1917

SOUTHERN BELLE WITHDRAWN

From Monday 1st January, 1917, Pullman service were greatly curtailed, and the “Southern 
Belle” was withdrawn. This was in accordance with the general austerity of the latter part of 
the first world war. 

LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

PORTSMOUTH BRANCH

JANUARY 1917

FIREMEN REDUCED TO CLEANERS

A few important matters were dealt with, such as dangerous position of oil stores owing to the layout of a new shunting yard, which has brought a number of sidings between shed and stores in which shunting goes on, and there is no pathway made and no light in these days of restricted lighting. Some other arrangement ought to be made, or one of these days the ambulance brigade will be required. The case of firemen reduced to cleaners was brought forward, and the hardship this entailed on the men and their families, owing to wages being reduced, but food prices still soar higher.’

LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

1917

HORSHAM BRANCH

Lance - Corporal A. E. Francis, of this Branch, is in Hospital, and badly wounded. He was attached to the 1/4th  R. Sussex Regt., and was serving in Palestine. He was in camp when the war broke out, and he has been serving ever since. he went through the Dardanelles Campiagn, and was then transferred to Egypt and Palestine. The first intimation his parents recieved from the War office was of his death, but this proved to be an error, and later an offical notification was received regretting that an error had been made, and that Francis was wounded.

BRANCH SECRETARY

 LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

1917

EASTBOURNE BRANCH

On Saturday, February 17th, a Smoking Concert was held here, at the Rose and Crown Hotel, to give a send - off to our members, Brothers C. Broomfield, P. Fennell, G. Taylor, A. Waller, and some others, who have joined the R.O.D., and would be shortly leaving for abroad. Mr. F. E. Grimes, Loco. Superintendent, presided, and there was about 100 persons present. At the conclusion of the first part of the musical programme the Chairman spoke of the comrades who were leaving to take up an essential part in the great war, and mentioning them by name, proposed their health and wished them good luck and a safe and speedy return. The toast was drunk with musical honours. Brother C. Broomfield made a brief reply, and thanked those present for their expression of such kind feelings. Messrs. H. Payne, T. Taylor, Gladman, Sellwood, Chatfield, Sergeant Gray, Corporal Hicks, and Private Thomas contributed to the programme, while Mr. G. Anslow rendered some verses suitable for the occasion. Miss Wildebank kindly acted as accompanist.

BRANCH SECRETARY

In April of 1917,  the question of enlistment of railwaymen, and the scheme of substitution put forward by the Army Council and agreed to by the Railway Executive, who explained that the Army Council had demanded the release of 20 per cent, of the men under 41 years of age employed by the Railway Companies. After negotiation, this demand had been reduced to ten per cent, of the men under 31, irrespective of whether married or single, and that category " A " men should be released before category " B " men, and in order to fall in with the demands of the Army Council, the companies proposed to cancel the previous scheme of release and to substitute the following :-

1. —The youngest unmarried men, under the age of 31, and fit for foreign service, to go first.

2. —If there are no single men under the age of 31 available, the married men under the s^e of 31, with the fewest children under 14, to be selected.

3.—After all single and married men under 31 have been exhausted, the youngest single men between the ages of 31 and 41, and fit for foreign service, should be released, and afterwards the married men between the ages of 31 and 41 with the fewest children.

To facilitate the release of Class " A " men, those of military Classes " B " and " C," or other employees unfitted for military service, may be transferred from one station to another, to act as substitutes for Class " A " men.

This would have enabled the companies to release many Class " A " men from the engines, and to substitute for them Classes"B"and"C”men from any other grade. The Executive there- fore objected, and immediately got into touch with the Railway Executive. On May 4th of 1917 the Railway Executive Committee replied that :—

" You may rest assured that no men who are not employed in the Locomotive Department will be put on as enginemen or firemen on railway engines, and the contention that any such departure in locomotive work would be taken as a direct violation of the railway truce is not therefore understood.”

This was a very important assurance from the Railway Elxecutive, for it affected not only the going but the returning of footplatemen, end it furnished a striking little example of the importance of direct and exclusive representation of locomotive workers.'

Extracted nd adapted from

Newhaven Special Branch Meeting

 Sunday July 29th 1917

The meeting was called at the instructions of Head Office to discuss the National Programme and correspondence arising out of the same.
The Chairman being absent, it was proposed by Bro. Harris & seconded by Bro. Goldsmith. That Bro. A. Leonard take the Chair. Carried Unan.
Bro. Leonard in opening the meeting gave a very good report of the open meeting held at Brighton on the 22nd and enlightened the membership very much, the National Programme was fully discussed and correspondence arising out of the same from our E.C., and it was decided that the following resolution be sent to our E.C.,also to our Delegate (Bro. Niner St Leonards)
Proposed  by Bro. A. Leonard & Seconded by Bro. W. Smith. 

"That we, the members of Newhaven Branch appreciate the endeavours of our E.C. In trying to improve the conditions of service of loco-men, and we hereby pledge our support in action it may be necessary to take in order to bring about the designed result, especially in regards to the eight hour question.”

 Carried Unam.

Extracted and adapted from

Newhaven Branch Meeting

 LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

1917

HORSHAM BRANCH

Some time as elapsed since a report from this branch appeared in the Journal, that progress is satisfactory. the first meeting in our new Branch room at the Queen's Head Hotel, was held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 29th, was proved to be a success as regards ambiance and the amount of business we got through, and a great improvement on the old Branch Room. We had the pleasure of having Bro. J. Enves, Secretary of the Brighton Branch and Corresponding Secretary of the Delegation Board, with us, whose presence was greatly appreciated. Five new members were admitted, this making a total of 15 new members in the last three meetings, which leaves very little room for propaganda work, owing to the non-members being almost non-existent, there being now almost 90 per cent, enrolled in their own Society, the A.S.L.E. & F. We had before us applications for benefits under  rule 23, clause 4, from two of our members who have been reduced through accident, which have now been successfully dealt with, showing the need for all workers to safeguard their own interests. I am pleased to say that some of our young members were present, and brought forward an item concerning themselves which is now receiving attention, and I trust that all will continue to attend to look after their own interests, as it lays in their power to it. A hearty vote of thanks to Bro. J. Enves (who had to leave before the close of the meeting, owing to train service) was unanimously carried. Other business was then gone through, until the call of time, which necessitated us passing a hearty thanks to our enthusiastic Chairman for presiding at a very successful meeting.

BRANCH SECRETARY

  LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

1917

TUNBRIDGE WELLS BRANCH

On Sunday, September 9th, an Open Meeting with a record attendance was held in our Branch room to hear Mr. Warwick. Brother W. Hoath made an excellent chairman. After passing a a vote of thanks to our Tonbridge members for coming over, and also to Mr. Warwick for his able address, a very enjoyable evening closed.

ONE WHO WAS THERE.