John Greenhalgh
Chairman of Aspull Urban District Council 1951/52
Elected Chairman 25 May 1951
b 1891 Wigan
Parents: William Greenhalgh, mechanic in a cotton mill, and Rachel (formerly Birtwhistle)
m 1912 at St David’s Haigh to Charlotte Sarah daughter of Joseph France, colliery fireman.
children: Three daughters and one son
d 1957, Charlotte died in 1974
John Greenhalgh was born in Gidlow Lane Wigan in 1891 son of William Greenhalgh, a mechanic in a cotton mill and Rachel. He was the third child and first son in a family of four sons and six daughters. The family moved to Linney Street, Scholes before 1901 and later to Platt Lane.
In 1912 John married at St David’s Church, Haigh, to Charlotte Sarah France, daughter of Joseph, a colliery fireman and Ann. They set up home with Charlotte’s parents in Wigan Road, Aspull, where they had three daughters and a son.
There is a gap between the birth of their second child in 1914 and their third in 1919 suggesting that John served in the forces during the First World War although no records have been identified.
John was first elected to Aspull Urban District Council in 1944 representing New Springs Ward. He served on the Health Committee, which he chaired between 1948/1949 and represented the Council at Divisional Health Committee meetings and at number of conferences. He was a member of the governing bodies of New Springs County Infant’s school in 1948/49 and St John the Baptist School, New Springs, in 1951/52.
In 1951 he was elected Chairman of the Council but in 1952 was forced by ill health to resign from political and social activities. He had been secretary of Scholes Labour Club for over twenty years and also served as treasurer.
John passed away in Whelley Hospital in 1957, his wife died in 1974 at Holly Dene, Aspull. They were both buried in Haigh St David Churchyard.
Author: Peter Walker
Sources:
Aspull Urban District Council Minutes
Wigan Observer 29 May 1951 p2c appointment as Chairman
Wigan Observer 5 July 1957 p7i Obituary
Ancestry.Com (Free at Museum of Wigan Life)
Findmypast.co.uk (Subscription required)