James Greenhalgh

Solicitor.

He began his career at around 10 years of age in the law offices of John Cross and later worked as a clerk for John Hulton, also a solicitor. He was eventually articled to James Cross, Solicitor of Acresfield and partner in the firm of Hardcastle, Cross & Co, bankers. He was admitted as a solicitor at Lincoln's Inn In 1846 immediately became a partner with James Cross, trading as Cross & Greenhalgh.

Cross died in 1851 and Greenhalgh continued the business alone. In 1856 he took John Hall into partnership and later still with James Finney. The firm finally became Greenhalgh & Cannon in 1866 when he joined forces with William Walter Cannon Jnr, son of William Walter Cannon, Mayor of Bolton 1871-73. All of his many partnerships were based at 8 Acresfield, Bolton.

Son of James Greenhalgh, a Turton cotton spinner.

Brother of William Greenhalgh, first Chairman of Horwich Local Board.

Uncle of Thomas Bancroft Greenhalgh, Chairman of Horwich Urban District Council 1896-97.

Represented Church Ward 1851-54 and 1857-63. Alderman for Derby Ward 1871-81.

Accepted the new Mayoral badge on behalf of the Corporation in 1878.

Proposer and Chairman of the Corporate Departments Inquiry Committee, charged with examining and overhauling the apparently chaotic activities of every department of the Corporation and establishing and imposing sound practice.

Chairman of the Town Hall Sub-Committee during the construction of Bolton Town Hall.

Treasurer of the Public Library Committee, then its Chairman 1859-61. Chairman of the Library and Museum Committee in 1873.

He was a prime mover in the adoption of the Free Library and Museums Act in Bolton and spent many years working for the establishment of a Free Library in Bolton.

He laid the cornerstone of Chadwick Museum in Queen's Park, Bolton 27 June 1878.

He opened The Barlow Arms - a temperance public house on Higher Bridge Street financed by James Barlow, Mayor of Bolton 1867-68 - on 26 November 1877.

Appointed as a Borough Magistrate 5 August 1878.

President of Bolton Philharmonic Society and of Bolton Incorporated Law Society.

He was one of the instigators of Bolton Permanent Building Society.

Clerk to the Trustees of Bolton and Nightingale Turnpike Trust.

He was a manager of Bolton Savings Bank.

Legal advisor to Horwich Local Board and to Farnworth & Kearsley Building Society.

Freemason - member of Anchor and Hope Lodge from 1850 and held all offices up to Senior Warden.

Lived at Green Hill, Deane.

Anglican - he served as a Warden at Holy Trinity Church.

His wife, Jane, was Mayoress.

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