George Green - The Mayors of Bolton Directory

Secretary, Westhoughton Spinning and Manufacturing Company for many years after being a shopkeeper in Westhoughton.

George Green was involved with public service in Westhoughton for 21 years. He was elected to the Burial Board in 1851, was one of its first members and was Treasurer until 1877. He was a member of the Highways Board from its formation and for many years was its Chairman. He was a member of the School Board and an Overseer of the Poor. When the Local Board was formed he was appointed its first Chairman, an office he held until April 1877.

In May 1877 he moved to Bolton to manage the Bolton Union Mills at Tonge and was presented with a testimonial by all his friends and colleagues. A subscription was started and the result was the purchase of a valuable silver tea and coffee service, consisting of five pieces- a tea urn, coffee pot, tea pot, sugar basin and cream ewer. The tea urn had engraved on it the following inscription:-

"Presented to George Green, Esq. on his leaving Westhoughton, by his friends and neighbours as a testimonial of respect and a small acknowledgement of his invaluable services to his native township - May 10 1877."

The Rev Kinton Jacques, Vicar of Westhoughton, made the presentation and said, "He gave his time and energies ungrudgingly to the Township and was able to combine a great business capacity with a genial demeanour which had won him the respect of his friends and neighbours at large."

Peter Ditchfield said, "Mr Green had a happy combination of good sense and good temper and had avoided many of those little offences which usually followed upon public life, and he had also earned the respect of all parties."

In reply Mr Green said that he had always held his own political opinions and religious views but in the discharge of his duties had always laid aside party and endeavoured to do what he could to advance the interests of his native district. He said that he hoped to see the time when Westhoughton, with its many natural advantages, its mineral resources, its situation and its railway advantages, will with its well paved streets, water supply and sanitary arrangements, become not only one of the healthiest but one of the wealthiest in the district.

He said, "I have only performed duties in the past which, I think, every good townsman should do for his fellows. I have sometimes felt ashamed to see my name appear so prominent, knowing there were those who could perform those duties more efficiently. I regard this as one of the proudest days of my life and shall always look back to this evening as one of the sunny spots in my history."

Congregationalist - he worshipped at Westhoughton Congregationalist Church. He was a Deacon there and served as Superintendent of the Congregational Schools, Wade Lane, Westhoughton, for 30 years.

In 1877 he wrote a brief history of Congregationalism in Westhoughton, of which there is a manuscript copy in Westhoughton Library.

In Bolton he worshipped at St George's Congregational Church and was a Deacon.

He moved to Southport in 1887 on medical grounds.

He was described as "A sturdy upholder of the rights of Nonconformists in his native village of Westhoughton."

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