Links in a Chain - the Mayors of Bolton
Links in a Chain - The Mayors of Bolton
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James Bleakley

Mayor of Bolton: 1942-43 (Conservative)

Born: Bolton 14 August 1893

Died: Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 20 January 1993

Educated: Miss Dearden's Private School, Morris Green; Bolton Grammar School; Denstone College, Staffordshire

Director of family firm of Greenhalgh & Bleakley, Advertising Contractors of 62-64 Victoria Square, Bolton.

General manager of the Manchester Billposting Co.

Founded the Scout movement in Bolton in 1914.

Served in the Royal Engineers and as a gunner / motor cyclist in the Machine Gun Corps in Iraq at the end of the First World War. Discharged 1919.

Represented Deane-cum-Lostock Ward 1926-42 without ever fighting an election, always being returned unopposed. Alderman 1942-65.

Borough Magistrate 1940.

The Bolton 'Wings for Victory' appeal in May 1943 raised £1,534,129.

Made Honorary Alderman in 1965.

Became Managing Director of Bolton Theatre and Entertainments Co Ltd on his father's death in 1945, thus gaining control of the Theatre Royal, The Grand Theatre, The Hippodrome and the Regent Cinema.

President of the Lancashire & North-Western Counties Billposting Association.

President of the National Chamber of Trade and the Lancashire and Cheshire Chamber of Trade.

President of Bolton Rotary Club.

His wife, Florence, was Mayoress.

 

Click for larger image Formal portrait of James Bleakley as Mayor of Bolton.

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Click for larger image Bolton Wings for Victory Week programme 8-15 May 1943.

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James BleakleyBleakley Family Tree • pdfClick for larger image

The names of the Mayors of Bolton from 1941 to 1974 are recorded on the reverse of the County Borough badge

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