Ron was born in Wigan, his parents having moved to Hindley 8 years previously. His mother Win and father Kaz met during the war and were married in Fleetwood in 1945. His father was born in Warsaw, Poland and served in the Royal Air Force as a rear gunner in Wellington bombers.
Ron attended St. Benedict’s Junior School and Cardinal Newman RC High School, where he excelled at sports, in particular rugby, being Captain of the school team.
After leaving school, Ron began his working life in the chemical industry, climbing the ladder to become Production Manager, a position which gave him the opportunity to travel and speak at conferences in America, Canada, France and Malta.
Ron and his wife Janet met at High School and married in 1975. Janet is a teacher and has taught in Wigan since qualifying in 1976. They have one daughter, Jessica who lives in Coppull.
In 1996 Ron embarked on a completely new career and took up a position in the funeral profession. He qualified as a Funeral Director gaining his Diploma in Funeral Directing from the British Institute of Funeral Directors.
He now works as a consultant Funeral Director and is well known around the borough, often being seen in his tail coat and carrying his top hat. Ron enjoys his work, helping people during extremely difficult times following bereavement.
Ron has been a Eucharistic Minister at Our Lady’s RC Church Haigh for over 20 years, taking communion to the elderly, sick or housebound.
Many years ago Ron was approached by Harry Carey, his teacher from High School, to set up a forum to give residents in Aspull, New Springs and Whelley an opportunity to work together to benefit the area. Ron was Chair of the forum until very recently and still attends meetings each month.
This voluntary work developed his interest in local politics and in 2010 Ron was elected as Councillor for Aspull, New Springs and Whelley.
Ron always loves a challenge and if he can raise money for charity he will have a go. Each year he takes part in the Hospice Manchester to Blackpool bike ride and the Wigan 10k. Ron and Janet are members of the Wigan Water Dragons and regularly take to the waters on Scotsman’s Flash to paddle the Dragon boat with supporters and survivors of breast cancer.
Both Ron and Janet are season ticket holders at Wigan Warriors and are hoping that the Wigan team will be collecting some trophies during this Mayoral year. They also wish the best of luck to all the borough’s sporting teams.
Wigan
Wigan، is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, 7.9 miles (13 km) south-west of Bolton, 10 miles (16 km) north of Warrington and 16 miles (25.7 km) west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total population of 97,000 in 2011, whilst the wider borough has a population of 318,100. Historically in Lancashire, Wigan during classical antiquity was in the territory of the Brigantes, an ancient Celtic tribe that ruled much of what is now northern England. The Brigantes were subjugated in the Roman conquest of Britain during the 1st century, and it is asserted that the Roman settlement of Coccium was established where Wigan lies. Wigan is believed to have been incorporated as a borough in 1246 following the issue of a charter by King Henry III of England. At the end of the Middle Ages it was one of four boroughs in Lancashire possessing Royal charters; the others were Lancaster, Liverpool, and Preston.
During the Industrial Revolution Wigan experienced dramatic economic expansion and a rapid rise in the population. Although porcelain manufacture and clock making had been major industries in the town, Wigan subsequently became known as a major mill town and coal mining district. The first coal mine was established at Wigan in 1450 and at its peak there were 1,000 pit shafts within 5 miles (8 km) of the town centre.Mining was so extensive that one town councillor remarked that "a coal mine in the backyard was not uncommon in Wigan". Coal mining ceased during the latter part of the 20th century.
Wigan Pier, a wharf on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, was made famous by the writer George Orwell. In his book, The Road to Wigan Pier, Orwell highlighted the poor working and living conditions of the local inhabitants during the 1930s. Following the decline of industrial activities in the region, Wigan Pier's collection of warehouses and wharfs became a local heritage centre and cultural quarter. The DW Stadium is home to both Wigan Athletic Football Club and Wigan Warriors Rugby League Football Club, both teams being highly successful in their sports with the former being the 2013 FA Cup winners and the latter being the most successful Rugby League side of all time. Wigan had a population of 99,391 in 2011 but its Urban Subdivision had a population of 103,608.
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