ROWLEY Regis Municipal Borough Council may have been consigned to the history books some 44 years ago, but it is still remembered today, not least by those and their families that served it, either as employees or as councillors and aldermen.
Those men and women who through a sense of civic duty served as councillors followed in the tradition of the Urban District Council and the Board of Health that preceded it, working for their community and bringing improvements in housing, sanitation, education and other fields. Some of those that sat on the council reached the highest civic rank and served a term in office as mayor of the borough. Just such a person was George Albert Smith who, although not native to the region, was of true working class stock, who strove to improve the lot of his fellows, in work, health and education.
George’s granddaughter Pamela Hunt of Sedgley has sent in this picture of her grandfather as Mayor of Rowley Regis and has penned the following memories of him.
“My grandfather was very much a Black Country man, although he was born on 13th November, 1883, in Barrow-in- Furness, then in Lancashire, now part of Cumbria. His father worked in the steel industry and presumably came to the Midlands to find work. My grandfather in turn also worked in the steel industry, as a puddler at the Old Hill Ironworks, very demanding and heavy work. He was a big, strong man, able to do this kind of job and he worked there for more than 30 years, until the company closed down.
He eventually became caretaker at Knowle Road School, a job he held until he retired.
Union “He was a family man with a wife, Kate, and children, Arthur, Victor (my father), Doris, Lillian and Fred. He was a man who cared for social issues. He acted for some years as secretary of the Old Hill branch of the Puddlers’ Union and was successful in bringing about many of the benefits in the trade which younger men in the industry took for granted. In 1918 he became the first secretary of the Labour Party when it was formed in the Old Hill district.
“He won a seat on the local authority at his third attempt in 1928 and although he resigned in 1930 he was returned in 1945 and stayed a member for many more years. During his time on the council he served on most of the committees. He was made an alderman in 1952 and Mayor of Rowley Regis in 1957.
“During his time as mayor my mother took on the role of mayoress.
She enjoyed the position, but at times had her work cut out, looking after my grandfather.
He was a man who loved to talk to people, whoever they were, and at functions he would go up to anyone and say, ‘Do I know you?’ in his normal booming voice. He also had never had to learn the art of good table manners and delighted in drinking his tea from a saucer and of course my mother had to watch that he did not do this at functions.
“My grandfather, although he had a poor education, was a well read man. He liked to read Charles Dickens and Robert Burns. When invited to a Burns Night during his year as mayor he surprised everyone there by quoting large portions of Burns from memory.
“While serving in the council he showed particular interest in health and education and was a member of the Staffordshire Education Committee.
“I best remember my grandfather coming to our house in Old Hill after a council meeting at the Municipal Offices in Old Hill. He always came in for a saucer of tea and to ‘let off steam’ about the meeting before getting the bus back home to Rowley.
“Our house had an entry and as my grandfather always wore boots and was a large man, we always knew it was him coming to the house; even the cat knew who it was. Granddad’s sight was poor and the cat did not feel safe from being trodden on so escaped to the far corner of our dining room table.
“Granddad died at age 76 and his funeral at Knowle Methodist Church, Rowley, was extremely well attended by councillors and council workers, school governors and representatives of other organizations he was involved with.
“He was a true Black Country man who did his best in his lifetime to make a difference to the lives of ordinary Black Country people. He had an ability to earn respect from a very large number of people from all levels, both within the Black Country and further afield.”