Mexborough and Swinton Times March 31, 1939

Accountant To Retire

Over Thirty Years’ Loyal Service

The doyen of local government officials in the Mexborough district, Mr. J. Ledger Hawksworth, on Monday attended his last meeting as Accountant of Wath, Thurnscoe, and Bolton Gas Board and warm tributes were paid to him by many members.

Mr. Hawksworth. who was until  the formation of the joint Dearne Urban Council two years ago Cl

Bolton Urban Council, became Accountant to the gas -undertaking in 1908 when it was bought by Wath Council. Recently he retired from the Clerkship at the Dearne Water Board.

During the last 43 years he has held many important local goverment posts in the district, and although he is laying down some of his duties be does not intend to retire completely from public life. He feels that he is still able to give useful service in some field

From The Start.

Ald. George Probert, proposing the thanks of the Board to Mr Hawksworth be formally recorded on the minutes, said they realised that he had been in the business for all these years, right from the initiation of the Board. He had met a large number of members during the period he had been the Board’s Accountant and he could leave with the knowledge his services had been deeply appreciated by all.

Mr. Hawksworth had been a great man in local government over a long period, not only in connection with the Gas Board, and he hoped he would spared to give his valuable services to the community for a long time to come.

Seconding, Coun. Cutts  said they would always remember Mr. Hawksworth for the work he had done for the Gas Board and the district generally.

“For years,” he said, he has been an institution, and a grand counsellor .and guide to all who met with him in local government work.”

“Without Peer.”

Coun. A. Fouchard said he had ‘always believed in the enforcement of a retiring age, but he would like to make an exception in Mr. Hawksworth’s case. He himself, like many other public men had benefited greatly from Mr. Hawksworth’s liberal advice, especially during his Clerkship of Bolton Council. He has not a peer,” went on Mr. Fouchard, “in his understanding of local government law of which he has made a profound study throughout his career. Persons farther afield than either Wath or Bolton have sought his advice.”

The chairman, Coun. T. Swift, associated himself with the tributes. Among the achievements on which Mr. Hawks-worth could look back with true satisfaction was the fact that he had trained many young men to go far in local government. Many men were ready to acknowledge their indebtedness to his guidance and encouragement.