Warburton’s: family pays tribute to former co-chair

Bolton / UK. (wbl) Family-owned baker Warburtons Limited announced that former co-chairman Tom Warburton has died after a long illness and leaves behind his wife Joyce. Tom (83) was the father of Ross Warburton, who is the present executive director of Warburton´s Bakery. The company statement said, «It is with great sadness that Ross and the Warburton family can confirm that Tom Warburton, from the fourth generation of the family baking business, passed away peacefully on September 21. Tom along with his cousins Derrick and George, who both passed away earlier this year, and his cousin Henry, played a key role within the family business as co-chairman during the 1970´s and 80´s until the fourth generation jointly retired in 1988. His entreprenurial spirit and drive helped lay the foundations for the existing bread business, the based solely in Lancashire, as well as leading the business in many new directions on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to being a leading figure within the family firm Tom had many other interests and was a proud and prominent member of the local community in Bolton». Tom Warburton was a magistrate in Bolton for 30 years, and was chairman of the Coronary Care Appeal, and was on the board of the Bolton Health Trust as well as the Octagon Theatre.