Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1930 & 39

Frank Samuel Phillips (1845 - 1931)


Alderman Frank Samuel Phillips was Mayor of Salford in 1910/11 and made Freeman of the City in 1923. His main interest was the Gas Committee.


He was born in the second quarter of 1845 in Rochdale, Lancashire. His father was John Phillips (born 1819 in Hooley Hill, Lancashire), who was a School Master and Newspaper Reporter. His mother was Hannah Phillips (born 1821 in Cheshire) who was a School Mistress. In 1859 (aged 14) Frank left school to join the local newspaper. Three years later he moved to Manchester and entered the wallpaper trade, eventually becoming a wholesale wallpaper merchant.


In 1868, Frank married Maria Ellen Yates (born 1845 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire) at Manchester by Registrar. Maria was the daughter of Thomas Yates, Master Engraver of Manchester and Ellen Hughes of Tremerchion, Denbighshire.


In 1871 Frank and family lived in Lord Nelson Street, Salford. In 1881 they lived at 52, Howard Street, Salford, and Frank was a Paper Merchant employing 3 men. In 1891 they were still at Howard Street, and Frank was a Paper Stainer. By 1901, Frank was a widower, living at 118, Bolton Road, Pendleton and his occupation was Paper Hanging Merchant, Alderman and Justice of the Peace. In 1911, the family was still at Bolton Road and 65-year-old Frank was a Retired Paper Stationer (possibly Stainer). Frank and Maria had seven children, although their first-born Annie Augusta, died aged 3.


Frank Phillips' political career started in 1885 when he was elected Liberal Councillor for Regent Ward. He was appointed Alderman in 1898 and became Mayor in 1910. Frank served on nearly every Council Committee, but his major roll was on the Gas Committee, serving for 44 years including 7 years as Vice Chairman, then 34 years as Chairman. In 1911 he was one of the co-founders of the British Commercial Gas Association and in 1916 one of the co-founders of the National Gas Council of GB and Ireland. Frank was also an executive member of the National Joint Industrial Council for the Gas Industry; Chairman for several years of the Manchester Regional Joint Industrial Gas Council; and a member of the National Joint Industrial Council for Local Authorities (Manual Workers). He was also Chairman of the Museums Committee for over 30 years and was also appointed Magistrate in 1894.


In late February 1931, Frank was on municipal business in the Midlands, in connection with the gas department, when he contracted a chill. He sent a message to the gas office that he would not be able to attend the meeting on Monday 2nd March. Then there was a rapid decline in his condition and he died the following morning at his home on Bolton Road Pendleton.  He was 85 years old.


The Salford Reporter on 13th March 1931 reports that a service was held at Pendleton Unitarian Free Church, where many years ago Alderman Phillips had been the organist. The coffin was covered in tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, ferns and acacia. He was buried in Plot 32 of the Dissenters portion of Weaste Cemetery.