Just a few references
UDC is Urban District Council
UDC Finance Committee, 31 July 1922, page 157
Road foreman wanted a bicycle. Proposed not. Amendment to defer. Amendment carried. Clerk required instructions as to payment of account from W J Marshall for repairs to Road Foreman’s own bicycle, 14s. Proposed be paid but no more in future. Amendment that not paid. Both amendment and proposal both lost. Clerk to return the account to Mr Marshall for payment by Foreman.
UDC Public Health Committee, 17 January 1934
page 224. Re purchase of a bicycle for general use by Council’s workmen, catalogues of makes. Leave to Chair and surveyor to choose.
Braintree and Witham Times, 21 February 1935, page 6
Retirement of W W Oxbrow from Post Office after 45 years. Includes
‘While employed as a telegraph messenger [c. 1890] he used to ride an old penny-farthing bicycle when delivering telegrams Still a very keen cyclist, he was a champion wheeler in his younger days and a popular rider at the local race meetings which were held in the park at Witham. On one occasion, when competing in a two-mile bicycle handicap race, starting at scratch, his time for the distance, unpaced, was only a few seconds outside world’s grass track record He also assisted in pacing the Rev Mr Jarrott, the racing parson of Ipswich, during that gentleman’s attempt on the 10 miles road record’.
Braintree and Witham Times, 27 February 1936, page 2
This was in the context of a visit and a telling off to the Council from an official from the Ministry of Health for not getting on with slum clearance]
“NO DECISION”
Mr E L Smith, on the question of a proposed increase of salary for the sanitary inspector, mentioned that this subject had not been again brought forward by the sanitary inspector, but had arisen from a conversation he had had with him in which the official stated he was not disposed to accept a previous offer made by the Council to pay for petrol and oils used in his car upon a 30-miles-to-the gallon basis, and he had requested the sanitary inspector to inform the Council of his decision.
It was then proposed by Mr E L Smith, seconded by Mr Manning, that the Council provide a bicycle for use by the sanitary inspector within the district in the performance of his duties and that the Council pay any necessary bus fares incurred by him.
Mr Eb Smith moved an amendment, seconded by Mrs Horridge, that the salary of the sanitary inspector be increased by £40 per annum.
On the amendment being put to the meeting, five members voted for and six against, and the amendment was declared lost.
The motion was then put and six members voted for and six against. The chairman refrained from giving a casting vote in this matter. No decision upon the motion could therefore be obtained.
Mr Eb Smith gave notice that he would move his amendment at the next meeting of the Council.