1938-1939, Thomas R. Greenough, Mayor of Leigh

1938-1939, Thomas R. Greenough, Mayor of Leigh

Thomas was elected mayor on the 9 November 1938. He was the third generation of his family to hold the office of Chief Citizen of Leigh, his grandfather being Chair of the first local board from 1863-1886.

The election of mayor took place in front of a very large attendance in the Town Hall, the gallery and floor of the council chamber was packed and the staircase and corridors decorated with magnificent blooms from Pennington Hall, most of the councillors & spectators wore Flanders poppies with the ex-mayors adding even more colour with their blue sashes and gold medallions.

Thomas was a director of George Shaw & Co., Leigh Brewery, Astley and Tyldesley Collieries, The Astley Estate Co. Sutcliffe, Speakman & Co. and Leigh Smokeless Fuel Co. He also had a concern in the purchase, by a syndicate, of the Lancashire & Cheshire Estates of Lord Ellesmere.

Thomas was said to be a generous man giving vast amounts to many philanthropic subjects and was well known as a man of few words, liking to get on with the job without any fuss, but he could always be called upon to relate a tale in old Lancashire dialect.

His interests were many & varied but mainly in Cricket and Football, he was President of the Leigh Cricket Club. In 1920 he presented a new pavilion to the club which was the envy and admiration of all visiting clubs 

In 1920 he presented Leigh Infirmary with a fully equipped Radiography  Department, which was one of the best in the country in memory of his father, following this the year after by donating a new church organ to Bedford Church  in memory of his mother.

He was on the Board of Governors for Leigh Boys Grammar School, representing The Lancashire County Council as the representative for Manchester University on the Mort’s Educational Trust Charity and was Governor on several others in the Town including Leigh Savings Bank/Leigh Infirmary and Leigh Girls Grammar School. He also had connections with the Leigh and District Nursing Association.

Thomas married Winifred Downing, the eldest daughter of Ralph Downing of Birmingham, in 1922 

The name of Greenough has a long ancestry line in Leigh involved in various positions of authority for over 200 years. As far back as 1716 his family held positions of Parish Constable, Public Prosecutor, Custom House Officer, Assessor and Collector of Taxes, Sanitary & Building Inspector, Overseer, and many other duties, so the name of Greenough is very well known in the town of Leigh.

Written by Evelyn Walls.

References

Biographical cuttings – Thomas R Greenough – Leigh Local Studies