Newspaper cutting dated 17th January 1903 obtained from Manchester Central Library:

RESIGNATION OF THE MASTER SPINNERS' SECRETARY. - Mr. William Tattersall has resigned the position of secretary to the Federation of Master Cotton Spinners' Association, which he has occupied for ten years. The resignation was accepted with regret at a meeting of the General Committee of the Federation held yesterday afternoon. Mr. Tattersall's resignation is due to his having accepted from the Board of Trade the newly-created appointment of cotton trade expert correspondent for Great Britain and Ireland. The committee, in accepting the resignation, unanimously passed a resolution tendering the best thanks of the Federation to Mr. Tattersall for his valuable services, and deciding to acknowledge them with a suitable testimonial inscribed on vellum, together with a suitable memento of the appreciation in which he is held by the Federation. Mr. Tattersall will continue in office until his successor has been chosen. The Emergency Committee has been empowered to select candidates and report to the General Committee. It transpired early this week that Mr. Charles W. Macara, the president of the Association, had also tendered his resignation on the ground of ill-health. However, upon pressure being brought to bear upon him by the committee, he revoked his decision to retire, on the condition that he should have assistance in discharging the duties of office.

Report taken from Altringham Bowdon & Hale Guardian, Tuesday, October 27, 1914

THE LATE MR. WILLIAM TATTERSALL

INQUEST AT HALE

The sudden death on Thursday of last week of Mr. William Tattersall formed the subject of an inquest which Mr H. C. Yates held on Friday at Melbrook, Hale, his late residence.

Mrs. Tattersall said that on Wednesday morning her husband left home for Manchester about nine o'clock, when he seemed rather better than usual. He told her he would not be home to dinner, as he was to dine in town. Shortly before eleven o'clock at night he returned, and after talking with her for some time went to bed. About two o'clock on Thursday morning she heard a knock at her door and in a distressed voice her husband said: "I am poorly." Mrs. Tattersall went to her husband's room and found him in bed. He had changed greatly. She roused her son and the servants and sent for the doctor. In the mean time she put a hot water bottle to his feet and attempted to give her husband sal volatile, but this he could not take.

In April or May last her husband was medically attended for general debility, and the doctor then stated he thought his heart was affected, but he hoped only temporarily. Her husband was rather highly strung. On this night he had not hurried from the station, but followed his usual practice and took a cab from Altringham.

The Coroner expressed sympathy with Mrs. Tattersall.

The son said his father dined with the Manchester Watch Committee on Wednesday night and when he arrived home he was in very good spirits. Later, when witness was aroused, he went for Dr. Wilson. When he arrived his father had passed away.

Dr. Wilson said Mr. Tattersall had the appearance of a man who had collapsed very rapidly. Angina pectoria was the probable cause of death.

The Coroner said it was a terrible sudden death, but it was a blessing that he was at home with his wife and was able to see her just before he passed away. That, to his mind, was one of the sweetest things possible.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, and added that death was due to natural causes.

THE FUNERAL

The funeral of the late Mr. William Tattersall took place on Saturday afternoon at Altringham Cemetery. Before the internment a service was held in the Hale-road Wesleyan Chapel, when many evidence of the public regret occasioned by the sudden death of Mr. Tattersall were offered. The relatives and members of the family present were Mrs. Tattersall, Mr. E. Tattersall (son), Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Potts, Mr. and Mrs. F. Potts, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Potts, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Longbottom, the Misses Potts, Mr. F. Tattersall, Mr. Harry Longbottom, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Walter Stocks, Miss Stocks, Miss Webster, Mrs. C. Holt, Mrs J. Brierley and Mr. G. T. Brierley, Nurse Cave and the maids at Melbrook. Among others present were Alderman McCabe (Lord Mayor of Manchester), Sir Charles Behrens, Aldermon Royle and Plummer, Councillors Thewlis, Hislop, Midgley, Swailes, Susman, Godbert, Egan and Jones, Mr. T. Hudson (town clerk), Mr. J. Williams (city treasurer) and Mr. E. Foulkes (controller of The Manchester Board of Overseers).

The various Liberal agencies in Manchester and district were represented by Messrs. William Royle, Tom Stott, George Stott, G. F. Burditt, E. F. M. Susman, R. J. Matthews, W. T. Green, W. Peel, A. R. Parker, H. C. Clanahan, J. M. Rowbotham, G. W. Thompson, Fred Burn, J. Gamble, A. Graham and Bruce Henderson.

The Rev. F. W. Shirley, president, and Professor A. L. Humphries represented the Manchester and Salford Free Church Federation.

Mr. William Reid, president, and the Rev. W. D. Thomas, secretary, represented the Altringham and District Free Church Council.

