Roland Brownsword - born 2 March 1907

Here are three short biographical sketches to commemorate what would have been Roland Brownsword’s 101st birthday.

The last couple of years were not so good for Roland, but for 90 years he lived life to the full; indeed as an octogenarian he was astonishingly fit, still walking, gardening, mounting a photographic exhibition at the New Vic, attending church and meetings, sick visiting, and still taking a keen interest in the life and development of Newcastle.

Born in 1907, Roland was the sixth and youngest child in a family of hard-working Methodists, who lived in a house built by their own father. He began to work at the Water board after leaving the Orme Boys’ school. He had curiosity, a talent for photography, and played the piano well. He also had a deep religious faith. As a young man he enjoyed exploring England by motorbike and by car, searching out striking views and angles for his photographs, attending political and religious meetings, and making music with friends. When war broke out in 1939 he was declared unfit and had to make do with fire watching. This period was a happy one for him in spite of the war, however, as he met Dorothy at the Congregational church and they were married in 1942 and did their fire watching together.

Roland’s four children will always remember him as constantly active, always pursuing a cause or an interest. They grew up at the post office in Stubbs Gate, to which he moved in 1950 (?) and left only when he retired in 1979 at the age of 72. His commitment here went way beyond the call of duty. He was a one-man citizen’s advice bureau and social worker, and eventually became liberal councillor for the ward which the post office was in, ward 7. In this capacity he not only looked after his own constituents, but also took a special interest in planning matters. His children recall innummerable letters to the Sentinel throughout their lives, about pollution, planning and other concerns. In a letter resigning as President of the Newcastle Liberal party he speaks of first door-knocking for the League of Nations 50 years before, and of his concern for third world problems; and in a letter distributed all around the streets near the post office on his retirement, he speaks of his delight on receiving the generous amount of money collected from his customers for a retirement gift.

It would not be right to suggest that Roland was a paragon of all the virtues, and he himself came away from some funerals commenting that he did not recognise the person described. He was not the world’s best listener, and many a customer at Stubbs Gate became frustrated with the long wait for service whilst he set the world to rights. Dorothy, if she were able to comment, would no doubt say that he did not always take her interests into account enough. But here, nevertheless is a man whose passing through this life has made its mark, and who has achieved much. He was uncompromising in his beliefs and his morality, and was in many ways an excellent role-model for his family; a person of scrupulous honesty, generous when he had the means to be, much concerned with issues in the wider world beyond his family and Newcastle. He had a strong and straight-forward religious faith, and when Dorothy became confused and ill he looked after her devotedly, learning to cook and shop in his mid-80’s and taking over the house-keeping which she had always done so efficiently before. It was heart-breaking for him to see her deterioration when she was 11 years younger then him, but he continued to be caring and solicitous at the home in Leek even after his legs had failed and his voice dimmed.

Robert Fyson gave the following as a funeral speech:

I shall say a few words about Roland as I remember him, particularly his years as a member of Newcastle Council. It is in this connection that I always think of him, and met him, though in fact this was quite a small part of his life, about 71/2 years from May 1965 to November 1972.

Roland had, I think, always been a liberal by conviction. It was accidental, in a way, that as a postmaster at Stubbs Gate Post Office in the 1960s he happened to be living in a ward – the old ward 4, now part of Town ward – where the post-war revival of Newcastle Liberal Party began, spearheaded by a former army officer and mature student at Keele, Derek Wright.

In 1963 the first Liberal councillor for many years, Nora Van Someron was elected followed in 1965 by Roland in a straight fight with his conservative opponent (Roland won 676 to 395).

As the local sub-postmaster at Stubbs Gate, and a great talker, Roland was ideally placed to know the people he represented and to help out with their problems. Indeed, he was such an enthusiast and unstoppable talker that at times the queues in the Post Office became almost intolerably lengthy. But his close links to the people of the ward were especially valuable because his political soul mate Nora Van Someron lived in Porthill.

They were the only two Liberals on the council and on the whole made a good working partnership, until Nora lost her seat in 1969. Though I suspect that Nora, a rather forceful lady, tried to boss Roland around. He remained, however, very much his own man.

