A life dedicated to helping good causes
A FORMER Mayor of Brighouse, Mr John Stanley Armitage has died aged 88.
Mr Armitage who had close links with The Grammar School, Hipperholme, where he was a governor for 50 years including 20 years as chairman, was also life vice-president of Brighouse Charity Gala committee.
Originally from Huddersfield he moved to Brighouse as a child and went to Hipperholme Grammar School when he was eight. He maintained a lifelong link with the school serving on the governing body and when he stood down as chairman of governors in 2005 he was appointed honorary president. The flag at the school is flying at half mast.
Chairman of the governors Mr Chris Redfearn said Mr Armitage's contribution to the school was immense.
He led the school in 1985 through difficult times when Calderdale wanted to close the school on the grounds of its small size.
"His dogged determination and countless hours of meetings eventually succeeded in enabling the school to survive as an Independent Charitable Foundation. As chairman of the governors Stanley oversaw the school develop into a well established, selective, co-educational school serving the local area and bringing in children from further afield," said Mr Redfearn.
"He did more for the school than any person in living memory and most likely more than anyone in the school's history."
He said Mr Armitage had seen many improvements at the school and in 2004 the purchase of Lightcliffe Preparatory School – now Hipperholme Grammar Junior School – fulfilled a long desired wish to enable the school to educate right through from kindergarten to the sixth form.
"I am sure Stanley saw his contribution to the school as just one part of a life which was dedicated to helping good causes including politics, Brighouse gala and Storthes Hall," said Mr Redfearn.
Former deputy head at the school, Mrs Susan Kunc, said it was thanks to Mr Armitage that the school had maintained its independence.
"He fought for Hipperholme to remain independent," she said. "He had total loyalty to the school."
When he left school Mr Armitage worked for the Alliance Assurance Co Ltd. He served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and was a member of the Brighouse branch of the Royal Air Force Association.
He took early retirement due to ill health and later opened a shop which raised money for Storthes Hall hospital.
He was first elected to Brighouse council in 1955 and he was also an Alderman. He was also involved with the link between Brighouse and its twin town Ludenscheid in Germany.
When he and his late wife Kathleen were civic heads of the former Brighouse Town Council in 1962/63 they visited the former Storthes Hall Hospital at Kirkburton.
As a result Mr Armitage set up the Brighouse Storthes Hall Society which later resulted in the charity gala becoming a regular fixture in the town.
He was a former chairman of the gala committee and was a regular supporter of the event in Wellholme Park.
The joint presidents of the gala committee, Jean and Ernest Ainley, said Mr Armitage was involved with the gala for many years.
"He always worked hard for the gala and for Brighouse," said Mrs Ainley.
"We have many fond memories of his work in the town. Because Stanley was on the council he was a big help to the gala committee."
A colleague on the former Brighouse council, Mr Stanley Firth, described Mr Armitage as a 'hard-working man'.
"He supported Storthes Hall and the gala and was always interested in Brighouse," said Mr Firth.
In 1974 Mr Armitage's work with Storthes Hall was recognised when he was awarded the MBE. His funeral is at Brighouse Parish Church on Monday. He leaves two sons Tony and Richard, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was a former chairman of the gala committee and was a regular supporter of the event in Wellholme Park.
The joint presidents of the gala committee, Jean and Ernest Ainley, said Mr Armi- tage was involved with the gala for many years.
“He always worked hard for the gala and for Brighouse,” said Mrs Ainley.
“We have many fond memories of his work in the town. Because Stanley was on the council he was a big help to the gala committee.”
A colleague on the former Brighouse council, Mr Stanley Firth, described Mr Armitage as a ‘hard-working man’.
“He supported Storthes Hall and the gala and was always interested in Brighouse,” said Mr Firth.
In 1974 Mr Armitage’s work with Storthes Hall was recognised when he was awarded the MBE. His funeral is at Brighouse Parish Church on Monday. He leaves two sons Tony and Richard, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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