Mexborough & Swinton Times January 7 1938
Obituarv.
Mr. W. Winstanley
Civic and Social Service
Serious Loss to Mexborough
Mexborough has sustained a serious loss by the death on Tuesday morning at the age of 64 of Mr. William Winstanley, of 108, Victoria Road, who had been for many Years one of the leading figures in the educational and municipal life of the town.
Though his friends and colleagues on the Urban Council have known for some time that there was little hope of his recovery from the illness that had kept him in bed for the past month, this knowledge serves but little to soften the shock of his death.-
Financial Work
Perhaps Mr. Winstanley will be chiefly remembered for his work during the past 22 years as chairman of the Finance Committee of the Mexborough U.D.C. As “Chancellor of the Exchequer” his annual budget statement had become a feature of local government work in this district. It was largely through his keen interest in the local budget that Mexborough’s rate has been maintained at a lower figure than that of most of its neighbours.
Prior to his retirement a few years ago, Mr. Winstanley had been for nearly 40 years headmaster of one of the town’s principal schools. In 1899 he was invited to come to the town to take charge of the first upper grade school in the district at Dolcliffe Road. There he remained until his retirement on reaching the age limit.
Mr. Winstanley was born at Park Lane, near Wigan, Lancs, and was one of seven children of Mr. and Mrs. W. Winstanley. Mr. Winstanley senior had been a colliery manager, but later went into business on his own account.
After a brilliant school career. Mr. Winstanley received his final education at Liverpool University, decided to take up the profession of teaching, and after holding several appointments at Liverpool and Hull, on July 1st, 1899, he accepted the headmastership of the new Higher Grade School at Mexborough, being selected from 80 candidates. He remained as headmaster of the Dolcliffe Road School until his retirement in May, 1933, after giving 35 years of his life to the training and education of youth in the town.
Never Lost Council Seat.
Mr. Winstanley was elected to a seat on the Mexborough Urban District Council in 1911 and never lost his seat, remaining throughout one of its most able, reliable and conscientious members. He was responsible for many reforms in the town, and in his long municipal career won great distinction.
He was Chairman of the Council in 1915-16 and had often been offered the position since. He had, however, refused, preferring the chairmanship of the Finance Committee, in the intricacies of which he was perfectly at home. He had held this office for 22 years. At the time of his death he was also chairman of the Rating and Valuation Committee.
During the early days of the Great War, Mr. Winstanley became chairman of the Recruiting Committee and the Appeals Tribunal, and he officered the Local Volunteers from 1916-18. During the time he was in command he raised the numbers of the corps from 40 to nearly 150 and the corps raised over £100 by means of concerts and similar functions. He joined up in the Cadet Battalion and later was commissioned in the Royal Garrison Artillery. After the War he was gazetted as Honorary Lieutenant for his services in the period 1916-19.
By his death one of the few remaining connecting links between the Montagu Hospital as it stands to-day and as it was as a cottage hospital in Bank Street is severed. Mr. Winstanley took a position on the hospital Management Board soon after he came to Mexborough and remained on it until the end.
Interest In Music.
His chief hobby was music and in his time he had been a boy soloist at a large Congregational church in Wigan, baritone soloist at a Hull Congregational church. a member of the Mexborough Male Glee Party, choirmaster of the Mexborough Primitive Methodist Church, and conductor of the old Mexborough Operatic Society.
Mr. Winstanley took a keen interest in the sport of the district, particularly in the Mexborough Athletic Club, of which he was finance chairman, a member of the Management Board and one of the eight original guarantors (there are now only five left).
He had also been a Methodist local preacher of repute, president for 20 years of the Mexborough Fire Brigade. secretary of the Main Street Working Men’s Club for nearly 14 years, a member of the Board of Governors of Mexborough Secondary School, and a Special Constable.
TRIBUTES.
Ald. G. Schofield, Mexborough, in a tribute to Mr. Winstanley, said: “He has been one of the most attentive and helpful public men Mexborough has ever had. I have been in touch with him ever since he came to the town over 30 years ago, and I have found him a brilliant public administrator.”
An anonymous admirer, who has followed Mr. Winstanley’s career with interest, writes: “Mr. Winstanley represented the best type of local administrator, and Mexborough will be infinitely the poorer for his passing. For many years he served the town with his splendid gifts. He was not merely a man who sought office because he was fired passionately by a vision of some Utopia: he was a man who could face reality and who tried by hard work to model it into something better. He was as skilled in his job and, I believe, as impartial as a town clerk or a surveyor; and he exercised his influence on the men he led in a good-mannered and ambassadorial way. Mexborough can ill spare him.”
Mr. J. E. Cliff, one of Mr. Winstanley’s oldest colleagues in public work, said: “If ever a man was idolised in the town it was Mr. Winstanley. He has been a very valuable member of the Council. always ready to give advice and help to the younger members, and always ready to give of his best in the service of the town of his adoption. His place will take a lot of filling.”
Mr. Jesse Walton. County Councillor, said he had always found Mr. Winstanley a sympathetic councillor. “Mr Winstanley.” he added, “was one of those few men who are prepared to show toleration to all their fellow-men. He was always prepared to make excuses for other people’s failings and was reluctant to condemn anyone. Mexborough has been lucky to have him, he has been a man in a thousand
Mr Winstanley leaves a widow and five children, three daughters and two sons. His eldest son, Mr Fred Winstanley, died a few months ago.
The funeral will take place at Mexborough Cemetery on Saturday, the cortege leaving the house at two