A Liberal Dispenser
Alderman Edward Thomas JP Mayor of Rochdale 1924-25
Edward Thomas
The Man Edward Thomas was born during the second quarter of 1865 In Garstang, Lancashire, son of Jonathan Jowatt, a Chemist and Druggist and Mary Thomas nee Kelsall. He was the oldest of seven children, Joseph born in 1866, Enoch 1868, Anne 1869, Ellen 1871, William born in 1873, but died the same year, and John Jowatt 1874. Jonathan had originally lived in Rochdale having arrived there as a young man in about 1849 to work as a Chemist's apprentice, later moving to Garstang, where he met Mary Kelsall and Edward was later born. By the time of the 1871 census the family were living at 17 Royal Oak Hotel and Edward shown as attending school. Ten years later in 1881 they were living at 91 Farmers Arms, Garstang and Edward now aged 16, following his father footsteps, was apprenticed to a leading Manchester firm of chemists. Five years later in 1886 aged 21 he moved to Rochdale, where he settled, to manage a chemists at 24 Yorkshire Street which his father owned. During the second quarter of 1890, Edward, now a fully qualified chemist and druggist himself, married Mary Jane Till in Garstang, and a year later they were shown as living at 9, South Street, subsequently having two children, Harold born in 1896 and Florence Elizabeth in 1902. Edward took over the family business from his father, J J Thomas & Son, increasing its size and owning chemists at 10 St. Mary's Gate and 54 Drake Street, Champness Hall. He had a good reputation amongst the medical profession and was held in high esteem locally which was reflected by his presidency of the Rochdale Pharmaceutical Society for several years, and as a dispenser at the Rochdale Infirmary for about 30 years. By 1901 Edward was living 14 West Street and 10 years later in1911at 123 Drake Street, still at the same address in 1916 according to Clegg's Commercial Directory of Rochdale. From his youth Edward had taken an interest in local affairs and was elected onto Rochdale Town Council in 1906 aged 41as a Liberal member for the Wardleworth South Ward, beating the incumbent Tom Whittaker, described as a militant Socialist, by a majority of 87.
In the Council Chamber he was described as showing a broad progressive outlook, which was rewarded by being elected to the Aldermanic Bench and as Mayor of the Borough of Rochdale in November 1924. He was nominated by Mr Harold Shawcross who paid tribute to Edward's remarkable mastery of the detailed work of municipal administration, especially in matters of health and his comprehensive outlook. His time in office was later described as "A Mayoralty of unstinted devotion, of stimulus to many good causes and of efficient conduct of affairs" and during his term saw the passing of the Corporation Act 1925 which greatly enlarged the powers of the municipality and in which he took a personal interest. So popular was Edward that he was returned unopposed in every election until June 1927 when he was appointed a permanent Alderman and in 1928 made a Justice of the Peace. During his time in office Edward served on the Health Committee, and its Chairman for many years, his time was marked by a passionate support for many developments in the health field in Rochdale, including improvements to maternity and child welfare, the establishment of child welfare centres, housing improvements, smoke abatement to improve public health, a reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates, and responsibility for the recently transferred Birch Hill Hospital to the Health Committee.
He devoted himself to all of these areas with 'unremitting zeal'. He also served on the Waterworks Committee and oversaw the conversion of the towns sanitary system to water carriage, realising the importance fresh water had on health. He also helped negotiate the purchase of the Canal Company's reservoirs and sat on the Oldham and Rochdale Joint Management Committee. Additionally Edward was on the Finance Committee, the General Purposes Committee, the Cleansing Committee, the Parliamentary Sub Committee, Special Committee on Housing, and Corporation representative on the Health and Insurance Committee. His tireless work in all of these areas demonstrated his commitment to public affairs and it was said that " He was a courageous man, never afraid of taking the unpopular side if he believed it was the right side". Edward was described as a strong Liberal of advanced views and was Vice President of the Wardlesworth Liberal Association, he was a member of the Rochdale Reform Association, a member of the Rotary Club and deeply involved with the Milton Congregational Church, occupying the position of Deacon and superintendent of the Sunday School. Edward was an ardent Free Churchman but with a tolerant spirit that recognised the good in other religious communities.
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In what little spare time he had, Edward enjoyed cricket and was a member of Lancashire County Cricket Club. During the early part of 1934, Edwards wife Mary was taken ill, causing him much anxiety, however she appeared to be recovering and they had planned a short break to Garstang on Saturday 2nd June. Edward had apparently gone about his usual business on the Friday before, and was with friends in the evening looking forward to the break. He retired to bed as usual at his home, Wyredale, Fieldhead Avenue, Bamford, but shortly before 3.00am on the Saturday suffered a heart attack. The Doctor was called and tended to Edward, who showed initial signs of recovery and the Doctor left. However shortly after this he had a second more severe attack and died before the Doctor could return, just before 5.00am. He was 69. Edward’s funeral was held on Tuesday 5th June at Rochdale Cemetery. It was attended by the Mayor and Town Clerk and a large number of representatives from the Council, Liberalism, Magistrates, religious workers, chemists, Rotarians and others. The first part of the service took part in the garden of Edward's house, Wyredale and this was followed by committal at the graveside conducted by Reverend S Robinson OBE. He left a sum of. £11,127.10.10 in his will. Thus ended the distinguished life of one Rochdale's forward looking and progressive 'adopted sons'.
