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Camden New Journal - By DAN CARRIER
Published: 24 January 2008

Tom Lewis

End of road for mayor’s driver

THE man who has chauffeured Camden’s mayors for 19 years was guest of honour on Friday at a Town Hall party to celebrate his retirement.
Tom Lewis, who was born and bred in Somers Town, worked as a delivery driver for the Town Hall in the 1970s before becoming the Mayor’s chauffeur.
In the course of his job, which has included briefing mayors on the correct protocol when on official business, he has met every senior member of the royal family, including the Queen, and has had a private tour of Number 10.
He revealed that he would often firmly inform mayors who offered advice on the route to take to an engagement that, while they were in the back and he was at the wheel, they’d go the way he wanted. But there was one exception. “Labour mayor Jim Turner was a real gent – a lovely, lovely man,” he said. “He was a cabbie and had done the Knowledge, so when he suggested I went a certain way I did it. He showed me some great black cab short-cuts through London.”
Mr Lewis now plans to spend his time gardening – “I’ve been on call seven days a week so have had little time for hobbies” – and learning how to cook.

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