"€œI remember very well indeed the first case of a dispute in a Rushden boot factory where I was called in to act as mediator between the employer and the men. I saw at once that i should have to preserve my good humour and even temper if I was ever to succeed—€”especially as the employer began to rise in "€˜temperature."€™ I was more than a little nervous, but a good spirit soon prevailed on both sides, and eventually I got what the men had been unsuccessfully trying to get for themselves."€

Mr Charles Bates 1913-14 & 1924-25

Mr C Bates, who completed 20 years'€™ services as president of the Rushden and District Branch of the Boot Operatives'€™ Union on Friday last, told the above to a representative of The Rushden Echo, in the course of an interview. Mr Bates gave other interesting facts about his career. Himself, at one time a boot (hand) laster, employed at the C.W.S. works, Mr Bates joined the Boot Operatives'€™ Union on Feb. 15^th 1890. He was elected a member of the Rushden Urban Council 22 years ago, and has been on the authority ever since, occupying the position of chairman in 1910 (and now again being chairman-elect).

With two years'€™ service on the Rushden Urban Council, and having proved his practical ability in the boot trade and in the activities of the Operatives'€™ Union, Mr Bates was asked by the local branch of the Union to accept the presidency through the appointment as School Attendance Officer for Rushden and district of Mr A Mantle. Mr Mantle had been the secretary of the Rushden branch of the Union, and Mr W Bazeley was president. Mr Bazeley, on the retirement of Mr Mantle, became the secretary. Mr Bates had been the vice-president of the branch. When Mr Bates started as president the membership was 700. [part of a much longer article]

Rushden Echo, February 1st 1924, transcribed by Kay Collins Mr C Bates’s Career—A great deal of interest has been taken in the account given in our last issue of the 20 years’ work of Mr C Bates as president of the local branch of the Boot Operatives’ Union. Not less interesting was Mr Bates’s experience from the time he started work. He was a native of Podington, and at the age of nine years and eight months he was a half-time worker, tramping six miles to the Rushden Board School (now the B.W.T.A. Hall), where he spent a half-day, the other half being occupied at working for the firm of Messrs Green and Son (at the bottom of Wymington-road). His first wage was 1s. 6d. a week!