1946-1947, William Shaw, Mayor of Wigan
William Shaw
Mayor of Wigan 1946 – 1947
Born: 13th October, 1883
Married: Ellen Payne 1906
Children: Francis William b1914 Donald James Edward b 1925
Died: 1955 aged 71 yrs, Hill Street
After twice unsuccessfully contesting Poolstock and St Thomas Wards Councillor Shaw became a member of Wigan Council in 1933 as a Labour representative for Pemberton Central Ward.
He was the 700th Mayor of Wigan 1946-1947.
A native of Wigan, Councillor Shaw attended the National and Blue Coat School and began work as an errand boy at the Wigan Examiner newspaper which ceased publication in 1961, after which he worked in the cotton industry.
He served in the forces for four and a half years during the First World War, after the war he became a tram driver with Wigan Corporation Transport Department were he became interested in trade union activities and became secretary of the local branch of the Transport and Municipal Workers Union, upon retirement he was the Wigan and District Officer.
Councillor Shaw served on numerous committees, including, Wigan and District Trades Council, N.W. Industrial Board and Wigan, Leigh and District Society for the Blind.
During the Second World War he was appointed to the Local Hardship Committee (Military and Civil) and the Local War Savings Committee.
He was a governor of All Saints’ Secondary Modern School and the school manager of the National and Blue Coat School.
He was the chairman for both the Housing Committee and the Insanitary Houses and Conversations Committee.
He also served for the Baths, Civil Defence, Clothing, Education, Electricity, Estates and Development, General Purposes, Local Pensions, Social Welfare, Transport, Water and Works Committees.
In 1928, he was the employees representative for the Panel of the Court of Referees and a member of the Appeals Committee.
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Events as Mayor of Wigan
1st November, 1946, William Shaw was appointed Mayor of Wigan, he was the 700th mayor in Wigan’s mayoral history.
4th November 1946, he attended a thanksgiving mass at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church.
8th November, 1946, he attended the Remembrance Sunday memorial service at the Wigan Parish Church.
6th December, 1946, he attended a meeting concerning the progress of the gas undertaking.
14th December 1946, he wished King George VI a happy 51st birthday.
On Christmas day 1946, he visited Billinge Hospital.
10th January 1947, he took part in the coal mines vesting day and also attended a meeting involving the proposed acquisition of Haigh Hall and the plantations.
13th January 1947, he attended the funeral of the Countess of Crawford.
31st January, 1947, he attended the funeral of Mrs Jane Foster (who was the wife of the Wigan M.P. Mr William Foster).
.10th February, 1947, he took part in the annual meeting of the Wigan District Nursing Association at Thicknesse Hall.
7th March, 1946, he attended a meeting involving the recruitment of policewomen.
10th March, 1947, he took part in the annual prize distribution of the Pemberton Evening Institute at Pemberton County Secondary Modern School.
31st March, 1947, budget meeting.
4th April, 1947, he held a monthly meeting involving Lord Crawford and the selling of Haigh Hall.
21st April, 1947, he wished Elizabeth II (who was princess at the time) a happy 21st birthday.
12th May, 1947, he expressed his thoughts about the case of a Wigan man who pleaded not guilty for assaulting a 10 year old boy with a rubber tube.
26th of May, 1947, he wished Queen Mary of Teck a happy 80th birthday.
13th June, 1947, he attended the annual meeting of the Governors of the Wigan Infirmary Contributory Scheme.
25th July, 1947, he made a personal appeal to the women of the Wigan district to volunteer at a local cotton mill.
8th August, 1947, he held a monthly meeting involving the land for housing and additional library accommodation.
26th September, 1947, he was invited to an inspection at the Corporation’s Laithwaithe and Norley Hall housing sites.
10th October, 1947, he attended the Wigan Grammar School’s 350th anniversary service at the Wigan Parish Church.
13th October, 1947, he defended an incident involving a tory council walk-out.
17th October, 1947, he wrote to the editor of the Wigan Observer about Poppy Day.
5th November, 1947, he held his last monthly meeting. The meeting involved the appreciation of the Retiring Medical Officer’s services.
His year as Mayor ended in November 1947, where he was succeeded by Edward Maloney.
Death
William Shaw died March,1955 his funeral service was held at Wigan Parish Church followed by interment at Gidlow Cemetery, an account of his funeral was published in the Wigan Observer, 5th March, 1955.
Jak Taberner Volunteer
1 item was found within 1946-1947, William Shaw, Mayor of Wigan
