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Why we mourn the loss of these two fine people
• LAST week Islington lost two fine people who had been active in the community and had done a great deal to enrich the lives of many. It was my privilege to know them both extremely well.
Peter Powell was a former Islington Labour councillor and was on the historic and reforming Labour council of 1982 to 1986 which did so much to change the structure and accessibility of local government (Islington’s literary history man dies, February 29). Despite the best efforts of the Thatcher Tory government, it managed to build a large number of houses for people in desperate need, as well as enthusiastically promoting a policy of access for all to arts and culture.
Peter was a strong supporter of both these policies and, as a man who had “trod the boards”, he was keen to ensure the culture and open space policy was delivered for all the people of our borough.
He was an enthusiastic member of many organisations but particularly Islington Society, where his huge knowledge of the borough enlivened many discussions and debates.
His guided historic walks around the borough gave visitors and residents alike a fascinating insight into a literary past which included references to Joe Orton, Eric Blair, Marx and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. His radical-past walks taught people about Karl Marx, Tom Paine and Lenin, as well as radical figures such as Annie Besant and right through to the more recent Pentonville Five.
Our communities are made stronger and more lively by people such as Peter and we thank him for the enthusiasm and contribution to this life. My deepest condolences go to his family.
Trevor Carter, who passed away last week, will be sadly missed by many people in the radical movements of this country, in the wider world, and in particular in the local Caribbean community.
Trevor, like many, migrated to Britain from the Caribbean and became politically active in the Communist Party and trade unions. He gave hope and inspiration to many who were suffering appalling racism and discrimination as newly arrived workers from the West Indies.
Trevor was a thoughtful man who wrote much about education and disenchantment and had a real love of learning, literature and artistic endeavour.
With the break-up of the Communist Party, split between Euro-Communists and the more traditional doctrine, Trevor left the party and joined the Labour Party.
He was a valued and active member of Islington North Party and was a council candidate and a strong contributor to debates in the party, particularly about education policy. After retiring from work, Trevor gave huge voluntary assistance to War on Want in promoting the ideas of international solidarity and justice, and also was an active supporter of his local church, St Augustine, just off Archway Road.
Trevor’s passing is very sad, for the knowledge he retained, and the loss of this man who could be so inspirational to so many young people who were up against the social ills of our age.
JEREMY CORBYN
Islington North Labour MP
• I was sorry to hear of the death of Peter Powell, well known in Islington for his walks, as a former Labour councillor and as an actor. Peter was a character and highly sociable. He was supportive of my theme of “International Islington” when I was mayor a couple of years ago. He helped out by supporting events celebrating countries with key links to Islington.
He successfully and surprisingly put on a walk celebrating “Germany in Islington”, which took participants around parts of Angel.
Two years ago this week, on St David’s Day, he staged a “Wales in Islington” event in the Town Hall, where he performed a Dylan Thomas evening. As a proud Welshman myself, I was pleased with this, particularly as Dylan Thomas’s daughter Aeronwy attended.
Peter was a colourful character and it is sad to think he won’t be taking people around Islington and telling them of its rich history any more.
Jonathan Dearth
Whitstable, Kent
• Peter Powell was a great community activist who cared passionately for his neighbourhood, borough and its rich history. Serving as a Labour councillor in the 1980s he had championed the “Brighter Islington” and Islington in Bloom campaigns long before the current Town Hall starting putting flower boxes on the highway.
Many people will also fondly recall Peter for his famous tall story that he had been Rory Storm, lead singer of the Hurricanes, a Liverpool band that was once bigger than the Beatles.
Peter’s website kept up this 30-year-long practical joke, claiming that he had “toured the world with his rock ’n’ roll band, as Rory Storm and the Hurricanes” and that Ringo Starr was his drummer before he was with the Beatles. In those days, Peter “regularly performed in Hamburg’s Star Club”.
Of course, he invented the story two decades before the internet gave us instant information about everything. A quick search on Wikipedia confirms that the real Rory Storm died in rather tragic circumstances in 1972.
Over the years, only a small group of people twigged that Peter had been pulling their leg so successfully for so long.
Barely a couple of months ago, I met Peter in the street and then found myself re-telling the story to my wife about this iconic rocker from the early 1960s.
It was only last week when I heard of Peter’s death that I finally figured out that he could not possibly be Rory Storm.
I hope a lot more people will enjoyably remember Peter’s life with the same chuckle that I had.
Cllr Paul Convery
Labour, Caledonian ward
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