The Story The Past Mayors Jewels awarded to Alderman Edward Thomas and his wife were acquired from E Bay in April 2013, they were of interest because of the fact Mayoral detail is usually easy to find due to the publicity around their Mayoral year in the local press. Edward Thomas was no exception and following a telephone call to Rochdale Council and Links 4 Life, Rochdale's Arts and Heritage service, a substantial amount of local press reports were received, including a very detailed obituary that enabled, with the help of ancestry.com, the above biography to be pieced together. A very poor quality photograph was also received but it gives an idea of what Alderman Edward Thomas looked like. Another former long forgotten Mayor, who will now be remembered for posterity on the World Wide Web! The jewels are hallmarked on the reverse of both and indicate they are 9 carat gold and were assayed in Birmingham in1899.
The Story The Past Mayors Jewels awarded to Alderman Edward Thomas and his wife were acquired from E Bay in April 2013, they were of interest because of the fact Mayoral detail is usually easy to find due to the publicity around their Mayoral year in the local press. Edward Thomas was no exception and following a telephone call to Rochdale Council and Links 4 Life, Rochdale's Arts and Heritage service, a substantial amount of local press reports were received, including a very detailed obituary that enabled, with the help of ancestry.com, the above biography to be pieced together. A very poor quality photograph was also received but it gives an idea of what Alderman Edward Thomas looked like. Another former long forgotten Mayor, who will now be remembered for posterity on the World Wide Web! The jewels are hallmarked on the reverse of both and indicate they are 9 carat gold and were assayed in Birmingham in1899.
Rochdale
Crest of the County Borough of Rochdale
The Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of Rochdale were granted armorial bearings by letters patent dated 20 February 1857 sealed by Sir Charles George Young, Garter Principal King of Arms; James Pulman, Clarenceux King of Arms; and Robert Laurie, Norroy King of Arms. The blazon was as follows:
Argent a wool-pack encircled by two branches of the cotton-tree flowered and conjoined proper, a bordure sable, charged with eight martlets of the field. And for the Crest: Upon a wreath of the colours, a mill-rind sable, and above a fleece argent banded or.
The emblems in the centre of the shield represented the industries of the borough: a fleece for the woollen industry; the cotton branches for the cotton industry; and the millrind for the iron industry. The black border bore six martlets or heraldic swallows. The martlets and black and silver colouring were derived from the arms of the Rashdale and Dearden families. James Dearden purchased the manor of Rochdale from Lord Byron in 1823. The crest, placed on a helm above the shield, represented the wool and iron industries with a fleece and millrind. The Latin motto adopted was Crede Signo or "Trust in this sign". It was based on that of Baron Byron of Rochdale: Crede Byron.
Rochdale was, from 1856 to 1974, a local government district coterminate with the town of Rochdale in the northwest of England.
Municipal Borough In January 1856 the inhabitant householders of the Parliamentary Borough of Rochdale, Lancashire, petitioned the Privy Council for the grant of a charter of incorporation under the Municipal Corporations Act constituting the town as a municipal borough. The petition was successful and the charter was granted in September 1856. In 1858 the borough corporation took over the powers of the Rochdale Improvement Commissioners, which had been established by private act of parliament in 1825 to watch, light and cleanse the town. The borough was extended in 1872.
County Borough The Local Government Act 1888 constituted all municipal boroughs with a population of more than 50,000 as "county borough"s. Accordingly, the County Borough of Rochdale came into existence in 1889, with the powers of both a borough and a county council. Rochdale remained within Lancashire for certain purposes such as lieutenancy and administration of justice. In 1900 the county borough absorbed the bulk of the neighbouring Castleton Urban District by mutual agreement. The borough boundaries were extended again in 1933 by a county review order. The county borough was abolished in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972. Its area formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale in the new county of Greater Manchester.
Borough Council Under the charter of 1856 the borough was governed by a town council consisting of a mayor, ten aldermen and thirty councillors. The borough was divided into three wards: Castleton and Wardleworth represented by twelve councillors and four aldermen each, and Spotland with six councillors and two aldermen. One third of the councillors in each ward were elected annually by the burgesses or local government electors. The aldermen were elected to a six-year term by the council itself, with half the aldermanic bench retiring every three years. The mayor was elected annually by the council from among their membership. When the borough was extended in 1872, the council seats were redistributed and the borough was divided into ten wards, each with three councillors and one alderman, with the size of the council remaining at forty. When Castleton Urban District was absorbed in 1900, an eleventh ward of Castleton Moor was added, and the council increased to thirty-three councillors and eleven alderman. In 1933 the bulk of Norden Urban District was added to the borough as a twelfth ward, and the council consisted of thirty-six councillors and twelve aldermen until its abolition in 1974.
