For the second time within eight days, Rushden has lost a former Urban Council chairman. Mr. Thomas William Cox, whose home was in Portland Road, where his old council colleague, Mr. Ernest Sugars, died on March 26, passed away on April 3. He was 83 and had been in failing health for four years, last attending his business office in the summer of last year. Mr. Cox served on Rushden Council as a Conservative from 1934 to 1949 when he retired. He was chairman in 1941-42 – a particularly busy year when many responsibilities were thrust on him. He continued to play a prominent part in local affairs throughout the war, serving on the Ministry of Information, food control, war emergency and other committees. Notable Work His most notable work, however, was in support of the voluntary hospitals, especially Northampton General. This extended from 1923 until after the last war and sprang from his keen interest in the Rushden Trades Hospital Fund. In addition to serving on the hospital’s board of management, and its wartime governing committee, he was a great propagandist for the cause and founded an annual egg collection which was taken up throughout the county. Founded Company Born at Northampton, Mr. Cox learned boot-making there and came to Rushden in 1908 as manager of John Cave and Sons factory. In 1912, together with the late Mr. C. J. Newton, he founded the Coxton Shoe Company, of which he remained a director until his death. He had been chairman of the East Northants Joint Hospital Board, governor of the County Boot and Shoe School, Rushden, governor of the Intermediate School, member of the Rushden and District Shoe Trade Arbitration Board and Higham Ferrers and Rushden Water Board, and president of the Rushden St. John Ambulance Division. Mrs. Cox survives her husband, and others bereaved include Mr. Stanley Phillips of March (son-in-law), and Mrs Bridget Jenkins of Radlett (granddaughter). The funeral service, held on Tuesday morning at St. Mary’s, Rushden, was attended by representatives of Rushden U.D.C., Northampton Hospital, local committees on which Mr. Cox had served and the employees of the Coxton Shoe Co. Mrs. Cox was not well enough to attend. After the service, which was conducted by the Rev. I. E. Douglas-Jones, cremation took place at Kettering.