George Henry Wilson - The Mayors of Bolton Directory

He was the only Liberal to serve as Mayor of Farnworth.

He was a painter and decorator in a family business that could be traced back to 1741. He succeeded his father as head of the business in 1926.

He served with the Lancashire Fusiliers and the Manchester Regiment during the latter part of the First World War.

During the Second World War he served as a part time member of the National Fire Service and as assistant welfare officer to the local civil defence organization.

Elected in 1945 as an Independent, representing North-east Ward but sat as a Liberal from 1947.

He was the first Mayor to hold a reception and Civic Ball in Farnworth Council Chamber.

He opened the Farnworth Garden of Remembrance, the memorial to the men and women who lost their lives in the Second World War, on 16 September 1951.

He took a keen interest in drama, literature and music and was on the Library and Entertainments Committee.

He was a member of the Farnworth Drama Festival Committee, Farnworth Little Theatre and Farnworth Arts Club and was a supporter of the Hallé Orchestra. On his appointment as Mayor the headline in the Farnworth Journal was "Farnworth's Mayor calls for more culture." He called for an extension of the cultural life of the town and promised to support any movement which had an increase in music or literary appreciation as one of its objectives. He promised to devote his energies to pressing for the building of a public hall. "I shall never rest until we get one", he said.

King George VI died on 6 February 1952 and at a special meeting a resolution of sympathy was passed and forwarded to the Home Office. A joint service and civic procession with Kearsley was held. As Mayor, on 8 February 1952 he read the Proclamation of Accession to the Throne of Queen Elizabeth II on Farnworth Town Hall steps.

During his year in office more public seats were provided in the town, in the Park Boulevards, Campbell Street, Plodder Lane and near Holland's School. This was a recommendation arising from the Festival of Britain.

He was a member and Vice Chairman of Lancashire Cricket Club and a Vice President of Farnworth Cricket Club.

He was interested in psychology and attended night classes in the subject. The Journal called him an amateur psychologist, succeeding Alderman J Brooks, whose frequent expressions of sound common sense qualified him as "something of a philosopher."

He was President of Farnworth Rotary Club in 1950, having been a member since 1940.

Freemason.

Anglican - Worshipped at Farnworth and Kearsley Parish Church, where he was a Churchwarden, Sidesman and member of the Parochial Church Council. He also attended Peel Church, Little Hulton, when living in the district.

His wife, Florence, was Mayoress. She was a founder member of Farnworth Inner Wheel and was its President in 1947.

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