Tributes paid to former town mayors Frank McManus and Robin Dixon

Tributes have been paid to former Mayor of Todmorden Frank McManus and former Mayor of Hebden Royd Robin Dixon.

Frank McManus served Langfield ward on Todmorden Town Council for more than a decade and was the town’s Mayor in 1994-95.

He had already had a long career in local politics before moving to the town, and when he lived at Grange-Over-Sands, his work for Grange Urban District Council had seen him awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 1967.

The Labour stalwart had also stood unsuccessfully in a by-election, in 1958, and two General Elections, in 1959 and 1964, for the then Morecambe and Lonsdale constituency.

A devout Anglican Christian, Frank never shied away from controversy and he was a frequent letter writer to the Todmorden News on a vast range of topics, including political and religious issues.

His book The March and The Muster, published in the mid 2000s, was a compendium which was testament to his wide ranging interests, including time as a local league football referee.

He was a lay reader at St Mary’s Church, Todmorden, where in 2018 a special ceremony marked his 50 years as a lay reader at several churches.

Meanwhile Hebden Royd councillors paid tribute to Robin Dixon, who represented West End Ward for Labour on the council and was Mayor of Hebden Royd in 2010-2011, 2010 being a landmark year which marked the 500th anniversary of the town’s historic packhorse bridge, triggering a number of celebrations and projects.

Councillors remembered him being the driving force behind many projects ranging from the major asset transfer of Hebden Bridge Town Hall into community ownership, and the creation of the Flood Wardens which continue to play an important role in helping people in flooding emergencies.

Calderdale Council Cabinet member Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said Robin was the flood wardens’ first chair.

Coun Patient said Robin was highly regarded in the highest terms by council colleagues and was passionate about issues that affected the Calder Valley.

“We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude for all his hard work on behalf of our area,” he said.

Robin was for many years a fellow Mytholmroyd resident, he said, before he moved away to be nearer to family several years ago due to ill health.

As well as the Mayor of Calderdale, a range of parish and town councils in the borough have their own civic heads who play an important role in their communities, and both Todmorden Town Council and Hebden Royd Town Council have Mayors of their own.