WRCC

[hullenedge]

I have a 'soft spot' for the old West Riding County Council. The WRCC emblazoned upon all the school furniture! Anyway here's 1964 when Labour tightened their grip on the County Council.

i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1964p1_zps662cb72f.jpg
i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1964p2_zps1c5f1832.jpg

75 divisions contested (out of 96) which was pretty good. Unopposed returns Con - 11, Lab - 9 & Ind - 1. Unfortunately the normally reliable Yorkshire Post doesn't list the nominations unless I missed them. (The Tories were unopposed in Todmorden). I've yet to research all the division boundaries but it appears that they were not coterminous with the MBs, UDCs & RDCs - Sowerby Bridge doesn't include the town centre! Queensbury & Shelf also included Denholme although Bradford CB divided that division. The Ms J. Hall who lost in Worsborough is Joan Hall who went on to be the MP for Keighley 1970-74(F).

[piperdave]

Another famous name, the loser in Mirfield was Tom Megahy, soon to be the first leader of the new Kirklees MDC and future MEP for Yorkshire South West.

[hullenedge]

Tom Megahy didn't win in 1967 either:-

i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1967p1_zps3e154937.jpg
i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1967p2_zpsb9205e87.jpg
i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1967p3_zps251b68a5.jpg

I can spot Donald Thompson (Brighouse North) who went on to be MP for Sowerby 1979-83 then Calder Valley 1983-97.

All 96 divisions this time including the unopposed returns. According to the Y.Post the pre-election standings were Labour 76 (57 cllrs and 19 aldermen) and anti-Labour 52 (39 & 13); post-election Labour 52 (37 & 15) and anti-Labour 76 (59 &17).

[Zardoz]

Spotted a few names I recognise. I assume that the M McGowan at Heckmondwike was the Michael McGowan who later became Euro MP for Leeds.

[hullenedge]

It is Michael McGowan. (I noticed your photo on an 'old' Yorkshire Post). More names in 1970:-

i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1970_zpsc6a9a5c3.jpg

David Shutt still lives in Greetland.

The Tories held Settle, Labour held South Elmsall by 820 over the Conservatives but lost South Kirkby by 1,102 to Independent John Brightman.

[Zardoz]

Aug 25, 2014 18:08:49 GMT hullenedge said:

It is Michael McGowan. (I noticed your photo on an 'old' Yorkshire Post). More names in 1970:-

i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1970_zpsc6a9a5c3.jpg

David Shutt still lives in Greetland.

The Tories held Settle, Labour held South Elmsall by 820 over the Conservatives but lost South Kirkby by 1,102 to Independent John Brightman.

I think Trevor Wilson is also still around. If your username indicates where you live - he was just around the corner from you the last time I heard from him a couple of years ago.

[hullenedge]

Trevor is definitely still around. I think that he's the last surviving WRCC County Alderman. Membership at March 1974:-

i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1974001_zps6b48f7bc.jpg
i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1974002_zpsf270cee3.jpg
i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1974003_zps4dcdb5bc.jpg
i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1974004_zpsee8fd34b.jpg

[hullenedge]

The WRCC results from 1949 to 1961 (sadly a few gaps):-

start i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1949p1_zpsfa97610b.jpg
end i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1961p3_zps98d403fc.png

[johnloony]

Sept 1, 2014 20:05:43 GMT hullenedge said:

The WRCC results from 1949 to 1961 (sadly a few gaps):-

start i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1949p1_zpsfa97610b.jpg
end i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/Hullenedge/WRCC1961p3_zps98d403fc.png

I'm assuming that where it says "(Soc)" it actually means "Labour" (?).

[hullenedge]

It does. The Yorkshire Post was (is) a staunchly Conservative paper and it's coverage of local affairs could border upon the hysterical. I think that they switched the 'Soc' designation to 'Lab' in 1963.

Cllr (later Alderman) Walter Hyman did raise hackles on the right. His opening speech at my infant school was peppered with references to the superiority of education, universities and the teaching profession in the Soviet Union...visions of Peter Sellers as Fred Kite!

[Davıd Boothroyd]

That the Yorkshire Post's publishers were called 'Yorkshire Conservative Newspapers' from 1866 to 1967 should tell you all you need to know about their editorial line.