Wigan Album
Mayors of Wigan
7 Comments
Photo: Bob
Item #: 23944
Alderman John McCurdy in his Mayoral robes 1925.
Born in Wigan in 1870, John was of Irish descent and had a pawnbrokers shop up Scholes and later a furniture emporium.
He is featured on the "cutting of the first sod" photo at Springfield Park.
The John McCurdy Hall was named in his honour in 1954 (The Parsons Walk annexe of the Technical College).
He never married and died in 1963
I might be wrong but I understand he lived at "Greenhill" a very large house on Wigan Lane, still there today.
Alderman McCurdy was held in very high regard in the Scholes area, with a reputation for fair trading and kindness to people less fortunate. His nephew John Flatley succeeded him ,and was equally well regarded. The business moved to Hallgate when the Scholes store was demolished. Dr.Jonn McCurdy from Ashton-in-Makerfield was another nephew ,and at the risk of being sounding repetitive also held in very high esteem in that town ,where he cared for his patients over decades. Must be something in the genes !
He reminds me of Christopher Lee, in his role as Dracula. Good to hear he was a kind man.
My mam bough a kitchenette from that shop in scholes and had if for over 40 years then it was passed on to some newly weds who like us older gang accepted owt you were given when just married
Reading this brought back two smells from the past. The first was the smell of new furniture in McCurdy's shop as most of our furniture came from there. I had a trendy bedroom suite from them back in the early 60's and we spent ages choosing it. The second was the smell of mothballs as a Mayor (I can't recall which one) and Mayoress passed us at some function or other when I was a child. They had obviously modelled themselves on the King and Queen as they greeted us very graciously. The effect was somewhat ruined by the wafts of mothball trailing behind.
He was instrumental in making sure that Wigan Council implemented the 1944 education act in full which led to the building of the Thomas Linacre school.
As an ex pupil of The Thomas Linacre School I have a lot to be thanfull for to John McCurdy.It's never to late to say 'thak you' as he was responsible for one of the best schools in the UK,in my opinion.