Winslow History | Bucks County Council election, 1895

Bucks County Council election, 1895

For the previous Bucks County Council elections in 1889 click here and in 1892 click here. Party feeling in Winslow had died down considerably by 1895 and the third election received relatively little coverage in the local press. Hon T.F. Fremantle was defending the seat which he had taken over in 1893. The Conservatives (or Unionists as they preferred to call themselves) were now well organised in Winslow and had the support of nearly all the innkeepers, as this report shows.

Buckingham Express, 2 Feb
One of the most successful fixtures in connection with the Unionist cause ever held in Winslow was that at the Bell Hotel on Friday evening last, on the occasion of the Constitutional Association’s annual dinner. Thanks to the unsparing efforts of the committee appointed to carry out the arrangements, and to the whole-hearted zeal of the local secretary, Mr. H. J. Russell, the success of the event was assured, ad not far short of a hundred electors, members and non-members, sat down to an excellent repast provided by Host W. S. Neal. The large room had been decorated in martial style with banners and streamers, a framed portrait of the Queen, flanked by the crests of her Majesty and the Prince of Wales, facing the noble Chairman, Lord Cottesloe. Supporting his Lordship were Lord Addington, W. W. Carlile, Esq.; (Unionist candidate for North Bucks.) the Hon. T. F. Fremantle, Sir Wyndham Hanmer, and J. Dandas, Esq.; and amongst those present were H. Bullock, Esq., Messrs. H. Colgrove, W. J. Viccars, W. J. Goodman, A. Warr, J. Ingram, H. Ingram, G. George, J. Varney, J. Clare, W. A. [W.H.?] Stevens, F. Phipps, Cogbill (Rural Labourers’ League), G. Robinson, G. Grange, J. H. Webster, J. Langley, J. Bailey, H. J. Russell (secretary), J. Adams, J. Brown, F. Monk, R. Dickins, J. Hanson, W. Deacon, J. Bradbury, G. Harris, J. Yeulett, J. Walker, jun., H. Dodwell, E. Sturgess, E. Ainge (Steeple Claydon), W. Goodyer, sen., W. Goodyer, jun., J. Lomas, W. [G.W.?] Bird, W. H. Hodsdon, G. Ash, B. Barton, (Padbury). &c.

This time the Liberal vote wasn't split and there were only two candidates: Hon T.F. Fremantle of Swanbourne for the Conservatives and E.A. Illing of 1 Horn Street for the Liberals.

Buckingham Advertiser, 9 March
County Council Elections.
The following are the nominations for the Winslow and Horwood (or Stewkley) division for which Mr. T. P. Willis is the Returning Officer:- WINSLOW
FREMANTLE, THOS. FRANCIS, of Swanbourne House, J.P. for Bucks, nominated by George Richard Greaves and Philip Herbert Eliot, Edwin White, and Meyrick Selby Lowndes, Thomas Biggs and Edwin Kibble, Edward Henry Baylis and Blick Morris.
ILLING, EBENEZER, ALFRED, of Horn Street, Winslow, grocer, nominated by Silvanus Jones and Joseph Colgrove, John Pither and Charles Rawlings, James East and Albert White.

Bucks Herald, 9 March
Before your present issue appears the Winslow district will have decided the matter, but even then we shall not know which parishes have gone for Mr. Fremantle and which for Mr. Illing. The town of Winslow is reported to have voted largely for the Swanbourne candidate, and Grandborough for Mr. Illing, though these days of the ballot the number of votes cast for each candidate are matters of little more than conjecture. The rough-and-ready judgement is that Winslow and Swanbourne have given a majority to Mr. Fremantle, and the villages round to Mr. Illing. If that is so there cannot be a great majority either way. A wild and somewhat eccentric rumour credits Mr. Illing with a possible candidature for North Bucks [i.e. in the forthcoming General Election], similar to that of Mr. Daniel Elliott for Mid-Bucks; would such candidature be in opposition to Mr. Leon, or Mr. Carlile, or both? Probably the report is mere “talkee, talkee.”

Buckingham Advertiser, 16 March
WINSLOW DIVISION.
The polling for the Winslow Division took place on Friday, and after a hard struggle between the candidates, terminated in favour of the old Councillor by 11 votes, the figures being:-
                        Hon. T. F. Fremantle, re-elected    299
                        Mr. E. A. Illing                              288
                                                            Majority       11
Both parties worked hard, but Mr. Illing confined himself to canvassing while Mr. Fremantle held meetings in the various villages, concluding with a good one at Winslow the night before the poll, Mr. Bullock occupying the chair, and being supported by Lord Cottesloe. The polling places were Winslow and North Marston.

Buckingham Advertiser, 23 March: letter to the editor dated 12 March
WINSLOW COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION.
DEAR SIR.- I was pleased to observe at the Winslow County Council election last week such good feeling between the two candidates. It is not often so, in fact it always seems to be a time when ill-bred remarks and party strife are most prominent. Elections seem to call forth such.
However, at the last Conservative meeting the Chairman did exert himself to create ill-feeling between the parties. His mean insinuations were quite unnecessary and uncalled for, and passed unapplauded. If he had any personal spite against Mr. Illing, it would have been much better form to have kept it out of a public meeting, which was otherwise quietly and well conducted. Mr. Bullock remarked that “Mr. Illing was brought out by the Wolverton paid agitators.” That assertion Mr. Illing emphatically denies, and states that he is not acquainted with a person in Wolverton, and that it was the Liberals of Winslow Division who asked him to become a candidate for the County Council.
Although a Conservative, I happen to know the reason why Mr. Illing’s name was taken off the Parish Council list and placed on the District Council list, and Mr. Bullock’s statement is false. It is to be hoped that the next time he presides at a political meeting that he will fulfil a chairman’s duties with more grace and manliness. He has been resident in the town now many years, and his own “aspirations” have, most certainly, not been very high.
I regret to write this against my own political party, but believe in justice before all things.
Yours truly,
“AN OLD TORY.”

In 1898 T.F. Fremantle was returned without a contest.