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People's champ started late but reached the top

27/ 9/2006

HIS nickname was 'Mr Welfare' and rarely can a bigger compliment have been given to a Rochdale Councillor.

The whole of Ronald Gorton's public life was spent caring for the welfare of the town's people, whatever walk of life they came from.

His legacy lives on with a centre for disabled and elderly people which is named in his honour.

Ronald Gorton was born and brought up in Newbold and by the age of 12 was working in the cotton industry.

Before long he was employed as a stripper and grinder at Richard Barnes' Sons Ltd of Firgrove, where he would work for more than half-a-century.

A keen unionist, he was a collector for the Rochdale and District Card, Blowing Room and Ring Spinners' Association.

He was invited to stand for council in the 1930s but declined.

A keen sportsman in his youth, he was a member of Rochdale Harriers and Athletic Club and played rugby for the Belfield St Ann's Club and Newbold Rangers.

He was an animal lover, too and bred pedigree dogs and goats.

It was not until 1955, when he was in his 50s, that he stood for Rochdale Council and won the Newbold ward.

Two years later he became embroiled in controversy.

Sacked by Barnes', his popularity was such that the entire workforce came out on strike, demanding his reinstatement.

The dispute went on for six months, until the management gave in and everyone, including Councillor Gorton, returned to work.

A decade of solid council work was rewarded in 1965 when he was appointed chairman of the welfare services committee.

He had also previously served on the parks and baths, highways, estates, health, libraries and arts, policy, town planning and general purposes committees.

But it was improving the plight of the disabled and elderly which became Councillor Gorton's crusade and under his leadership the Welfare committee steadily extended the help it offered to the less fortunate in the community.

He was a whirlwind of activity and it was said that trying to contact him on the phone (in the days long before mobiles, of course) was like trying to catch the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Such was the extent of his hard work that over the next five or six years Rochdale earned a reputation for being a progressive authority in terms of social services.

Perhaps the greatest moment of his chairmanship was in November 1970 when he opened the Ronald Gorton Centre in Castlemere Street.

It provided social and welfare facilities for the elderly and disabled of the town.

After the centre's opening Councillor Gorton was a regular visitor, helping out virtually every week.

He was honoured in 1971 when he became an alderman.

In December 1972 he put on the civic robes, being appointed one of three short-term mayors before the old authority was disbanded.

As he put on the chain he admitted he never thought he would become first citizen.

Revealing his reasons for being a councillor he said: "I wanted to be of service to the town and its people.

"I wanted to become part of that policy-making process which could result in a better deal for the individual, better supportive services for the family and I wanted to play my full part in helping shape a better and a richer environment for the community as a whole."

The new mayor did not forget his crusade, either, saying: "We must go on extending our social services as rapidly as possible for in every town and city lurking behind the glitter and tinsel and the affluent shopping centres there still exists so much misfortune, hardship and distress which is endured by so many people whose daily lives are a perpetual twilight."

Alderman Gorton continued to chair what was now known as the welfare and social services committee until he retired in 1974.

It meant a well deserved rest for a true man of the people.