Tributes to former councillor

Philip Bagley: former councillor and parish council clerk

THE funeral of a former Oldham councillor and Saddleworth Parish Council clerk will take place on Wednesday.

Philip Bagley died at the Royal Oldham Hospital on February 15, aged 82. The retired barrister was a councillor for Saddleworth West from 1973-76, and a Saddleworth parish councillor from 2007-2011 for Greenfield ward. He was clerk to Saddleworth Parish Council for 17 years from 1978.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Margaret (80), his two sons, Simon (44) and Andrew (48), and seven grandchildren.

Mrs Bagley said: “He was very loyal, very conscientious, kind and generous. He was somebody you could always talk to, if you wanted to get a good opinion, or if ever there was a decision to be made.”

Mr Bagley worked in the legal department of Kendal Council, but moved to Oldham to be with Margaret. They married in 1958.

Mr Bagley was a senior lecturer in law at Manchester Polytechnic, now Manchester Metropolitan University.

Mr Bagley gave up his role as clerk to the parish council in 1995 after fracturing his skull whil cutting back ivy on his home. The funeral is at St Anne’s Church, Lydgate on Wednesday (11am).