Early in 1903 the formal procedures for setting up a Labour Representation Committee were followed, and a so-called conference duly took place on 21st March.

One of the national representatives attending, James Parker (later to become MP for Halifax), wrote to Ramsey Macdonald on 23rd March:

"..went to Grimsby on Saturday last. There was a good attendance at the Conference, about 70 delegates from various Trade Unions, the ILP and the NDL...about 4500 workers were represented.

"...I had to stay for the evening public meeting. It was badly advertised and only 300 attended. A resolution was submitted declaring in favour of Independent Labour Representation.

"I am not favourably impressed with Grimsby as being a suitable constituency to fight the next General Election. I was told that some of the delegates at the conference are on the selection committee for the Liberals, and they are bringing Haldinstein to speak on Friday, with a view, I suppose, to his adoption."

By the end of August the Grimsby LRC had found and adopted a parliamentary candidate, Tom Proctor.

Tom Proctor worked in Davenport and was sponsored by the Amalgamated Society of Engineers.He was born in 1855, left school at 12, and aged 15 he crossed the channel to join Garibaldi's army in Italy. He was taken prisoner, but due to his youth was expelled from the country. He then returned to Nottingham to learn the engineering and machine trade, his father being a manager there.

On completing his apprenticeship he went to Australia. After a few years he returned to Nottingham and played an active part in his union, in due course becoming chairman of the union's general council.

Tom Proctor's public adoption meeting was on 21st. September. He then listed the policies he demanded - many are still topical today. Thus:

• payment of all MPs as a principle
• Education not only in the three Rs but in the rights and duties of citizenship. Education was the most important question.
• along with education he wanted sober minds
• old age pensions were badly needed
• the mines and railways should be the property of the people
• Grimsby was severely handicapped by the Workman's Compensation Act. Better labour legislation was needed.

The meeting was large and lively.The chairman was Councillor Pickwell Supporting Tom Proctor was an old friend of his Pete Curran, a founder of the Independent Labour Party and candidate for Jarrow; also Robert Smillie, a leader of the Scottish miners and Labour candidate in Ayrshire. His speech was "vociferously cheered".

At all Labour meetings it was the custom to have a resolution, moved and seconded and voted on by the meeting. Councillor Ramsey moved that "This meeting is of opinion that Mr Proctor is a fit and proper person to represent the borough of Grimsby in Parliament, and pledges itself to use their utmost endeavour to secure his return at the ensuing election." The motion was seconded by Councillor Collins. After questions and further speeches the motion was put to the meetings and declared carried by an overwhelming majority.

At this time, before wireless, the main source of information for ordinary people was the newspaper. The report of this meeting in the Grimsby News took up practically the whole of two columns. It was well written, and appeared to give a good picture of the mood of the meeting.

Political meetings played an important part in political campaigning. We can see from the number of big meetings during the next two years, and from the quality and relative importance of the guest speakers, that Grimsby was taken seriously as a possible Labour seat.

Tom Proctor did not take long in beginning to organise his campaign.