Petty Triumphs: The New Leader Speaks

There has been party faction on Rushden Council during the last twelve months, but it is subsiding – such is the opinion of Mr. A. A. (Gus) Allebone (Cons.), who at the annual meeting on Wednesday became chairman in succession to Mr. Joseph Allen.

Elected by a unanimous vote on the motion of Mr. Allen, seconded by Mr. A. Green, the new chairman spoke of faction as “something which has appeared in this chamber for the first time in many years.” It could be useful, he said, in preventing apathy, but if it went too far it could make petty personal or party triumphs seem more important than the work that members had been sent to perform.

Promising that he and his wife would give their best attention to social engagements at which the chairman was called upon to be “a mirror of the town,” Mr. Allebone said: “My father and I will soon have been members of the council for 30 years, and I am not likely to forget.” (He joined the council in 1946 when his father gave up membership).

Mr. Allen recalled that he also moved Mr. Arthur Allebone’s election to the chair in 1935.

Mr. Ernest A. Sugars as Labour member for 19 years and chairman in 1939, was appointed vice-chairman on the proposition of Mr. A. H. Bailey, seconded by Mrs. A. U. Muxlow.

Praised for his fairness as a committee chairman, he said his interest in the welfare of his native town was as bright as ever, and he hoped to go on and complete his council “majority.”

To the new chairman Mr. Sugars said: “We are not likely to forget what your father did for the town when he was chairman, but I should not be surprised if you surpass it.”

Council figures

Mr. A. A. (Gus) Allebone, who was elected to the chair at Wednesday’s Urban Council, is one of the youngest men to have held the position. He and his father hold the only father-and-son chairmanship “double” in the council’s history.

A shoe manufacturers, he is the elder son of County Ald. and Mrs. Arthur Allebone and became a director of the family business in Oakley Road before the war.

Born at Rushden, he was educated at Kimbolton School and is a former captain of Wellingborough Rugby F.C. After Territorial service with the Northamptonshire Yeomanry he did war service with the Royal West African Frontier Force on the Gold Coast and in India and Burma.

Mr. Allebone is a member of the Higham Ferrers and Rushden Water Board and joined the Council as Conservative member for the West Ward in 1946 when his father gave up membership. He is married and has two young daughters.

Mr. E. A. Sugars, the new vice-chairman has served for 19 years and was chairman in 1938-9.

His working career was spent at the C.W.S. boot works, and he was president of Rushden Co-operative Society for 16 years.

Mr. Sugars has also taken a leading part in local Labour Party activities and first established himself in public service in 1922 when he became a school manager - an interest he still maintains.