Mexborough and Swinton Times March 23, 1940
Obituary – MR. W. Frow
Former Mexborough Council Chairman
Mr. William Frow, ex-Councillor, former chairman of Mexborough Urban Council, and prominent railway union official, died at his home, 25, Washington Street, Mexborough, on Sunday, at the age of 67. He had survived his wife by six weeks.
Mr. Frow was born at Althorpe, Lincolnshire. On the death of Mr. Abraham Lee, he was elected Mexborough Urban Council for one year—in 1911. He served without a break for the next seven years, and was elected chairman of the Council in 1916. He lost his seat in 1918, but was re-elected in 1925, and served until 1934, heading the poll on three occasions.
He was chairman of the Burials, Allotments. Fire Brigade, Housing, and Markets Committees, and twice chairman of the Highways Committee. It was while he was chairman of the Council that the town acquired the waterworks, and Mr. Frow took an important part in the negotiations and the subsequent arbitration. He was chairman of the Housing Committee when the Council began its housing schemes, and served a second term of office as chairman of the Council, being first to be invested with the chain of office presented by Mr. G. F. Carter. Public work was his greatest interest outside his work on the railway, from which he retired just over two years ago.
Among the positions he held in connection with railway union administration were chairman for several years of Mexborough No. 1 branch of the N.U.R., and secretary of the Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund of the branch. Branch treasurer, and local secretary of the L.N.E.R. Benevolent Fund (a position he relinquished only last June after 28 years’ consecutive service).
He was at the time of his death, a member of the Management Committee of Mexborough Athletic Club. He was a member for many years of the Education Sub-Committee, and also served on the Old Folk’s Treat Committee and the Management Boards of the Montagu and Conisborough Isolation Hospitals.
He leaves two sons and a daughter. Mr. Frow had been a member of Mexborough Wesleyan Church since coming to the town, and some years ago was a Sunday School teacher. The funeral will be at Mexborough Cemetery this (Thursday) afternoon at 3, following a service at Trinity Methoidist Church.