William Sword.
Chairman of Aspull Urban District Council 1925/26, 1926/27
Elected Chairman 20 April 1925, re-elected 19 April 1926
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As far as current research can tell William Sword was not a local man as no records have been found to identify either himself or his family in the local area. That he was an “outsider” appears to be implied by a report of the Annual Meeting of Aspull Urban District Council in April 1923 and published in the Wigan Observer.
It was the custom at that time for each chairman to serve two years after which he would stand down and the vice-chairman would be elected unopposed to the chair. Edward Rigby had completed two years as chairman with William Sword as his deputy and, following the custom, he proposed Mr. Sword as chairman.
Reporting the meeting the Wigan Observer stated that “During his four years as a member Mr. Sword had been second to none in taking part in the affairs of the Council, His attendance had been regular, and, given the assistance that had always been given to himself (Mr Rigby), Mr Sword would carry out his considerable duties effectively.”
Seconding the motion Mr J Heyes said that “Mr. Sword would fulfil the duties with credit and honour, and always uphold the dignity of the Council. With his tact and business ability he felt sure that Mr Sword would make an ideal chairman.”
Aspull was a tight knit community where everyone knew each other and families grew up together. It was once said that it would take twenty years for a newcomer to be accepted – to become a “marrer” – i.e. “one of us”.
Opposing the motion Mr Naylor moved an amendment that Mr Rigby be re-elected chairman stating “That gentleman had always fulfilled his duties satisfactorily, and had been a resident in Aspull practically all his life. No one could deny that he had the interests of the township at heart.”
Mr Naylor’s words give a hint that Mr Sword was seen as an outsider, not altogether accepted or trusted to have the best interests of the people at heart. However, he must have had good standing and respect in the eyes of the other members, as no-one else opposed his election and he was duly appointed to the chair. He was re-elected to the chair the following year and remained a member of the council until 1930.
So who was William Sword?
The following references refer to William Sword, a mining engineer, employed by Wigan Coal and Iron Company and it is likely this is our man.
1 - In November 1912 the Leigh Chronicle and District Advertiser reporting the St John Ambulance Challenge Shield – a first aid competition organised for employees of Wigan Coal an Iron Company – held at the Drill Hall listed W. Sword as instructor of the Standish District team.
The “Beauty of Sutton” website quoting from “An Illustrated History of Old Sutton in St. Helens, Lancashire Part 80 (of 87 parts) - History of Clock Face Colliery Part 1 (1890 - 1929)” states that “In September 1917 the Wigan Coal & Iron Company opened Clock Face Colliery School on a site near to the mine, which cost them over £5000. The four foundation managers with responsibility for the new school included William Sword, manager of Clock Face Colliery, and John Pickett, one of his colliery under-managers.”
2 - In 1918 William Sword, manager of Wigan Coal & Iron Company Colliery in St Helens, was fined £2 by St Helens Magistrates for “having knowingly attempted to induce a soldier to break the King’s Regulations.”
Whilst mining was a reserved occupation John Edward Hamleton, a miner employed under William Sword’s management at St Helens, voluntarily enlisted at Warrington before returning home, having being granted a day’s leave. After talking to his parents he returned to work at the colliery. After ten days he was arrested as a deserter and the court maintained that William Sword was fully aware and had in effect “turned a blind eye” to Hamelton’s desertion.
He appealed successfully against the conviction, at Liverpool Quarter Sessions in July, on the grounds that he had had no knowledge that Hamelton had joined the colours, though he should have been informed by the authorities. Liverpool Echo 16 July 1918
3 - The Durham Mining Museum Website lists William Sword as consulting engineer in the report into the Garswood Hall No. 9 Colliery. Explosion, l2th. November 1932. http://www.dmm.org.uk/pitwork/html/garswood.
4 - In June 1939 the “Prescot Reporter and St. Helens General Advertiser” reported a prosecution at Wigan Police Court against the Garswood Colliery Company for health and safety breaches. William Sword, colliery manager, is listed as giving evidence in support of the defendants.
The 1939 Register lists a William Sword, Colliery Director and Manager living in Golborne born in 1885.
5 -The National Archives Discovery Catalogue holds the following two entries for records held at Lancashire County Archives at Preston
Title: Copy letters and memoranda sent by William Sword to colliery officials and others. Reference: NCWi/6/1 Sep. 1923-Feb. 1925
Title: Report including plan by William Sword, mining engineer, Wigan, to A.F. Beadle, secretary of L.A.C., on Landgate Colliery Ltd., Moor Lane Drift. Reference: NCLa/2/4 Date:
Author: Peter Walker
Sources:
Minutes of Aspull Urban District Council
Wigan Almanacs for the years 1921 to 1930
Wigan Observer 25 April 1923 p7c
Leigh Chronicle and Weekly District Advertiser 29 November 1912
Liverpool Echo 16 July 1918 © The British Library (subscription required)
Prescot Reporter, and St. Helens General Advertiser 09 June 1939 © The British Library (subscription required)
The National Archives Catalogue http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
http://www.suttonbeauty.org.uk/suttonhistory/clockfacecolliery/
http://www.dmm.org.uk/pitwork/html/garswood.htm