|
Burnley News - September 1925
Burnley's next Mayor.
Coun. J. Sutcliffe Invited To Accept Office.
Ald. Clegg's Successor.
The special Sub-committee appointed to consider the question of the Mayoralty of Burnley for the next municipal year held another meeting on Monday morning, when it was decided to submit the name of Councillor James Sutcliffe to the General Purposes Committee for the position of Mayor.
At the meeting of the General Purposes Committee in the afternoon the Mayor reported on the proceedings of the Sub-Committee, and it was resolved that a invitation be extended to Councillor Sutcliffe to allow himself to be nominated for the position of Mayor of Burnley ensuing municipal year.
The usual procedure is for a small sub-committee to wait upon the gentleman selected and convey the Council's invitation to him.
The Burnley News. Saturday, November 7, 1925
Burnley's New Mayor and Mayoress
As already announced in "The Burnley News" Councillor James Sutcliffe of "Ford Bank" Queen's Park, cotton manufacture, has consented to nomination as Mayor of Burnley for the ensuing municipal year, and he will be elected as the successor to Alderman J. W. Clegg J. P., at the meeting of the town council to be held at noon on Monday. A short biography of the Mayor-Elect appeared in our columns a week or two ago. Councillor Sutcliffe is a native of the Borough, and first entered the Council in 1915 as a representative for Fulledge Ward. Following a defeat in this ward, he was invited to stand for Stoneyholme, which ward he has represented for the past five years. He is chairman of the Improvement Committee, vice chairman of the Tramsway Committee, vice chairman of the Electricity Committee, and is a member of several other important committees. Mrs. Sutcliffe, the Mayoress-Elect, is the sister of Mr. James Stanworth, J.P., Mayor of Blackburn.
Express and Advertiser - 16th October 1929 pg. 6
DEPUTY MAYOR'S DEATH ENDS USEFUL CAREER.
Councillor J. Sutcliffe's aim for a Brighter Burnley.
We regret to record the death, which took place at a Manchester nursing home about 6 am on Monday, of Councillor James Sutcliffe, J.P. of "Ford Bank" Deputy-Mayor of Burnley and a well known manufacturer. Councillor Sutcliffe was unable, through illness, to be present at the last meeting of the Town Council to receive a medallion along with the other ex Mayors of the borough. Later his condition became more serious, and last Friday he was taken to a nursing home. The death however was unexpected by his many friends, to whom it came as a great shock. Councillor Sutcliffe was Mayor of the borough from 1925 to 1927, and towards the end of that period his wife had a seizure, as a result of which she has since been incapacitated. During his devoted attention to her he strained his heart a short time ago, and had told many of his associates that he was not feeling in his usual robust health. The day he was removed to the nursing home he was adapted to contest Stoneyholme Ward in the Conservative interest again.
Ready Humour.
Councillor Sutcliffe will be greatly missed by many institutions in the town, and particularly at the town Council meetings, on debates of which he always had an ensuing influence. He was a typical Lancashire man, and during his Mayoralty from 1925 to 1927 he contested the Council Trustees very eloquently , his ready humour proving to be one of his best assets when ever there was a ?? on the members getting out of hand. Always ready with an apt quotation from the Bible, of which he had a wide knowledge, he referred when he accepted the Mayoralty, to "the Mantle of Elijah? falling on Busha??" and when he relinquished the position he said to his successor, Councillor Lees, "take thou this rebel horde of hand."
Councillor Sutcliffe was a self made man. A native of Lane Head, he attended the Lane Head school, and began work as a half timer when he was ten years of age at Richard Stuttard's , Byerden Mill where he remained for twenty years. This firm were the only employers he had for he left on the formation of the George Street Manufacturing Co., in which he was associated with Messrs. - Moses Heap, J. W. Heap and others. Taking room and power in George Street the partnership continued until 1911, when Councillor Sutcliffe started the present business in Wiseman Street, the limited liability company which formed being known as Sutcliffe and Clarkson. In this undertaking he was very successful and the firm, which deals in the manufacture of the ordinary Burnley Cotton goods, employs over 500 workpeople. Councillor Sutcliffe was also associated with the Whittlefield Mill Co.
His Public Career.
The late Mr. William Sutcliffe, Councillor Sutcliffe's father, was one of the enthusiastic workers for the late General Scarlet in Burnley's first memorable election, and Councillor Sutcliffe followed his father in his adherence to the Conservative cause. He first entered public life in 1915, when he was appointed a representative of Fulledge Ward, his return being unopposed. For several years he was a member of the council before he was called to fight the seat, and then he was defeated by Mr. Howson, a labour representative by about a hundred votes, afterwards Councillor Sutcliffe was invited to contest Stoneyholme, and from 1920 until his death he had represented this ward, having polled substantial majorities at each contest. Only last Friday night he was again adopted as candidate for the forthcoming election.
