ACTIVIST Jimmy Thomas had only been is Swindon for a short time when he had his first brush with GWR officialdom.

The engine cleaner, transferred from Wales so GWR bosses could keep an eye on his union leanings, held a meeting for the union, which at that time had only 196 members in his branch.

Working people in Swindon were disenfranchised. There were no Labour councillors and the member of Parliament’s seat was Cricklade.

At about this time national daily newspapers were beginning to circulate widely among an educated working class and the “weekend” was being introduced as workers now not only had Sunday off but Saturday afternoons as well.

This time off allowed more social association and the playing of sports.

Thomas used this time for union business and, when doing so, wore a blue serge suit, white collar and no silk hat or cloth cap.

He spent most nights addressing meetings, but Agnes, his wife, was his bedrock.

She was close to him, having lost her father in an explosion in Newport docks.

Her mother received £100 compensation – not such a generous amount even then – but she still felt able to give back £2 to the company as a tip.

Thomas organised a meeting in the Mechanics’ Institute, only to have it cancelled by the management who declared union activity was not allowed.

Thomas carried on putting his posters out and held the meeting in an open act of defiance.

He was challenged but got the better of the argument with George Jackson Churchward, the locomotive superintendent, and nothing more was said about the matter.

Thomas was what was known as a pro-Boer, meaning he was against the Boer War in South Africa. Once the Boers were beaten he wanted the government to withdraw the Army, which was holding Boer women and children in concentration camps.

Thomas set up a rostrum at the rear of the town hall on some waste ground and, after a few minutes of pleading with the people of Swindon to support a withdrawal of the Army, was pelted with stones and chased through the streets.

MP Lloyd George had almost been lynched in Birmingham for expressing a similar sentiment, and had to be smuggled from that meeting in a police uniform.

If Thomas was foolish then his next move was brave, as he put his head right into the lion’s mouth.

William Stanier, a GWR senior manager and a strict disciplinarian, was his boss and had 20 years service as a councillor.

Elections were to be held for the Swindon Council on November 1, 1901.

And Thomas stood against Stanier in his ward.

He beat him easily – Stanier came bottom of the poll of four candidates in a two-seat ward.

The Swindon Advertiser reported at the time: “The result was received with much applause, the victory of Mr Thomas in the Queen’s Ward being greeted with cheers.”

The town’s mayor – none other than George Jackson Churchward – said of council meetings: “In the council room each member represented not himself but the town as a whole.

“When in the room they knew no class, no distinction, no superiority other than that which came with ability for service and devotedness to duty.”

Politician Jimmy Thomas, Swindon’s first Labour councillor, had been elected. Would he make a difference?