Norman Smith
Mayor of the London Borough of Lewisham
In office
1983–1984
Preceded byJohn Henry
Succeeded byLes Eytle
In office
1986–1988
Preceded byMargaret Sandra
Succeeded byPeggy Muriel Fitzsimmons
Personal details
Born
Norman Smith

25 January 1919
Leigh
Died3 March 1993
Downham
Resting placeLewisham Crematorium
NationalityBritish
Political partyLabour
SpouseJoan Margery Smith (née Parkinson)
ResidenceDownham Estate
OccupationTurner and fitter

Norman Smith was a British Labour Party councillor of the London Borough of Lewisham from 1978 until 1990, and civil Mayor of Lewisham for three terms.

Personal life

Smith was born in Leigh on 25 January 1919, descended from colliers. He married Joan Margery Parkinson in Lewisham in 1945 and they lived together on the Downham Estate. Joan had been born in Greenwich on 7 October 1925.

Smith supported Millwall F.C..[1] He died on 3 March 1993,[2] and his wife Joan followed him on 6 July 2006.

Community work

Smith was Chairman of the Downham (Wesley Halls) Community Association from at least 1979. The Association's records reflect that his contributions included cutting the grass and repairing broken windows. [3]

Local councillor

Together with Thomas I. Bradley and Frederick A. Barrett, Smith was elected Labour councillor for the Downham ward of the London Borough of Lewisham in successive local elections in 1978, 1982 and 1986, winning the majority on all three occasions.[4][5][6] Labour's run in Downham came to an end when the Liberal Democrat Focus Team obtained the greater share of the vote in the 1990 local elections and a 1992 by-election.[7][8]

Mayor of Lewisham

Smith served three terms as Mayor of Lewisham, in 1983–4, and from 1986 until 1988. [9]

His mayoral engagements included:

Norman and Joan Smith greeting Charles, then Prince of Wales, in Deptford High Street, 18 July 1986

In November 1986, Smith traded places for a day with 77-year-old great-grandmother Daisy Williamson, a former cleaner of Bellingham, South East London, after Williamson wrote a poem about her dream of being mayor. Smith took up Williamson's dustpan and pinny and waited on her at Lewisham Town Hall, while Williamson donned Smith's mayoral regalia.[14][15][16][17]

As Mayor, Smith's unveilings included:

In June 1987, Smith joined Glenda Jackson in launching the Reminiscence Centre in Blackheath, a centre for creative activities for older people run by Age Exchange.[21][22]

In October 1987 Smith attended the launch of the Festival of London, following which a correspondent for the Daily Telegraph reported:

"Having told me he believes that people are fed up with boring mayors, the cheerful Smith promptly leapt on to the stage with the town crier to dance a calypso to a steel band".[1]

Memorials

A plaque in the vestibule of St Barnabas Church, Downham reads:

“THE GROUNDS OF THIS CHURCH WERE IMPROVED BY THE COUNCIL IN MEMORY OF THE LIFE OF NORMAN SMITH, FORMER MAYOR OF LEWISHAM AND LONG STANDING MEMBER OF THIS CONGREGATION. JULY 1993”.[23]
Memorial plaque for Norman Smith in the vestibule of St Barnabas Church, Downham, Bromley BR1 5PS

In the church grounds stands a red bench bearing a plaque which reads:

“In Memory of NORMAN SMITH Councillor 1978-1990 and his wife JOAN, former Mayor and Mayoress of Lewisham, for their valuable contribution to the Community of St Barnabas and Downham.”

References

  1. 1 2 "Civic Pride". Daily Telegraph. Saturday 10 October 1987, page 9. Retrieved 10 May 2023. (subscription required)
  2. ↑ “In 1992/93... Sadly, Norman Smith, suddenly and unexpectedly died. He collapsed and died while he was locking up St. Barnabas Church Hall.” "Chronological Sequence of Events". Downham (Wesley Halls) Community Association. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  3. ↑ "Chronological Sequence of Events". Downham (Wesley Halls) Community Association. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  4. ↑ London Borough Council Elections 4 May 1978 (PDF). London: Greater London Council. 1978. ISBN 1-85261-003-4. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. London Borough of Lewisham Election Results 1964-2010 (PDF). Plymouth: Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  6. ↑ London Borough Council Elections 8 May 1986 (PDF). London: London Residuary Body – Research and Intelligence Agency. 1996. SBN 7168-0994-X. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  7. ↑ Minors, Michael; Grenham, Dennis (1990). London Borough Council elections 3rd May 1990 (PDF). London: London Research Centre. ISBN 1-85261-115-4. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. ↑ Minors, Michael; Grenham, Dennis; Vaid, Lovedeep (1994). London Borough Council By-elections, May 1990 to May 1994 (PDF). London: London Research Centre. ISBN 1-85261-200-2. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ "London Borough of Lewisham Mayors". Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "1982 Princess Diana opens the Albany centre in Deptford". Chris Mansfield Photos. Retrieved 4 May 2023. NB it is believed that this photograph was in fact taken in 1984, not 1982. For an explanation, see the 'Talk' page associated with this article.
  11. ↑ "In 1982 the new Albany was officially opened by its new patron, Diana, Princess of Wales". London Metropolitan Archives, Chris Schwarz Collection. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  12. ↑ "About us; History". The Albany. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  13. ↑ "PRINCE Charles opens Deptford Enterprise agency..and goes to the pub" (video). Thames News. July 18, 1986.
  14. ↑ "Mrs Mopp the Mayor". Daily Mirror. Monday 6 October 1986. Retrieved 28 April 2023. (subscription required)
  15. ↑ "Town hall joy for citizen Daisy". Liverpool Daily Post (Welsh Edition). Friday 21 November 1986. Retrieved 28 April 2023. (subscription required)
  16. ↑ "Daisy's dream day". Reading Evening Post. Friday 21 November 1986. Retrieved 28 April 2023. (subscription required).
  17. ↑ "Mrs Mopp swaps roles with Mr Mayor". Daily Telegraph. Monday 6 October 1986. Retrieved 9 May 2023. (subscription required)
  18. ↑ "Images from Lewisham". Borough Photos. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "Images from Lewisham". Borough Photos. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "Images from Lewisham". Borough Photos. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  21. ↑ "Age Exchange Annual Report 1988/89" (PDF). Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  22. ↑ "Age Exchange Annual Report 1992/93" (PDF). Tower Hamlets Learning Design Centre. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  23. ↑ “...improvements to church curtilage including relaying pathways, planting trees and providing boundary fence as tribute to Norman Smith by Lewisham Council...” "CATFORD, SAINT BARNABAS (SOUTHEND)" (PDF). London Metropolitan Archives. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
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