John Francis Myatt, 1917 - 1918

Myatt was born in Wolverhampton in 1876. His initial employment was with a Mr. A E Leary, a wine and spirit merchant in Willenhall; but he started his own business in 1900 at Cross Keys, Wolverhampton. He then bought the Albany Brewery, which was afterwards acquired by Eley's Brewery of Stafford. Later he founded another brewery at the West End Inn in Peel Street, Wolverhampton, which by 1919 was trading as a public company under the name Frank Myatt Ltd. Holt Breweries purchased Frank Myatt Ltd and amalgamated it with Charles Heely Ltd under the name of Holt Breweries, for which Myatt became director. When Holt Breweries was taken over by Ansell's Brewery Ltd, Myatt resigned his position as director, but he continued his association with Ansell's at district area level. He had business interests in the Victoria Hotel and the Grand Theatre, and was a principal shareholder for the Crown and Raven Hotels Ltd in Bridgnorth. He also became proprietor of Broadway Brewery Ltd at Shifnal. In 1934 he purchased Bridgnorth Railway. He entered Wolverhampton Council in 1908 as a Conservative and had a prominent role in public life for thirty years. His term of office as mayor came towards the end of the First World War, from 1917 until 1918. During the war period he was chairman of the local Food Control Committee; and both he and his wife organised supplies and provisions for soldiers at training camps. He was also chairman of the Public Works Committee. He took a keen interest in St Chad's College, Old Fallings, and was the Governor and Vice-president of the Old Scholars Association. He died at home, 'Hill Lodge', Compton, Wolverhampton, on the 15th August 1938, aged sixty-two.

Obituary Express and Star 15th August 1938
Photograph Index - Y1/MYA