1931-1932, William Angus Hipwood, Mayor of Wigan

William Angus Hipwood

Mayor of Wigan November 1931 to 1932

Born: Earlestown April 1880

Died: 9 February 1934

Parents: Thomas Henry Hipwood and Hannah Davies

Wife: Annie Peters

Children: Gwendoline Constance Hannah and Frank Peters

Elected to Wigan Council: 1920

Resigned: 1923

Re-elected: 1926

Elected: 685^th Mayor of Wigan November 1931

William Angus Hipwood was born in April 1880 in Earlestown. His parents were Thomas Henry Hipwood and Hannah Davies. His father was originally a ship’s carpenter when sail was the accepted means of transport. In connection with this employment he worked abroad and was ship building in France when the Franco-German War broke out. Thomas had to leave France to avoid being press ganged into the French military. William’s grandfather John Hipwood was also associated with the sea and drowned in Canton Harbour, China. His great grandfather Samuel Hipwood was Mayor of Gloucester. Thomas and family moved to Earlestown for work and he became a railway vehicle builder. William had two brothers Charles and David and one sister Martha.

William was educated at the Wesleyan School in Earlestown and he also attended the Viaduct Institute. On leaving school he was apprenticed to the London & North Western 'Viaduct' Works in Earlestown as a railway wagon and coach builder. At 19 he joined the Prince of Wales Volunteers, South Lancashire Regiment, Newtown Company and attained the rank of full certified sergeant. He was a rifle marksman and acted as a drill instructor. He resigned from the regiment due to moving to Birmingham for work purposes. During his working career he worked on building railway rolling stock for shipment abroad. William came to Wigan in 1914 as the Assistant General Secretary for the Railway Vehicle Builders’ Trade Union and was ultimately appointed General Secretary. He had an office in Clarence Chambers, Wigan later moving to King Street. In the First World War years his work was specialist and under the direction of the Ministry of Munitions and the Military National Service.

Whilst with the Railway Builders’ Union William travelled throughout the United Kingdom. He negotiated wage agreements, working conditions and was largely responsible for the increase in its membership. In 1920 he took over as Secretary of the Lancashire and Cheshire Colliery Tradesmen’s Association and for 12 months sat on the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain. He received a letter of thanks from the Prince of Wales for all his efforts in respect of miners’ relief.

Thomas was first elected as a Labour Representative for the Pemberton Central Ward in 1920. He was the nominee of the Pemberton Miners’ Branch. He served for three years and relinquished the work but was re-elected in 1926 for the same ward.

Thomas was elected 685^th Mayor of Wigan in November 1931. He sat on various committees

1. Chair of the Electricity Committee
2. The Estates and Development Committee
3. Education Committee
4. Governor of the Wigan Mining Technical College

On the 1 December 1931 the Wigan Observer published a letter from Thomas as Mayor of Wigan. He was concerned about the serious flooding which had taken place in the Borough due to the rising of the River Douglas (it rose to a higher level than for over the past 50 years). The flooding had caused great distress, damaging furniture, clothing and food during a time when many people were unemployed due to to a recession. He invited the people of Wigan to subscribe to a fund to help those in need. It was proposed that a Committee be set up representing all sections of the community to assist in administering the fund.

In July 1932, the Mayor, Mayoress and a Committee of Wigan people including the Cotton Queen of Wigan attended the Lancashire Cotton Pageant at Belle Vue Stadium Manchester on Wigan Day. The Cotton Pageant was a magnificent spectacle of colour, music, dancing and acting involving 12,000 performers portraying the production and distribution of cotton. On 'Wigan' night for the first time during the course of the Pageant, the scene was lit by 2 powerful searchlights.

Thomas moved to Wigan in 1914. He married Annie Peters in July 1909 at Whitley Methodist Church in Wigan. They had two children, a daughter Gwendoline and a son, Frank Peters. Unfortunately it has been very difficult to verify whether this person is actually Thomas’ son. The family lived at 408 Ormskirk Road, Spring Bank, Pemberton.

The 1881 census shows the young William living with his grandmother Jemina Davies, a midwife, in 10 Chandos Street, Newton in Makerfield. The 1901 census has William still living with his parents at 86 Market Street, Newton in Makerfield and lists him as a transport maker. In 1911 the now married Thomas lived with his wife in Moston, Manchester and his occupation was a railway wagon builder. Their daughter was born in Prestwich.

As a young man Thomas played association football with Earlestown, he was also a keen cricketeer and was President of the Wigan Subscription Bowling Green for two years in succession.

Thomas died on the 9 February 1934 at his home address 408 Ormskirk Road aged 53. He was survived by his wife, daughter and son. His funeral took place at St. Matthew’s Church, Highfield. His coffin was borne on the McQuaid Fire Tender and was preceded by a posse of Police and large crowds of sympathisers lined the route to the church. Probate records show that Letters of Administration were granted to his widow Annie, his gross estate valued at £567 5s 8d with net effects of £293 18s 1d. Annie had a long life and died in 1976.

SOURCES

Ancestry.com

Wigan Observer 9.4.1927 Page 11F

Local Celebrity Book 2 p286

Wigan Observer 10.11.1931 Page 2abc

Wigan Observer 14.11.1931 Page 11defg Book 3 Page 71

Wigan Observer 1.12.1931 Page 2c

Wigan Observer 16.11.1932 Death Book 3 Page 95

Wigan Observer 5.7.1932 Page 2F

Wigan Observer 10.2.1934 Page 9f

Wigan Observer 17.2.1934 Book 3 Page 274

Wigan Observer 25.5.1934 Death Book 3 Page 297

Wigan Observer 8.12.1934 Page 11gh