Few men have had more interesting or successful Council careers. The results of many of his efforts for the public good will long be remembered. First place among these must be given to the inauguration during Councillor Sutcliffe's mayoralty - of the workpeople's weekly levy for the Victorian Hospital, which had been mooted on many occasions, but which he was the first person definitely to take in hand. Credit for the establishment of the scheme must certainly go to him. As chairman of the Improvement committee he has also sponsored several schemes which have proved to be of great public value.
Vision
It was while he was chairman of the committee and also Mayor, that the Yorkshire street culvert was improved, and of this work Councillor Sutcliffe remained justifiably proud. His name is inscribed on a tablet at the culvert, and this will remain a worthy memorial to his activities. He also took a great part in the construction of the arterial roads- the chief of which he lived to see completed - the demolition of the old property on St. James Street, and the widening of Todmorden road. Anyone who has followed the Council activities during the last few years will have realised that Councillor Sutcliffe's aim was a brighter Burnley. He was out to remove the drab spots, and make the town one of the attractive shopping centres of East Lancashire.
Good service had also been given by Councillor Sutcliff on the Markets, Highways, Education, Tramways (of which he was vice chairman), Gas, Electricity, and Finance and Valuation Committees. In connection with the education work he had advocated the "broad highway" for the children of parent who [from this point the photocopy is cut off]
…….once brought in a motion that wherever such a child showed signs of genius, a contribution towards its higher education should be made from the town's funds.
As chief magistrate when he was Mayor, Councillor Sutcliffe was responsible for re-uniting many couples who sought solution of their matrimonial difficulties in the court. He gave them sound advice, and often took them into an aute-room to persuade them to make a fresh start. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in February, 1928.
Councillor Sutcliffe was brought up at Haggate Baptist Chapel, where many prominent Burnley public men received their early training. He was at one time superintendent of the Sunday school, and a local preacher. Later he became associated with Sion Baptist Church, Burnley.
Devoted to Sport.
Though the close attention necessary to the building up and carrying on of big business concern took the greater part of Councillor Sutcliffe's life, he was in his younger days devoted to sport, and he had had happy memories of the time when he was a member of the half -back line of the Union Stars F.C., which had its ground at Rake Head. He was a member of the R.A.O.B., and a primo of the Order.
Forty years ago he married Miss Sarah Ann Stanworth. Her father was Mr. James Stanworth, a Burnley mason who was brought up at Haggate. Mrs. Sutcliffe was a member of the Sion Baptist Chapel and of the various organisations there. Her brother, Mr. James Stanworth J.P. has been Mayor of Blackburn.
The following is a fitting tribute that was paid to Councillor Sutcliffe when he was appointed Mayor. At the meeting Councillor R. Place said it should be an incentive to the boys going to school to-day, whatever position of life they might be in, that Councillor Sutcliffe was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. It was his proud boast that he had known the day when he wanted stones with which to knock twigs off the trees so that he could gather them for firewood for his mother. He (Councillor Sutcliffe) had said that he looked forward to the day when he could reward his mother for the trouble, the pains, and the sacrifices she had borne for him, and he had lived to see that day. A man who could work for such an object- to repay his parents for what they had done- must have had more than a touch of human nature. All honour to him for having risen almost from the lowest to the position he occupied to-day. He was as blunt as a man could be, but he (Councillor Place) preferred a man who spoke in the old dialect of Lancashire, to which they were all proud to belong, to a man who tried to talk "Sundayfied".
Councillor Sutcliffe is survived by a widow and three sons, which are associated with the cotton manufacturing business.
The internment will take place at Haggate Baptist Churchyard tomorrow. There will be a service at Sion Baptist Church, Burnley, at 11am, which will be attended by civic representatives, who are to meet at the Town Hall at 10-20 am.
Court Tribute
Presiding at the Burnley Police Court, on Monday morning, Mr. A. Baron J.P. said he had a painful duty to perform, to acquaint them with the sudden death of their ex Mayor, Councillor Sutcliffe. He was Mayor of the borough for two years, and had been a Councillor many years, giving services to the town which had been very much appreciated, and discharging the duties of his office in a proper manner. In remembering Councillor Sutcliffe they had to remember the work he did in arranging the collections from the mills for the benefit of the hospital and other charitable institutions of the town. He would be very much missed, and the magistrates desired to express their sincere sympathy with his wife and family in the great loss they had sustained.
The Magistrates Clerk (Mr. T. Mellor) and chief Constable (Mr. W. Fairclough) associated themselves with the expression of the presiding magistrate.
At Councillor Sutcliffe's adoption meeting held at Stoneyholme Club last Friday, one of the speakers said Councillor Sutcliffe had kept his works running when other manufacturers had closed down and at times, as a result, he had suffered considerable losses. Councillor Sutcliffe had always kept the welfare of his workpeople in mind.
Express and Advertiser - October 16th 1929
Deaths.
Sutcliffe. - At Palatine Grange Nursing Home, Withington, on the 14th inst., James, the beloved husband of Sarah Ann Sutcliffe, aged 61 years. Funeral at Haggate Baptist Chapel, Thursday, at 12 o'clock, preceded by service at Sion Chapel at 11 o'clock. - Inquiries, Ernest E. Willan, 127, Manchester-road.
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
