Bexley's New Mayor - With no Thanks to the Luftwaffe!
Bexley has a new Mayor - but if a German World War II fighter pilot had been a better shot - he might never have made it to the borough.
Councillor Brian Beckwith, who represents the Blackfen and Lamorbey Ward, became the borough's 43rd Mayor at the Council's annual meeting. His wife and new Mayoress is Councillor Aileen Beckwith, who was Mayor of Bexley during the 2001/2 municipal year.
The Mayor was born in Hither Green in January 1936, but moved to Penhill Road, Bexley, with his parents, when he was only 18 months old. His grandfather helped to build most of the houses in and around the Bladindon Drive and Penhill Road area and Brian actually now lives in one of those houses.
At the outbreak of war in 1939, Cllr Beckwith's mum felt that it would be safer to bring the youngster up in Devon and there they enjoyed the relative safety of the Devon coastline - until the day a German fighter pilot spotted Brian and his friends playing along the coastal path. Taking aim, the pilot tried to shoot the boys, but luckily for his family and Bexley, his aim wasn't good and the would-be Mayor survived.
Cllr Beckwith says: "I can remember it as though it were yesterday. I was extremely frightened and I am very lucky to have survived the attack." His mum decided that it couldn't be any more dangerous in Bexley, so they immediately returned to the borough, where he attended Hurst Primary School. How wrong could she be? While playing in Bexley in soft mud, the young Brian actually found an unexploded incendiary device. Not realising the danger, he took it home. It was here that Brian realised the error of his ways but lived to greet another day. As an 11 year old, he joined the Blackfen School for Boys and finished his education there when reaching the age of 15.
A successful five-year apprenticeship with Siemens Brothers, Woolwich, as an instrument maker was followed by jobs making equipment for the Government's Overseas Development organisation. A long period of employment with the Scientific Institute Research Association, which involved travelling the length and breadth of the country, maintaining equipment for Unigate Dairies, was followed by a new position as a Work-Study Engineer for Molins at Deptford. Cllr Beckwith carried this role into another new job with London Underground. He eventually became Track Area Manager and spent 27 "very happy years" before retiring from his working life in January 2001.
It was at this point his wife Aileen was preparing herself to become Mayor of Bexley. So after a few short quiet months, Mr Beckwith found himself by his wife's side as her escort. It was here that he decided that maybe local politics was an area of work that he could make a real difference in, so in May 2002, he successfully campaigned to be elected as the Councillor for the Blackfen and Lamorbey Ward. The new Mayor has since been re-elected on 4 May 2006 to serve for a further four years.
Apart from his wife, his children Andrew and Jackie, his son-in-Law Terry, daughter-in-law, Paula and his grandchildren Sam, Lauren and Oliver, his great passion in life is Chelsea Football Club. Cllr Beckwith still travels to Stamford Bridge when his busy schedule allows, but he often has to make do with a good book, a spell in the garden and a loud blast of some big band jazz music.
He says: "I do not get many opportunities to relax as my family life and my work as a Councillor keeps me very busy. However, I thoroughly enjoy travelling and attempting the odd difficult crossword. France is a particular favourite place for me, the thought of a wonderful bottle of Cotes Du Rhone there is a great attraction."
The new Mayor adds: "I cannot quite believe that Aileen and I have another amazing opportunity to serve the 230,000 people in our wonderful borough. I was the lad that used to pick up pieces of shrapnel in Danson Park as a small boy and here I am as Bexley's First Citizen. I am truly honoured and I feel very humble that so many people supported me along this wonderful journey."
Councillors Brian and Aileen Beckwith will be supported by the new Deputy Mayor, Cllr Colin Tandy and his wife Valerie the Deputy Mayoress. Councillor Tandy was Bexley's Mayor in 1992/3.
