on January 23, 1900, arriving in time to take casualties from the famous Battle of Spion Kop, The "Maine's" it's Superintending Sister was Miss Mary Eugenie Hibbard. The Maine's sister ship "Missouri" was used as a hospital ship during the Spanish-American War.

I believe Eleanor Warrender was Sir Randolph Churchill's (Winston Churchill's father) personal nurse.


YWCA HUT HAYES

A YWCA hut was established in 1916 in the Hayes Station Wesleyan School to provide rest and food to the thousands of women munition workers in Hayes. Providing 500-600 meals a day. Mr F. H. Stace as the energetic leader of the Wesleyans recognised the need and Miss Galilee 1 Bushey Villas, Harlington took charge with a band of ethusiastic workers who "are doing their bit" also involved Mrs Hollingum, Mrs Robinson. Mrs Denman and Misses Brown, Miss Purvis,Mrs Head, Mrs Fidler, and Mrs Belch, Miss Philp, Miss Hunt, Miss Whetnall. Miss Heyward, Miss Brown, Mrs Smith, Miss Carter. A purpose built YWCA hut opened in August 1916 in Keith Road.

Major Ernest John Webster Bruce

Tithe Farm, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire

Formally Melbourne, Australia

Died 17^th April 1919 aged 43

Major E.J. Bruce was well known in Melbourne, Australia as the Managing director with firm Paterson, Laing and Bruce.

Major Bruce was the son of late Mr J. T. Bruce and brother of Stanley Bruce MHR

Brother captain S.M. Bruce. Federal MP for Flinders constituency.

Served in 1^st Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa during Boer War, which he had Joined at Jesus College, Cambridge.

Injury to left arm sustained in South Africa

Beginning of World War One in 1914 tried to rejoin but was rejected on health grounds.

And returned to Australia in 1914.

In July 1915 returned to England, Joined the Royal Field Artillery 18^th Brigade in France Royal Rifles Artillery for three years

January 1916 served 94^th battery as Subaltern until February 1918, when promoted to Acting Major of D/18 Battalion

Observation officer at Vimy Ridge, awarded military cross

Fought at the Somme, Vimy, and Ypers at the age of 40

Three years fighting undermined his health

Involved in great push of august and September 1918

“As an artillery subaltern, when over 40 years of age, was a task of great endurance”

He suffered from ulcerations and sleeplessness

His failing health undoubtedly caused his suicide, Major Bruce shot himself in the mouth with a service revolver.

Coroner Mr A.E.W.Charlsey for South Buckinghamshire

verdict “suicide while temporarily insane”

He left a wife May Lindsay Graham-Clarke (formerly Bruce, nee Jackson), of Glenrhos, Rhayader, Radnorshire and two daughters.

Family living in England four years

Buried Kensal Green, All Saint’s Church

The Argus Melbourne 2 July 1919

The Workers Union

THE WORKERS UNION

The Workers Union was established by Tom Mann in 1898 as a new union to cater for semi-skilled workers in the Engineering Industry.

Despite a early haphazard recruitment pattern, The Workers Union ability to organise in the new "mass production" factories would eventually secure its position as one of largest union in the county.
However, in 1910 the Workers Union had just four branches in London with a combined membership of just one hundred, while nationally the union had 5,000 members, mainly in South Wales, Glasgow, Sheffield, Derby and Birmingham.
In 1913 The Workers Union General Secretary Charles Duncan, appointed its first London full time organiser, George Dallas, a Scottish Socialist (later MP)
It was with the massive expansion in armaments factories necessitated by the start of World war One that allowed the Workers Union to organise.

Within one year of the outbreak of the War over seventy percent of workers in industry were employed in Government war contracts, by 1918 it had risen to ninety percent.
The Hayes factories in West Middlesex, switched production from consumer goods to munitions, and new huge munitions factories built with towering chimneys.

By December 1913 the local Advertiser newspaper was recording that "It is safe to say that the majority of Botwell workers now belong to one union or another".

From 1915 onwards compulsory arbitration under the Munitions Acts forced all mayor employers to recognise the unions and this helped propel the Workers Union into the largest union in the country.

Workers Union growth in North London was spectacular, most notably at Enfield. But the union also established several strong West London branches, by far the largest factory being Waring & Gillow at White City, who produced tents and gas masks. It was at Waring & Gillow that a four day strike by mainly women workers secured Workers Unuion recognition.

Young male and female workers along with Belgium refugees flooded into the Hayes factories to replace the male workers called up into the army. We know that it was thanks to the efforts of Douglas Page a beltman who arrived in Hayes in 1914 that the Workers Union was established in Hayes.

We also know that Belgium workers at the Army Lorry Company had joined the Workers Union at the beginning of the War and that they were (despite the threat of conscription into the Belgium army) involved in a brief strike in the factory in 1915. The Workers Union even established a special section for Belgium workers under the leadership of Jan Chapelle (Belgium Metal workers union), which had at it's height 5,000 members.
But it was undoubtedly it was due to the energetic endeavours of the local Workers Union full time organiser Frank Rosenberg (he also seems to be involved at Slough) that three branches of the Workers Union were established in Hayes by 1918. The strongest branch of the Workers Union in Hayes being headed by Douglas Page another by Mr E Roberson Hayes No 3 branch.

