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Union work led to world of travel

27/ 9/2006

ONE of Rochdale's youngest mayors, he then went on to become a distinguished parliamentarian.

But while the description is familiar to younger generations the name may not be.

Councillor Ernest Thornton trod the path from the Town Hall to the House of Commons decades before one of the town's most famous sons.

He was born in Burnley and spent much of his early life in Nelson, working as a weaver until he was 21, then becoming a cashier and costings clerk with a cotton manufacturing firm.

In 1929 he was appointed assistant secretary of the Rochdale and District Weavers' Association, becoming one of the youngest full-time officials appointed by a cotton trade union. Later he became secretary.

He was elected to Rochdale Council in 1933, representing Castleton East ward for Labour.

At the time, aged 28, he was the youngest councillor the borough had had, though that record was broken.

The 'newcomer' quickly established himself and became an active member of the education, watch, finance and libraries committees.

He became well travelled as part of his trade union work with trips to Switzerland, Russia and Sweden.

Back in Rochdale Councillor Thornton was one of the main influences behind the introduction of 100 per cent special places at high schools so admittance was down to ability.

He had also fought for the appointment of a full-time principal at the Technical School and was responsible for bringing all the council's food services under the control of one committee. The general purposes committee had been reconstituted partly as a result of his criticisms.

Councillor Thornton was elected mayor in 1942, with the country in the midst of war.

Accepting the chain of office, he said although not a Rochdalian, he considered Rochdale to be 'my town' and was passionately attached to it and its people who, from the moment he arrived, had been kind and generous to him.

During his mayoral year he called for the people to be good citizens and take interest and pride in their town.

He also continued his great interest in education and held a reception at the Town Hall for all Easter elementary school leavers, the first time a mayor had done this.

After his civic year was completed Councillor Thornton became first chairman of the council's new establishment committee, which looked after the wages and working conditions of the Corporation's administrative staff.

Back on his travels on union business, he flew to China as part of the British Goodwill Trade Mission.

With so much good work on Rochdale Council it was something of a surprise when he lost his seat in the 1947 elections. He twice tried to return, but was defeated on each occasion.

Throwing himself more into his union work, he became a member of the Cotton Board's Mission.

As such he went on visits to India and Japan and took part in the International Cotton Conference.

His efforts were recognised in 1951 when he was awarded an MBE in the King's birthday honours list.

In November 1952 Mr Thornton stood for Parliament in Farnworth and won the seat with a healthy majority.

He was helped in his campaigning by Rochdale Labour supporters.

With his background the new MP soon established himself as the parliamentary spokesman on the cotton industry.

Representing the International Federation of Free Trade Unions, he toured visited Pakistan, India, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea in 1958.

Mr Thornton's political career continued to go from strength to strength and at the party conference in 1962 he was elected onto Labour's National Executive Committee.

To general surprise he was voted off 12 months later despite getting more votes than when he had been elected.

He remained a well-respected figure in the party, though and was parliamentary secretary to the minister for labour.

Mr Thornton held onto his Farnworth seat through four elections, increasing his majority. He retired undefeated from parliament in 1970.

Later he became a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire then a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.

He died in 1992 at the age of 86.