Mr. Fox had a serious breakdown shortly after the Conference of 1912, which in itself formed a climax to his career. Mr. Geo. Wride, of Cheltenham, had been elected President for the year 1913, with Mr. W. Stevenson as Vice-President, and at the time of their election by the Executive, Mr. Fox wrote:-
"I am sorry to have to inform you that right in amongst the thick of business I was taken ill after arriving home; or rather I ought to say that the illness under which I have been suffering for some three years now arrived at a climax, and I had to go to bed. By the doctor's orders I was to stay there for a while, and this I hope to do. I am pleased to tell you that now I am feeling much better, and hope to continue to do so."
The General Secretary was able to attend the 1913 Conference, which voted him an increase of £50 in his salary, and three months leave of absence, as he had taken no holiday since 1910. The Executive relieved him of all duties, and insisted upon him taking leave of absence for the period. A letter to this effect was issued to leading members of those Conciliation Boards of which Mr. Fox was secretary. Branches were at the same time informed that:-
"It has been found necessary to relieve Mr. Fox of duty as General Secretary for three months. For some considerable time his continued ill-health has retarded the work of the organisation, not only through delay in dealing with outside work, but through inability to supervise the indoor or office work at Leeds. Whilst having every sympathy with Mr. Fox in his illness, and knowing he had also been worried by domestic troubles, we cannot allow his illness and other troubles to destroy the efficiency of the organisation. In these circumstances we were compelled to remove him as aforesaid stated."
That notification was, in fact, a patient and very guarded statement of the difficulties caused for the Executive. Mr. Fox had been a most strenuous, able, and earnest worker for the Society, but he lacked the gift of directing others to share the burden of great administration. The Head Office was steadily and essentially
