Charles
Everard, the son of Rev. E. B. Everard, was born on 24th November,
1846. Everard was educated at Eton and Kings College, Cambridge. After
obtaining a Ist Class Honours degree in 1872, Everard obtained employment
as a master at Eton College. In 1883 Charles Everard married Maria
Rogers from Penrose in Cornwall.
Everard taught at Eton for twenty-one years but in 1893 he decided
to retire to his 28 acre estate at Newlands in East Grinstead. Everard
was an active member of the local Conservative
Party and in 1898 won election to the East Grinstead Urban Council.
Everard was a strong opponent of increased public spending and campaigned
against the money of ratepayers being spent on parks, electric street
lighting and subsidized council housing. Everard retired from the
East Grinstead Urban Council in 1907. He was also a member of the
Education Committee of Sussex County Council.
In the 1920s Everard became disillusioned with the Conservative
Party and on 15th May 1925, he joined with Lt. Col. R. G. Munn
of Turley Cottage, Ship Street, to form an East Grinstead branch of
the British Fascists. Charles Everard died
on the 8th May 1926.
(1)
Charles Everard, letter published in the East Grinstead Observer
(20th May, 1901)
The problem is clear, the rents of the workmen's houses are too high
in proportion to their wages, amounting to between a quarter and a
third of the wages of the head of the family. From a careful study
of the issues I reluctantly conclude that the Council would not supply
houses cheaper as the private builder. To put it in figures, I fear
that the houses proposed to be built must be let at 7s. a week at
least to make them self-supporting, and self-supporting they must
be.
(2)
Charles Everard, letter published in
the East Grinstead Observer (8th October, 1904)
We must not be deceived
by the phrase "free education". No education is free; it
is always very costly. Someone must pay; the question is: who? In
this case a large part of the cost will fall on the rates and taxes.
The rates are already a grievous burden everywhere, and they press
hardest on the poorest. Secondary schools are and can be used by well-to-do
parents. No working man can afford that his child spend the years
from 14 to 16 in continuing his education.
(3)
Charles Everard, speech quoted by the
East Grinstead Observer (6th January, 1900)
The Council is empowered
to collect rates compulsory from everyone, therefore those rates should
only be spent on necessary objects, which everyone who contributed
could share in using, or were so beneficed that no sensible man could
refuse to consider in their provision. I sympathise with the desire
to procure the young men a football ground. There are several ways
of obtaining that. They could subscribe for it and by the aid of friends
purchase it or they could hire it. To attempt to provide it out of
the rates was utterly and entirely unjust and against every principle
which should guide the spending of public rates.
(4)
Charles Everard, letter published in
the East Grinstead Observer (8th July, 1905)
This recreation ground
could be used, not as a general space, but simply as a recreation
ground that would only benefit a small number of one class. If people
want a football ground let them form a club to pay for it.
Last
updated: 20th August 2002
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