Frank Rosenberg in August 1918 stated
"To anybody who did not belong to a union, he would say that they were failing in their duty towards the men who were fighting in France and Flanders. When they came back they would ask those that had stayed at home what they had done to better the present conditions of things" They heard of strikes, said Frank Rosenberg and people blamed the unions for them. But there was not one union in the country that agitated for a strike for a mere business point of view it is not to the advantage of unions to have strikes, because during that period the members have to be paid strike pay. Strikes were caused by bad wages and the conditions under which workers labour"

Another regular visitor to Hayes was Miss Florence Saward, one of the very first full time women union officials (Saward was the daughter of a farm Labourer from Braintree Essex). Saward became a Workers Union organiser in Essex and Suffolk around 1913 and was involved in the 12 day Braintree Courtaulds Silk Mill girls strike in November 1913 and the Witham Silk Glove girls strike which started on 27th February 1919

The Workers Union would go on to amalgamate into the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) in 1929, which in itself would become such a powerful voice for the working people of Hayes.

D.M.A. Page - Workers Union, Hayes
Douglas Page was born in Hammersmith in 1884 and was by 1901 employed as an oil works labourer, he moved to Hayes in 1914 and became a beltman in the local factories. By 1918 he was branch Secretary of Hayes branch of the Workers Union. Page began employment at His Master Voice (HMV later EMI) in 1924. As the founder of the Workers Union branch in Hayes he was honoured in 1957 by his union, becoming a life member of the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) signed, personally by Frank Cousins.
He was active in Hayes Lab

our party and was first elected to Hayes & Harlington Council as a Labour Councillor in 1924, representing both East and South Wards. He was Chairman of the council 1937-1938 and on Coronation day he opened the new station bridge in Hayes.

In 1940 he was appointed Justice of the Peace.

His wife Mrs Page was a founder member of the Hayes Maternity & Welfare Committee and represented the Labour Party on Middlesex County Council Education Committee for 26 years

(Photo Right above Watford branch of the Workers Union, banner and Miss Florence Saward centre)

By Michael Walker 2008

NOTES
The Isle of Man branch of the Workers Union (later Transport & General Workers Union TGWU) was established by Alfred "Alf" Teare a Printer in March 1917 by the end of 1918 it had over one thousand members covering all industries.

The Workers' Union in 1918 had the following officers on the Isle of Man;Douglas Secretary- Alfred James Teare, Crosby Terrace; R

ushen Secretary- R. Leece, The Friary ; Peel Secretary- F. Kinrade, 32 Glenfaba-Road ; Ramsey Secretary- Frank Cain, 2 Marsden Terrace; Laxey Secretary-T. E. Lewin, Dimon Villa.

Th Workers Union on the Isle of Man effectively called a general strike in July 1918, a strike that was largely successful. By 1920 The Workers Union on the island had 3-4,000 members.

Alfred James Teare born at Barrow-in-Furness in 1879, of Manx parentage. Isle of Man Organising Secretary of the Workers' Union since March, 1917 ; Chairman of the Bread Strike Committee of 1918 ; appointed the first w orking-man justice of the Peace, 1919 ; elected to the House of Keys for South Douglas as a Labour Member at the 1919 General Election and returned again, 1924. A Member of the Douglas and District Licensing Court ; of the Isle of Man Advertising Board and of the Workmen's Hospital Committee. Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Government on the Demobilization of Soldiers and the Labour Exchange from 1918 until its close. General Secretary of the Manx Labour Party which, in its present form, he was mainly responsible for organising. Has taken a keen interest in local Musical events, and been an active member of Athletic Clubs ; also was a member of the 7th Batt. King's Liverpool Regiment (I.o.M. Volunteers) from 1899 to 1902. Address : 6, Crosby Terrace, Douglas

TGWU Channel Islands

In Jersey on the Channel Islands, the union was establsihed by the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers Union on 23rd September 1918 (however the Guernsey branch predated this). Ned Moignard was elected President and Jack Hardman as Secretary (until 1932). In 1919 Moignard split from the Dockers Union to form a branch of the Workers Union. However both unions merged nationally to establish the Transport & General Workers Union. By the end of 1921 the TGWU had 5,000 members on Jersey. Between 1932 and 1937 the branch had some rather poor Branch secretaries until the arrival from the mainland of a young Edward Hyman in January 1937

The TGWU was part of the small but honourable Jesey resistance movement against Nazi occupation in the Second World War lead by Communist Norman Le Brocq (Photo)and Les Huelin (Jersey Democratic Movement) printing an undeground trade union newsletter Worker's Review. While Norman Le Brocq was the best known TGWU member and activist on Jersey he was not allowed to hold office by his union because of his Communist Party membership.

Michael Walker 2008

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