The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale Is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle. The borough, which is the largest such borough of Greater Manchester, was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the former county borough of Rochdale and, from the administrative county of Lancashire, the municipal boroughs of Heywood and Middleton, along with the urban districts of Littleborough, Milnrow and Wardle. It was originally proposed that the borough include the neighbouring town of Bury and exclude Middleton; Bury however went on to form the administrative centre for the adjacent Metropolitan Borough of Bury. The borough, which lies directly north-northeast of the City of Manchester, has a population of 206,500, and although most parts are highly industrialised and densely populated, contiguous with one of the United Kingdom's major cities, some of the borough consists of rural open space, for the most part due the territory in the eastern half stretching across Blackstone Edge and the Pennine hills. Prior to its creation, it was suggested that the metropolitan borough be named Chadwick (with reference to Sir Edwin Chadwick), but this was rejected in favour of Rochdale.
Argent a wool-pack encircled by two branches of the cotton-tree flowered and conjoined proper, a bordure sable, charged with eight martlets of the field. And for the Crest: Upon a wreath of the colours, a mill-rind sable, and above a fleece argent banded or.
The emblems in the centre of the shield represented the industries of the borough: a fleece for the woollen industry; the cotton branches for the cotton industry; and the millrind for the iron industry. The black border bore six martlets or heraldic swallows. The martlets and black and silver colouring were derived from the arms of the Rashdale and Dearden families. James Dearden purchased the manor of Rochdale from Lord Byron in 1823. The crest, placed on a helm above the shield, represented the wool and iron industries with a fleece and millrind. The Latin motto adopted was Crede Signo or "Trust in this sign". It was based on that of Baron Byron of Rochdale: Crede Byron.
Rochdale was, from 1856 to 1974, a local government district coterminate with the town of Rochdale in the northwest of England.
Municipal Borough In January 1856 the inhabitant householders of the Parliamentary Borough of Rochdale, Lancashire, petitioned the Privy Council for the grant of a charter of incorporation under the Municipal Corporations Act constituting the town as a municipal borough. The petition was successful and the charter was granted in September 1856. In 1858 the borough corporation took over the powers of the Rochdale Improvement Commissioners, which had been established by private act of parliament in 1825 to watch, light and cleanse the town. The borough was extended in 1872.
County Borough The Local Government Act 1888 constituted all municipal boroughs with a population of more than 50,000 as "county borough"s. Accordingly, the County Borough of Rochdale came into existence in 1889, with the powers of both a borough and a county council. Rochdale remained within Lancashire for certain purposes such as lieutenancy and administration of justice. In 1900 the county borough absorbed the bulk of the neighbouring Castleton Urban District by mutual agreement. The borough boundaries were extended again in 1933 by a county review order. The county borough was abolished in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972. Its area formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale in the new county of Greater Manchester.
Borough Council Under the charter of 1856 the borough was governed by a town council consisting of a mayor, ten aldermen and thirty councillors. The borough was divided into three wards: Castleton and Wardleworth represented by twelve councillors and four aldermen each, and Spotland with six councillors and two aldermen. One third of the councillors in each ward were elected annually by the burgesses or local government electors. The aldermen were elected to a six-year term by the council itself, with half the aldermanic bench retiring every three years. The mayor was elected annually by the council from among their membership. When the borough was extended in 1872, the council seats were redistributed and the borough was divided into ten wards, each with three councillors and one alderman, with the size of the council remaining at forty. When Castleton Urban District was absorbed in 1900, an eleventh ward of Castleton Moor was added, and the council increased to thirty-three councillors and eleven alderman. In 1933 the bulk of Norden Urban District was added to the borough as a twelfth ward, and the council consisted of thirty-six councillors and twelve aldermen until its abolition in 1974.
The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale Is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle. The borough, which is the largest such borough of Greater Manchester, was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the former county borough of Rochdale and, from the administrative county of Lancashire, the municipal boroughs of Heywood and Middleton, along with the urban districts of Littleborough, Milnrow and Wardle. It was originally proposed that the borough include the neighbouring town of Bury and exclude Middleton; Bury however went on to form the administrative centre for the adjacent Metropolitan Borough of Bury. The borough, which lies directly north-northeast of the City of Manchester, has a population of 206,500, and although most parts are highly industrialised and densely populated, contiguous with one of the United Kingdom's major cities, some of the borough consists of rural open space, for the most part due the territory in the eastern half stretching across Blackstone Edge and the Pennine hills. Prior to its creation, it was suggested that the metropolitan borough be named Chadwick (with reference to Sir Edwin Chadwick), but this was rejected in favour of Rochdale.
Jewel Details:
- Past Mayor's Jewel: ALD EDWARD THOMAS JP 1924-25
- Past Mayoress Jewel: : MRS THOMAS 1924-25
This page last updated 2 Jun 14