Islington News: Bill Bayliss | Tribute | Mayor | Stefan Kasprzyk | Plaque

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published:12 December 2008

Mayor Stefan Kasprzyk with Robert Bayliss at the Town Hall on Wednesday

Bravo, Bill: Mayor honours war hero

ISLINGTON Mayor Stefan Kasprzyk paid tribute this week to war hero Bill Bayliss, who was honoured with a plaque at Islington Town Hall on Wednesday.
Guests included Queen’s representative Deputy Lieutenant Brian Kay, Father Jim Kennedy and comrades from the Islington British Legion.
Bill, President of the Islington Royal British Legion for 30 years, died last year aged 90.
The former Labour Islington councillor and deputy leader under Gerry Southgate retired from the Town Hall in 1982 after almost 30 years in public service.
Bill also worked as a maths teacher at Highbury Grove in the 1980s under legendary headmaster Sir Rhodes Boyson, who himself went on to become Education Minister in the Thatcher government.
Bill’s son Robert said the honour recognises his father’s immense contribution to so many facets of life in Islington as a leading councillor, widely respected teacher and youth volunteer, poppy appeal co-ordinator, pensioners’ champion and outing organiser, local magistrate and church homeless project worker.
“Bill was driven by a passion to devote as much as possible of his very considerable energy and ability to the borough he loved and its people,” he said. “And aside from his teacher’s salary it was all given freely.”

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