From MESSENGER 12/11/2008

Tributes paid to 'Mr Partington' 8:50am Wednesday 12th November 2008 A LONG-serving former councillor who was known as 'Mr Partington' has died. Frank Holland died at the age of 74 at Trafford General Hospital last Friday, with his family by his side. He served as a councillor in Partington for 33 years and refused to take on the role of mayor of Trafford, as he thought it would take away his time for helping people in his ward. He was a member of the Greater Manchester Council, Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, Bucklow Rural District Council and Partington Town Council, for which he served as mayor several times. His son Andrew said: "Frank worked tirelessly and selflessly for the people of Partington and Carrington for most of his adult life. "He always put others first, often to the detriment of his own family, he was passionate about helping those who were socially disadvantaged and was constantly fighting the corner for Partington and Carrington in the town hall at Trafford and often at the Houses of Parliament." He suffered heartache when his wife and mother to his five children, Angela, was fatally injured when a car mounted the pavement and hit her in Carrington in 1974. Andrew added: "Frank never really got over his tragic loss and he struggled to raise the five children without their mother, yet he continued to fight for what he passionately believed in. He was encouraged by Winston Churchill to continue in his civic duties." He went on to marry Edna Fitzsimmons who died in 1999, Frank also had a long-term loving relationship with Yvonne Robertson. In recent years Frank suffered ill health and was confined to his home. He still maintained an interest in issues, but was extremely frustrated by his inability to 'fight' for his area.