I have posted below a notice and tribute to a local resident Peter Cadogan who has died.
I only knew Peter for the last three years, but if anyone could claim to be "Mr Kilburn" then it was him. He had a great line about a 13th century Abbot of St Albans failing to take the chance to re-unite Kilburn into one parish and that explained why it was still administratively split between Camden and Brent. He would then go on to lament the lack of investment and opportunity that flowed from that false but ancient administrative dividing line.
He contacted me in the run-up to the 2005 General Election to urge me to understand Kilburn better and he showed me around some of the local estates, he supported our campaign that residents be heard before the reconstruction of the main railway bridge - he was a regular responder to the FOCUS grumble sheet...
He cared for the community he lived in and he will be sorely missed. A part of Kilburn has passed away.
Ed
TRIBUTE TO PETER CADOGAN
It is with great sorrow that I have to inform you that Peter Cadogan died in his sleep early on Sunday 18th November. His daughter, Clare, was with him and his brother, Jack, had visited him the previous evening. Peter’s will to live shone through as the inevitable approached: he kept sinking and then recovering, sleeping then wide awake. His mind was alert but his breathing was difficult and, of course, he slept a lot. There must have been at least 70 people who came to see him during those 10 days in St Mary’s and, except for the last few, he recognised everyone. He and I sorted out the key papers for an anthology, Clare and Jack discussed the Memorial planned for St James Piccadilly, and grand-daughter, nieces and nephews read the cards, telephone and email messages from those people who could not make it. He even recited some Blake poems and spoke movingly of Blake’s Jerusalem on Plate 99 which the moving force of the Society, Tim Heath, brought in for him to see once more. He seemed to enjoy the lively debates that sprung up between a bewildering procession of friends and admirers gathered around his bed. He was told by, choosing a few at random, Professor Kevin Morgan, John Rather of The New Ireland Group, James Robertson, former colleagues in South Place Ethical Society, those in Values and Visions, Kilburn Councillors, former comrades and activists on the left of their love and appreciation of his life’s work. He was the most expelled man from leftwing groups in the land but kept the admiration, love and friendship of all those with whom he disagreed.
What a Man!
John Rowley
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Sounds like an awesome guy!!!
Thanks for this tribute. I attended Peter's funeral today. It was a real celebration of his life with tributes from family, friends and co-campaigners from many of the campaigns against tyranny and oppression that he spent his life engaged in. One phrase summed him up for me: "a life devoted to rebutting the evil of passivity". It was this aspect of his life that inspired me - he always knew the world could be a better place, and that action was required to make it so. I, and so many of us in Kilburn and beyond, will miss him.
Post a Comment