A POLITICIAN who made history when he became the last ever mayor of his home town has passed away.
Stanley Womersley died of cancer last week aged 82.
In 1973 he was elected the final Mayor of Brighouse Borough Council before it was abolished in the 1974 local government reorganisation.
Mr Womersley was born in Rastrick and educated at Longroyde School and Victoria Central School in Brighouse.
He volunteered for the Army in 1944 and served in southern Europe with the East Yorkshire Regiment.
After his service in the forces, Mr Womersley went to work as a welder for Brighouse valve company J Blakeborough and Sons.
He married Audrey in 1951 and the couple had two daughters, Karen and Julie, and four grandchildren.
Mr Womersley was first elected as a Labour councillor for the Clifton ward of Brighouse Borough Council in 1956 and became deputy mayor in 1963.
Ten years later he took on the role of mayor during the final 12 months of the council’s existence, before it was replaced by Calderdale Council.
After retiring from Blakeboroughs, Mr Womersley and his wife enjoyed holidays in Europe, Canada and the US. He was also a keen gardener and grew his own vegetables.
Mrs Womersley died of cancer in January, the same month her husband was diagnosed with the disease.
His funeral service took place at Park Wood Crematorium in Halifax yesterday.
