John Worsdall

(1842-1923)

Candidates for both local and national government can be seen out and about in Bourne at election time pressing the flesh and trying to drum up the votes needed to put them into office. The hustings today for political candidates is highly organised and mainly financed by their parties but it was not always so and one man in the early years of the last century demonstrated that an ordinary chap with no mighty machine behind him can still make his mark.

He was John Worsdall, a retired farmer, unfettered by learning and motivated by an innate common sense, who earned himself a reputation as Father of the Bourne Urban District Council after winning a remarkable victory in the 1922 elections at the age of 80.

Old John, as he was known in later life, was born in 1842 and had his initial experience of local government when he served the first parish council that existed for only five years from 1894 until 1899 when, because of the size and population of the area covered, the town was granted urban status in May 1898 and Bourne Urban District Council was formed the following year. He had been a member of the original authority, being elected third out of 23 candidates, later serving with the Board of Guardians which administered the workhouse where he was active in improving conditions for older inmates, agitating to get the men over 60 a weekly ounce of tobacco and in providing married couples over 65 double bedrooms with modern facilities.

He gave up public life when he was 70 but ten years later, friends persuaded him to stand for election to BUDC although there were many who did not take his candidature seriously. In the event, there were thirteen nominations for the five available vacancies and Old John, the respectful name he had by then acquired, polled 499 votes, putting him in third place and winning him a seat on the council.

An important although unusual feature of John's campaign was his manifesto. The printing of election literature in those days was an expensive business and so he had the bright idea of producing his own. First of all he bought a book of plain postcards and then laboriously wrote them out in ink one by one accompanied by his election address which was a short poem that he had composed himself. One of these documents survives and is reproduced here as a record of what must be the strangest election campaign in the history of Bourne.

The Lincolnshire Free Press reported the results of the election on 1st April 1922 under the heading "Comments on Victors and Vanquished" and the observation that it had caused more local excitement than any previous contests. Councillor Arthur Wall topped the poll and retained his seat for the fourth successive election while another councillor, Frederick Clarke was similarly successful. But John Worsdall surprised everyone by polling sufficient votes to come third and the result was obviously a popular one. "He is in the region of an octogenarian", commented the newspaper, "and in many quarters was regarded as a dark horse. But even his most optimistic supporters never dreamt of his big score. Several prominent local questions no doubt had an influence on the election and when the names of certain winners were announced, there was some boisterous cheering."

His success caused a sensation in the town because three old and seemingly valued members were defeated in the process but after taking his seat, John soon earned an enviable reputation as Father of the Council, a veteran who, offend or please, always spoke his mind, whether relevant or irreverent, and the council chamber was a richer place for his presence. He abhorred convention, red tape was anathema, and at the very first meeting he attended after the election, he startled everyone by asking if there would be any objections to future meetings being held on licensed premises, one of his little jokes that did not go down well with the more staid members of the authority. At a later meeting, when councillors were discussing seating arrangements and procedures for committee and monthly meetings, Old John admonished them for wasting time. “Don’t make too many regulations or else an old man like me will be breaking them every minute”, he said.

But his familiarity with the locality was invaluable to the council and he was appointed to serve on all of the main committees with special responsibilities for fen drainage, a subject of which he had first hand experience, while he also enjoyed a reputation as a walking encyclopaedia on account of his knowledge of local drains and highways acquired during a spell as the Surveyor of Highways.

Old John was also a stalwart member of Bourne United Provident Association, formed in July 1837 as a mutual self-help group that held its meetings at the Nag’s Head. His father, Mr Edward Worsdall, of Rippingale, had been a member for some 66 years and John almost equalled that with 62 years, and at the time of his death was vice-chairman, while his brother, Matthew Worsdall, of Deeping St. James, had been a member some 60 years and so the trio had an aggregate membership of no less than 188 years.

In politics, he described himself as being “a good old Tory”, a remark he made on the platform during a public meeting at the Corn Exchange. For over half-a-century he had been regarded as true blue and was a former chairman of the Bourne and District Conservative Club. He had also been active in many other aspects of the town’s affairs during his lifetime, being particularly keen on watching football, and by the time he was 79 he had attended every match played by Bourne Town at the Abbey Lawn ground with the exception of one fixture during the 1920-21 season. He was remarkably active for his age and his ready advice and humorous remarks were always a feature at any local gatherings he happened to attend.

John died the year after his election to the council and the passing of this well known and much loved townsman at the age of 81 after an illness lasting three months was marked by the tolling of the tenor bell at the Abbey Church at noon on Sunday 26th August 1923. He was genuinely mourned because few people who lived in the locality did not know of him or of his wise counsel, sound advice and loyal friendship. His death was grieved not only by his fellow council members but also by the public at large

He was interred the following day at Bourne Cemetery after a service in the Abbey Church conducted by the Vicar, Canon John Grinter, and there were many mourners, both friends and family, at the church and at the graveside despite the inclement weather. John had been married twice but was buried next to his first wife, Sarah, who had died in Kesteven Asylum, Grantham, in 1900 aged 61.

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