1899-1900, John Fairclough, Mayor of Leigh

John Fairclough

The first Mayor of Leigh, John Fairclough gave 35 years of his life to Public Service.

Born in 1854 at Stone House, St Helens Road, Leigh, John was the eldest son of William Fairclough. Educated at Leigh Grammar School under Ralph Passe, John later became a partner in the family's firm of stone merchants and grocers known locally as Fairclough Bros. The firm resided at King Street, Leigh.

He was elected to Leigh Local Board in May 1888 representing the Pennington ward until the formation of the Leigh Urban District Council in 1894. John became a member of the council until the Incorporation of Leigh in 1899.

During the first meeting of the Leigh Municipal Borough Council John was elected with the honour of serving as Leigh’s first Mayor. John remained a member of the council until his death thereby giving a total of 35 years to public service.

John sat on many committees including the Library and Technical Instruction Committee, the Tramways and Electricity Committee, and the Highways and Finance Committee. John was also a member of the Leigh Joint Hospital Board and the Leigh and Atherton Joint Sewerage Board.

He held many non-political posts too, including many activities at his local church of St. Joseph's, Bedford where he was an organist and a member of several Catholic societies. He set up the Indian famine fund and did a lot of work for people who were poor.

He was a prominent local magistrate along with being a manager of Leigh Savings Bank and a director of Bedford and Mill Lane Spinning Company. He also became a governor of his former school, Leigh Grammar and a governor of Leigh Infirmary.

In 1913 John was presented to King George V and Queen Mary during their tour of Leigh and the surrounding districts. In 1919 his name was added to the list of honorary freemen of the Borough.

He was married in 1879 to Margaret Unsworth.

He died in 1923 aged 68 at his home in Church Street, Leigh. A funeral service was held for John at St Joseph's, Bedford. His son Rev. Father Harold Fairclough performed the service at the church. John was buried at Leigh Cemetery.

Written by John Green

References

Biographical cuttings - John Fairclough, available at Leigh Local Studies.