South Yorkshire Times, April 7th, 1939.
The surprising conquest of Labour at the poll at Wombwell is being attributed largely to sound general ship on the part of Mr T. A. Newsome, the Party election agent and since last November secretary of the Wombwell and Darfield section of the Wentworth Division Labour Party.
Mr Newsome though he has had six years on the council is perhaps best known for his spectacular efforts on behalf of the hospitals. For ten years he has been chairman of the Wombwell Hospital Committee and in that capacity has arranged efforts of such a novel and unconventional character that they have earned Wombwell a place in the press of the country, on the pictures and even “on the air”.
Work for Hospitals.
Everything Mr Newsome has taken up has borne the stamp of originality and imaginative effort, and it is therefore not surprising to learn that in ten years under his direction, and that of Mr A. T Thornsby, secretary nearly £5,000 has been raised in Wombwell for the hospitals. It was through his instigation that the 1d in the £ hospital contribution scheme for unemployed was started in Wombwell. Another product of Mr Newsome’s vision was the introduction of the facilities for ultra-violet ray treatment at Wombwell clinics. At the winding up of the distress relief fund at the end of 1926 stoppage there was a balance left of £50.00, and it was at Mr Newsome’s suggestion that this was spent in the purchase of ultra-violet ray apparatus, mainly for the treatment of sickly children. The amount required was £85 and Mr Newsome, who was then on the Council, and others raised the balance by whist drives and similar efforts.
Record Meeting.
The meeting at which the Labour Candidates were adopted at Wombwell was the largest ever held in the History of the section, and in further tribute to Mr Newsome’s Genius for organisation it may be said that all delegates were called to the conference by word of mouth. Not a penny being spent on postage! Nor was a single poster used for election propaganda, the section relying on a manifesto published in “the south Yorkshire times” and a new type of window card.
Mr Newsome has received warm congratulations from all over the division. And here’s a bit of news for the victorious section: The Wombwell ad Darfield Labour Party are now planning a “Victory Social” again with Mr Newsome as master of ceremonies.
Mr Newsome has been a member of the committee of the Mitchell Main Branch of the Yorkshire Mine-workers Association since 1915 ad delegate of the branch since 1927. He was a director of the old Wombwell Midland League Football Club