Among others present were the Rev. F. Cowell Lloyd, Dr. W. O. Jones, Messrs. Edwyn Holt, R. Hesketh, Garside, Norman Barker, J. Owen, F. Short, T. Hulbert, Ed. Farrow, F. Hudson, William Armitage, William Gibbon, John W. Day, T. S. Howorth, Hornes, George Brooks, W. Ostler, Lord. F. Deane, H. Haigh, J. Kennerley, James Kirton, J. W. Stocks, W. H. Gibbon, A. W. S. Sanderson, J. Hill, Cllerenshaw, Morrell, Ed. Street, Astbury, Charlesworth, F. Wood, C. Brown, T. Gorman, William Smith, Thrutchley, Cressley, Price Jones, I. Street, Firth, Martin, P. Colliver, James Percy, Alfred Preston, T. Roberts, F. Rainer, F. Davies, James Russell, F. W. Tattersall, Tom Smith, H. Robinson (secretary, Manchester Cotton Association), Ed. Holmes, Rev. C. K. Bedale, Rev. John Heath (Manchester Free Church Federation), Mr. J. Gamble and Mr. W. T. Green (Manchester Liberal Federation) and George C. Haworth.

The service was conducted by the Rev. John Grimshaw, Owen Letcher and J. O. Cochrane, the ministers of the Altringham Wesleyan Circuit.

THE CHURCH'S TRIBUTE

During the course of a short address, the Rev. J. O. Cochrane said they had met to mourn the loss of one who to all of them was most dear. The many interests represented at the service indicated the wide influence Mr. Tattersall exercised in the different spheres in which he worked. Tributes had already come both from the commercial and the civic world, in which he was so prominent, but he was equally prominent in church life, and in every tribute the testimony was the same of his warm-heartedness, his generosity, his faithfulness and his kindness. The strong convictions he held were invariably expressed with so much gentleness as to make him great.

They all deeply mourned the loss of a man whom God had used in a variety of ways. He would not refer to the many tributes that had come in regard to the gracious work he had done in other ways. His special business was to assert with all the fervour he could command that he devoted the best of his gifts and his energies to the advancement of Christ's kingdom. His knowledge of men and affairs were used by him for the advancement of that kingdom, particularly in that church, which was so dear to him. From the inception of the church to the present time he had been warmly interested in every detail of its history, and it owed much to his energy and solicitude.

After the service the procession to the cemetery was preceded by the Hale troop of Boy Scouts with reversed flags, and the internment was witnessed by a large gathering of friends.

Wreaths were sent by Mrs. Tattersall, Mr. Ed. Tattersall, the Misses Potts, Rev. S. E. and Mrs. Keeble, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Potts, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Potts, Mr. and Mrs. F. Potts, Mr Fred Tattersall, employees at Melbrook, Mrs. Tattersall's Society Class, minister and officials of the Hale-road Wesleyan Chapel, Mr. John Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Howorth, Misses Houghton and Rowe, Miss Violet Lewis, Councillor Wainwright, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Stocks and Florrie, Maria Roberts, "Margaret and Donald" and Mr. H. Longbottom.

Mr. T. B. Parkes of the Old Market-place, Altringham, had charge of the funeral arrangements.

FREE CHURCH COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION

The following resolution was passed at a meeting of the Altringham and District Free Church Council on Friday:-

That we, the members of the Altringham and District Free Church Council desire to place on record an expression of our sorrow by reason of the death of Mr. Councillor William Tattersall. We recall the fact that he was the first treasurer of our Council and remained a member thereof until the time of his death, at which time he was, and had for long been, the treasurer of the Manchester Federation of Free Church Council. We were indebted to him for many services direct and indirect. We would assure Mrs. Tattersall of our sincerest sympathy with her in her sudden and heavy bereavement.

Report in The Bury Times Saturday October 24 1914

THE LATE MR. WILLIAM TATTERSALL

A DISTINGUISHED NATIVE OF SUMMERSEAT

It is with regret that we announce the death of Mr. William Tattersall, of Melbrook, Hale, Cheshire, the well-known cotton trade expert, which occurred at his residence on Thursday morning. Mr. Tattersall was a native of Summerseat, and was educated in the first instance at the Summerseat Wesleyan of Brooksbottom School. The rudiments of what afterwards became a most extensive and indeed unique knowledge of the cotton trade he acquired at the mill now belonging to Messrs. Joshua Hoyle and Sons, Limited, but first owned by Mr. John Robinson Kay. While still associated with the firm of Messrs. Hoyle, he was appointed secretary of the Federation of Master Cotton Spinners' Association, a position he held for ten years, during which period the federation made rapid progress in membership and influence. Mr. Tattersall had quite early shown himself to possess a complete mastery of the intricacies of the cotton trade, and he soon came to be regarded as a leading authority upon it. His advice was often sought by leading politicians and by the Government itself. He helped in the formation of the Manchester Cotton Growing Association, of which he was up to the time of his death the secretary. Since his retirement from the office of secretary of the Employers' Federation, about ten years ago, Mr. Tattersall has been a prolific writer, and an authoritive one, upon trade matters.

