Lydiate – RIP John Kitson

I had a phone call yesterday from my good friend and former Maghull Councillor Roy Connell to tell me that his friend of many years John Kitson had died. I met John just the once myself and the link below outlines the circumstances:-

tonyrobertson.mycouncillor.org.uk/2016/02/13/lydiate-meeting-a-lydiate-parish-councillor-from-the-1960s/

I don’t think that anyone involved in Lydiate Parish Council from the 1980’s onwards recalls John due to him being a councillor back in the late 1960’s/early 1970’s but never the less I feel it important to acknowledge his work for the community even though it was a long time ago.

If you’ve clicked on the link you’ll now know that Roy and John were connected with the trade union movement, a movement close to my heart too.

If anyone has any memories of John in his Parish Councillor role I’d love to hear them……

RIP John Kitson

Lydiate – Meeting a Lydiate Parish Councillor from the 1960’s

The other day Sheila and I were invited to Roy Connell’s 70th birthday party and a lovely do it was too in the Derby Arms in Aughton.

But one of those great coincidences of life popped up because amongst the guests was a certain John Kitson who had been a member (and I think Chairman of) Lydiate Parish Council in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.

Roy on the left was a Lib Dem Maghull Town & Sefton Borough councillor for Maghull for many years. John (on the right) was a Ratepayer member of Lydiate Parish Council in the 1960's

Roy (on the left) was a Lib Dem Maghull Town & Sefton Borough councillor for Maghull until he retired from council activities in 2010. John (on the right) was a Ratepayer member of Lydiate Parish Council in the 1960’s

Roy introduced John to me as an old trade union and work colleague of his because he knew I would also be interested in John’s previous life as a fellow Lydiate Parish Councillor.

John told me that he then lived in Moss Lane, was a member of the Parish Council for 8 years and that he sat within what was then the controlling Ratepayer Group on the Council.

What a small world it is and I was so pleased to meet John and talk about Lydiate in his day. John no longer lives in Lydiate but I am sure we all wish him well in his retirement.