McGowan, William Thomas

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Watercolour portrait of William Thomas McGowan, aged 75, Town Clerk.

Sowden's note in notebooks:

"Mr McGowan was born in 1814, and was of Scottish descent, his father being a Glasgow goldsmith prior to becoming a citizen of London. He had the benefit of a liberal education, with a view to entering the legal profession, and after a short probation with a firm of solicitors, he served his articles with Messrs Williams McLeod & Cann, of the Inner Temple, where he soon became manager. In 1853 he left London to accept the appointment of Deputy Town Clerk of Liverpool and occupied that position for 33 years. In 1866 Mr McGowan was elected Town Clerk of Bradford at a salary of £900 per annum.

He prevailed upon the local Government Board to extend repayment of municipal loans over a longer period, such loans being now extended to fifty years and under Parliament to one hundred years.

In extinguishing private monopolies such as water and gas companies, and in obtaining possession of market rights and tolls he did valuable work.

Since Mr McGowan came, the Town Hall and its surroundings have arisen; the covered markets have been erected; Forster Square has taken the place of Old Broadstones, Sunbridge Road has been cut thro one of the worst places in Bradford; a splendid supply of water has been obtained; Free libraries have been provided; the town now boasts of five public parks; and the electricity works have been established. Within 12 months of his appointment as Town Clerk his salary was raised to £1200 per annum and it was afterwards increased to £1500 per annum.

He was to the last a hard-working servant of the Corporation.

As a token of public admiration and esteem was in 1891 after being 25 years in Bradford presented with an address and a purse containing £3000 contributed by 245 subscribers.

He was the first president of the Bradford Literary Society and took great interest in the Bradford Scientific Society, the Church Institute, and other institutions of a kindred nature, but his political creed was never known.

Mr McGowan married Miss Emma Gocely, who died in 1890.

He died in 1896 at the age of 80 to live in a family of four sons and two daughters."

Year

1888

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-177