5th April 1957
NEXT MAYOR OF PONTEFRACT

Councillor George Evan Poppleton, a member of the Labour Party, has accepted an invitation to become the next Mayor of Pontefract, in succession to Councillor A. Ward, another Labour member, who relinquishes the office in May. Mrs Poppleton will become Mayoress.

A prominent Methodist worker, the Mayor-elect was born in Newgate 61 years ago, and has been a railwayman for 44 years. He began as a boy porter at Baghill Station, Pontefract, and soon became an assistant signalman at Burton Salmon and South Milford Junction in 1917. He served at many locations in the North East before returning to Pontefract in 1924. Since then he has been at the station box at Baghill Station.

A trade unionist for 43 years, Councillor Poppleton did not become a member of the Labour Party until 1946. In that year he made two unsuccessful attempts to enter the Pontefract Town Council - in the Castle Ward, where Mr. David Sainter was elected, and three weeks later, at a by-election caused by the death of Councillor W. Horner.in the Mill Hill Ward, which returned Mr. A.S. Dobson. 

At the elections in 1947 he was returned for the Baghill Ward, in preference to Mr. C. Hill, and has represented the ward since. He is Vice Chairman of the Health Committee of the Town Council and a member of the Pontefract Education Executive. His chief interest, however, has always been the Methodist Church, with which he has been identified since childhood and this year he completes 40 years as a local preacher.

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