John Unsworth - The Mayors of Bolton Directory

Land surveyor and mining engineer.

He came to Blackrod as a young man as manager of the pits owned by J Ridgway & Co near Blackrod Station. Later he worked as manager for Boot Lane Collieries and for 37 years he was manager for W Woods & Son. Manager of Four Gates Collieries, Ridgway Colliery and later Scot Lane Colliery, Blackrod.

Lived at Barker's de Lane House, Blackrod

Last Chairman of Westhoughton Local Board.

A Founder member of Blackrod Local Board and later Blackrod UDC from 3 Oct 1872. He attended 720 meetings until his retirement in 1910.

Overseer for the Poor for Blackrod. Magistrate from 1905.

He was Chairman of the Committee set up for the establishment of the hospital for Horwich, Blackrod and Westhoughton in 1899.

Opened Fall Birch Hospital with a solid silver key on March 9 1905.

On 3 August 1910 Blackrod UDC presented him with a solid silver salver and engraved rose bowl to mark his many years of service to Blackrod.

Mr Barker said that John Unsworth "was a man whom the people should build a monument to while he was still alive. A man who had done his duty well - the water supply, sewerage works and roads among others."

Roman Catholic - attended Our Lady Chapel, Haigh.

His son, Dr James Wilcock Unsworth, was Medical Officer of Health for Blackrod from 1900 and Medical Officer of Fall Birch Hospital from 1911. He was the first in a long line of Unsworths practicing medicine in Blackrod and Westhoughton.

• About Westhoughton page (Area overview)
• The Mayors of Bolton page (Homepage)