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Gummers |
After leaving
the employment of Guest and Chrimes, Mr Tom Greenwood went into
partnership with William Henry Gummer, who had a joiners business
in the Crofts.
The partnership however was only short lived when, after a disagreement,
Tom Greenwood left the business and George Gummer, son of W H
Gummer entered into partnership with his father and established
a firm which eventually became the Effingham Brass Works. Effingham
Brass Works produced water fittings and steam and oil valves.
During the Boer War the works concentrated on producing water
filters which were carried to the front on the backs of mules.
The First World War saw the company producing amongst other things
water carts, parts for shells, mines and depth charges. At the
end of the war the company received a letter of commendation from
the Admiralty for the part they had played in defeating the German
submarine warfare offensive.
W H Gummer served as mayor of Rotherham on
one occasion and his son George on three occasions. |
| Following serialisation in the
Rotherham Advertiser in the 1920s, George Gummer was invited by
John Dickinson JP Editor of the Rotherham Advertiser to publish
his Reminiscences of Rotherham, a retrospect of over 60 years from
the middle of the 19th century to the early 20th century. It appears
he undertook the task with some diffidence and the publication is
prefaced as follows:- |
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| The idea of writing
my reminiscences was presented to my mind by my old friend Mr Councillor
John Dickinson JP, Editor of “The Rotherham Advertiser”,
who undertook their publication. Several reasons influenced me in
consenting to their publication in book form, first the desire to
fall in with the wishes of the many correspondents who during the
past year have expressed their appreciation of my efforts and in
some cases have furnished valuable information; and also I believe
that a permanent record of some of the features of our early municipal
life would not be unacceptable to the numerous friends I have made
during my municipal career. |
| The work of writing
these recollections, although involving much labour, has been a
real pleasure to me and has brought back many happy memories. If
my efforts have met, as I believe they have with the appreciation
of the readers of the “Advertiser”, I am more than repaid
and can only hope that the publication in book form of the Reminiscences
will result in a substantial sum of money being raised for the Rotherham
Hospital. |
| George Gummer died in 1927, after having been made
a Freeman of Rotherham. |
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