I first met Roland in 1968 and helped in his campaign, I think, when he was re-elected by a slightly less substantial margin (594 to 465) over his Conservative opponent, Rev. Peter Travis. After Nora lost her seat the following year, Roland became the only Liberal for a year. In 1970 I, as an earnest young radical living in the ward, and a fairly recent incomer was elected to join Roland on the council. We held the balance of power between Labour and the Conservatives, decided to vote for Labour to run the council and Roland was elevated to become an alderman i.e. a senior member of the council who would not have to face election for the next six years. In fact he was one of the last aldermen elected by the council – from 1973 the practice was abolished.

Impressions I retain:

1. Roland’s helpfulness and friendliness to me as a much younger man and fiery radical joining him on the council. Patience and kindliness etc.
2. Not a Golden Age but politics was different 30 years ago.
3. Small-scale, local, greater sense of community especially in the terraced streets where Roland and I both lived. Liberal “pocket Borough” of ward 4 – 3 councillors and 1 alderman for 2000 people.
4. Greater respect for people in politics. (Up to 50% turnout in elections.)
5. Newcastle Council had greater powers e.g. Education (Roland always interested), libraries, housing, highways.
6. Not paid. Roland motivated by a sense of duty, community spirit, could be touchy occasionally. Enjoyed position in community like all councillors. But essentially public-spiritedness. Like all of us he , he groaned about the job at times, but enjoyed it overall, dealing with local problems, speaking up for what he believed in, in the chamber.

By 1972 Roland was 65. He had three younger liberal colleagues on the council. Dorothy found his council work hard to cope with at times. He had heart problems and worried about his health. (Indeed, it must be admitted that the polite inquiry “How are you Roland?” would usually elicit a lengthy monologue in reply.) So he resigned from the council and lived on for more than 30 years.

We kept in touch. I shall remember Roland not only as a public-spirited liberal councillor but also as a politician with “hinterland” – Denis Healey’s phrase i.e. varnished by private interests and enthusiasms. A reader and a thinker. The last time I saw him was at home in Basford in the late 1990s – he was living alone aged 89 or 90, very much making the best of things, working with enthusiasm for his photography (exhibition at the Vic) and his music – piano playing – both life long enthusiasms.

We shall remember Roland’s long life with pleasure and respect.

Finally comes the obituary printed in the Evening Sentinel:

Councillor, subpostmaster and photographer Roland Brownsword became one of the last people to be awarded the title of Alderman in North Staffordshire when he received the honour more than three decades ago. Mr Brownsword, who died earlier this month at the age of 96, was granted the title for his unstinting community work and received the award before the re-organisation of local government in Staffordshire.

A Liberal borough councillor in Newcastle, he was elevated to Alderman following a vote of his fellow councillors.

Newcastle born-and-bred, Mr Brownsword came from a large family living in the Ashfields area of the town.

He was educated at Hassell Street Elementary School and Newcastle Middle School - the “old Orme boys” - at Pooldam.

After leaving school Mr Brownsword worked for many years with Staffordshire Potteries Water Board in Hanley and he rose to the position of chief clerk.

By 1950 Mr Brownsword wanted a change from the water board and he became subpostmaster at Stubbs Gate Post Office in Newcastle.

Mr Brownsword became a central figure in the everyday life of the community of terrace streets on both sides of the A34 and he remained at the post office until his retirement in 1979.

This affinity with the local community saw Mr Brownsword, a life-long Liberal, cut his teeth in local politics.

He was elected to Ward Four, which now comes under Newcastle’s Town Ward, in 1965 and re-elected in 1968. On both occasions, he overcame strong Conservative opposition to claim his seat on the council. During his time as a councillor, Mr Brownsword was particularly interested in education and planning issues.

In 1972, Mr Brownsword resigned from the council on health grounds.

He had suffered a weak heart throughout his life and it was this complaint which saw him refused entry into the Forces in the Second World War.

Outside politics, Mr Brownsword was an accomplished pianist and a talented and enthusiastic member of Newcastle Camera Club.

In 1995, Mr Brownsword exhibited his landscape photography in a display at the New Victoria Theatre, Newcastle.

Mr Brownsword married wife Dorothy in 1938 and they had four children and eight grandchildren.

In retirement the couple lived in Basford, before latterly moving to a care home in Leek. Mrs Brownsword died just five weeks before her husband.