Sir Charles Macara, president of the Cotton Spinners Federation stated the other day to a press representative that Mr. Tattersall was one of the main factors in founding the federation so securely, and for that, if for nothing else, the trade and the county of Lancashire would always be indebted to him. Sir Charles added that, of late years he had built up one might call an official press bureau on cotton, through which he kept the whole country and various parts of the world informed upon things interesting to Lancashire's staple industry.

Mr. Tattersall was a strong Liberal in politics, and four years ago he entered the Manchester City Council as a representative of Oxford Ward. Almost immediately he was made a member of the Finance Committee, where his statistical knowledge and his complete grasp of Lancashire's staple industry made him exceptionally valuable. He seldom spoke in the Council Chamber, but his work on committees was of the utmost use to the city. Mr. Tattersall was also a member of the committee of the Manchester Liberal Federation and of the Central Liberal Committee of North West Manchester, and was an active worker at municipal and Parliamentary elections. He was a Wesleyan Methodist and held the post of treasurer to the Manchester and Salford Federation of Free Church Councils.

Mr. Tattersall was the youngest member of a family of ten children. Two of his sisters are still living in this neighbourhood - Mrs. Holt, of Summerseat, and Mrs. Sarah Brierley, of Brandlesholme Road. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Rigg of Littleborough, and his second (who survives him) Miss Potts, of Eccles. He is survived by one son.

The Manchester City News Saturday October 24, 1914 contained an obituary (not copied as it was the same as other papers) and article of Frederick William Tattersall under Trade and Finance. Looking through this newspaper there were regular reports given by William Tattersall before his death. His nephew, Frederick continued to write the reports after his death.

The (Cotton) Factory Times October 23, 1914

Death of Mr. William Tattersall
WELL-KNOWN COTTON TRADE EXPERT
The death took place suddenly at his residence, Melbrook, Hale early yesterday (Thursday) morning, of Mr. William Tattersall, the well-known cotton trade expert, in his 67th year. Mr. Tattersall was born at Summerseat, near Bury, and began his career at the mills of Messrs. Joshua Hoyle and Sons Ltd, the well-known cotton manufacturers. Later he was employed in the warehouse of that firm in Manchester. On the formation of the Federation of Master Cotton Spinners' Association he was appointed secretary. That organisation developed rapidly during the following years but about ten years ago Mr. Tattersall resigned the position and since then has contributed extensively to the leading newspapers and journals of the country on the cotton trade.

City News Newspaper cutting dated 24th October 1914 obtained from Manchester Central Library

Obituary
MR. WILLIAM TATTERSALL.
The death took place in the early hours of Thursday morning, at his residence, Melbrook, Hale, of Mr. William Tattersall, the well-known cotton trade expert. Mr. Tattersall, who had reached his sixty-seventh year, for a considerable time contributed the weekly articles on Trade and Finance to our columns, the final one from his pen appearing on Saturday last. A native of Summerseat, near Bury, Mr. Tattersall began his business career at the mills of Messrs. Joshua Hoyle and Sons, and later in that firm's warehouse in this city. On the formation of the Federation of Master Spinners' Association he became the secretary, holding the position for ten years, during which time the association grew in power and influence. Entering the ranks of commercial journalism, Mr. Tattersall wrote on his own specialist subject from inside knowledge for several newspapers, including the "City News." He was likewise of service to the Board of Trade on questions affecting trade. In addition he was honorary secretary of the Manchester Cotton Association, which he helped to form, whilst outside all these activities he found time for party, municipal, and religious work. He had been a member for Oxford ward in the City Council for four years, being known as a worker in committee rather than as a speaker in the Council Chamber. In the Royal Exchange controversy he sided with the proposal to remove the building to Piccadilly. In politics Mr. Tattersall was a Liberal, and took an active part in Parliamentary elections. He was treasurer of the Manchester and Salford Federation of Free Church Councils.

The end came suddenly on Thursday morning, and at the inquest yesterday Mrs. Tattersall said her husband was under medical treatment for general debility in April or May last, when the doctor explained that the heart was affected, but he hoped only temporarily. A verdict of death from natural causes was returned by the jury. The funeral, which takes place this afternoon at Hale Cemetery, proceeded by a memorial service at Hale Road Wesleyan Chapel, will be attended by members of the Finance, Libraries, and Watch committees of the Manchester Corporation, with which Mr. Tattersall was associated.