A FORMER chairman of the old Colne Valley Urban District council has died.
Mr Walter Briggs served on the council as a Labour representative from 1957 until 1966 and has died at his daughter’s home in Spain at the age of 90.
He was chosen as chairman of the council in 1962/63.
Mr Briggs moved to Marsden in 1942 before being called up into the Army.
He served in the forces for four years before returning to Huddersfield and taking up a job at David Brown Gears’ Park Works at Lockwood, where he worked as an engineer and an engineering inspector for many years.
Mr Briggs held a number of posts with the Labour party including leader of the Labour Group in Colne Valley and secretary of the Marsden Ward Labour Party.
He was also a member of the Colne Valley Twinning Committee for many years, developing links with Overath in Germany.
Mr Briggs, who was unsuccessful in two attempts to win a seat on Kirklees Council, was also closely involved with the Royal British Legion.
He joined the organisation in 1946 and held a number of posts within the body in Marsden, including branch secretary and service committee chairman.
He was also involved with the blind charity St Dunstans, after his wife Alys, who died in 1995, was blinded in 1942 while serving with the Auxiliary Territorial Services.
In 2001 he was invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh as one of only two widowers in the charity.
He also held positions on a local Cancer Relief charity committee.
Mr Briggs leaves three children plus many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
