160 ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL LABOURER. 



extent, an attempt should be made to get land for the 

 labourers so that they could as cultivators of the soil win 

 for themselves the full fruits of their labour. 



A new Union came into being. It was called " The 

 Eastern Counties Agricultural Labourers' and Small Hold- 

 ers' Union." Mr. George Nicholls, who had been an agri- 

 cultural labourer, and was then a small holder, had been 

 elected as M.P. for Northants and he was chosen as Presi- 

 dent. But the leading spirit was Mr. George Edwards 

 who, like Arch, hesitated and, like Arch, was persuaded by 

 his wife to respond to the appeals made to him by the 

 labourers. He frankly confesses that he had lost faith in 

 the ability of labourers to organise, but his wife strenuously 

 directed him to where the battle urged. 



" This I would like to say," commented Mr. Edwards 

 many years afterwards, " it shows the noble spirit of the 

 woman. She knew it meant a life of loneliness for her, by 

 taking me from my home, she being in most delicate health." 



Not knowing where the expenses were to come from, he 

 called a conference on July 12, 1906, at the Angel Hotel, 

 North Walsham. He invited help from Sir Richard Win- 

 frey, M.P., Mr. Herbert Day, and Lord Kimberley. He 

 received a few pounds, and was able to pay for the rent and 

 printing. Mr. W. B. Harris, of Sleafbrd, Lincolnshire, 

 attended, as well as representatives from Suffolk, Cam- 

 bridgeshire, and Norfolk. It was decided to give the new 

 Union a three months' trial, and a committee was appointed, 

 pro tern., of which Mr. H. A. Day, Mr. W. G. Codling, 

 and Mr. J. Sage were members. 



" I left the Conference," remarked Mr. Edwards, " a 

 poorer man. Mr. Day had made himself responsible for 

 finding the 135. per week which was the salary paid to this 

 agitator ; the pay of an agricultural labourer." It is in- 

 teresting to find that on the day the Union was formed 

 Mr. Edwards was elected as a County Councillor at a by- 

 election. 



A niece of Mr. Edwards did the clerical work at home. 

 She had to be kept out of the 135. a week, and for four 

 years the work of the Union was done in Mr. Edwards' 



