Find of the Week (8)

Whilst listening to and reading about the debates surrounding the forthcoming General Election, I thought I’d travel back to the 1910 elections. My interest stems from being the local history librarian and a constituent. The first election of 1910 was held from January 15th to February 10th, the votes counted, a hung parliament was announced with both the Liberals and Conservatives sharing the spoils. The conservatives racked in the most votes however Asquith’s Liberals has 2 additional seats. To resolve this situation an additional election was held in December between the 3rd and 19th , at which the Liberals formed a Parliament with the aid of the Irish Nationals. You knew that already, right?!

In West Dunbartonshire the contest was between the Liberal candidate Mr. James Dundas White and Colonel Henry Brock, Conservative. At previous elections in the county, the Conservatives had taken the seat. This was not to happen in 1910, when the liberals snatched a victory by 1033 votes. The second election in December had two new candidates, but a similar result. Standing for the Liberal Party, Mr. Arthur Acland Allen and for the Conservatives Mr.William Thomas Shaw. The Liberals again won the seat by 1312 votes.
I spent some time trawling though the local newspapers during the election months and I found that the local papers were favouring the Liberal candidate. Comparing the characters of both men in the run up to the polling days. However the funniest thing I found during my search was the following advertisement.

The advertisement is self explanatory; however my interest was on the word ‘patriotic’. Did the owner of the store call the corset the ‘patriotic corset’? If so, was he/she a Liberal or Conservative supporter? If the owner was a Liberal supporter then he/she must have known that Mr.Asquith was apposed to the women’s suffragette movement. How could any decent young woman of her time have bought a corset from a man who supported the Liberals? They might not have had the vote but they could have voted with their wallets.  However, to be fair,other political parties were apposed to women gaining the vote and not many women had their own wallets let alone a disposable income. Maybe I’m just thinking a little too much about a simple advertisement campaign.

Rhudie the wonder dog

I said from time to time I'd mention Rhudie the dog. It was her 6th birthday yesterday, our pup is growing up. She's lying next to me now, sleeping with teddy caught in her teeth. She's just back from a long weekend at nona and pops' house where Bennie and I ran about after her, even when that meant a toilet call at 7am. Our niece Millie (3 years) affectionately calls her Rhudes, she knows that Rhudes can only be kissed on the white spot on the top of her head and that her tail isn't a toy! Millie's teaching her kid brother Harris (6 months) these rules to ensure happy dog and stress free aunties. Rhudes is in recovery tonight, after a long weekend of playing with her throwy thing in Pops garden.
Bennie and I both love the fact that at the end of a long day that smiling (she does) hairy face is the first thing that greets us, followed quickly by a wiggly bottom. I love the way she makes me smile.

Happy Birthday pup.

© Photograph Sam Moore

Find of the Week (7.1)

I arrived back at my desk after Easter, silently placing a bet as to how many emails I'd have in my inbox. I skimmed headings and authors in no logical order, until one caught my eye. Mike Davis from Helensburgh Library had replied to an email I sent him before the holidays. I'd sent him a query asking if he had an image of Eunice Murray and he came up trumps. Due to local council boundary changes, much of the information on Eunice Murray is held by Helensburgh. I was excited reading Mike's email and very eager to open the attached .jpg. Mike mentioned having coffee the next time I'm through in Helensburgh, I think I'll be buying!
I had certain images in my head as to how Eunice would look, they were all lost the moment I opened the .jpg. For those interested here is the picture of Eunice Murray, sister, suffagette, parliamentary candidate and councillor.

Courtesy of Mike Davis, Librarian, Helensburgh