Harold Tucker

Harold Tucker (1930-October 2015) was a British politician who was the Conservative Leader of the Opposition on Manchester City Council from 1973 to 1990 and Lord Mayor of Manchester from 1984 to 1985. He was Conservative Councillor for the Barlow Moor Ward from 1959 to 1990

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Tucker

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-new...

28 OCT 2015

Tributes have been paid to Manchester’s last Conservative Lord Mayor who died last week.

Harold Tucker served the residents of the old Barlow Moor ward for 25 years and became the city’s first citizen in 1984.

Mr Tucker, who passed last week aged 85 following a short battle with a brain tumour, ran against former Prime Minister Harold Wilson at the 1964 General Election, having served as a councillor since 1959.

He bagged 30pc of the vote in Huyton Liverpool - but despite being offered a safe seat for a future election, Mr Tucker decided to stay at Manchester town hall.

As the Conservative group leader in the city, he was known for his wise advice to members of all parties - and honest opinions.

He was elected, with cross-party support, to become the city’s Lord Mayor in 1984.

With wife Shirley by his side, Mr Tucker excelled in his prestigious civic position, hosting major dignitaries - including the Queen and Soviet Union chief Mikhail Gorbachev.

As well as being the last Tory Mayor in Manchester, Mr Tucker was the last person to hold the office while residing in the apartments at the town hall.

Mr Tucker and his wife served as councillors until 1985. He was also a trustee at the University of Salford.

The couple, who met in Cardiff while Mr Tucker was in the RAF, married in 1952 and moved to West Didsbury to set up an estate agency chain, which they ran for the next two decades.

Mr Tucker, proud of his Jewish heritage, was president of South Manchester Synagogue for two terms.

He was also a keen golfer, bridge player and Rotarian - and a Freemason in Manchester, holding the rank of a Grand Lodge Officer.

Despite being born in London, Mr Tucker always considered himself a Mancunian.

https://manchester1984.uk/chapters/section-1/chapter-3/