A STALWART of community politics across Bolton, Bury and North Manchester died last week.

Jack Schofield OBE, who was 99, leaves a legacy a committed councillor serving the Radcliffe area, as a governor of three Bolton schools and as a president of the North Manchester Valuation Tribunal.

A veteran of the Second World War, Mr Schofield will also live long in the memories of fellow members of the Burma Star Association, having served as its Manchester chairman for 25 years.

Daughter Anne said: "My Dad was always a cheerful soul, he loved a laugh and right up to 99 he lived in, relatively speaking, extremely good health.

"He got to 99 and was still living on his own."

Born in Radcliffe in 1922, Mr Schofield attended Radcliffe Secondary Modern, leaving at the age of 14 to take a job at the Coop Cabinet Works.

Like many young men of his generation, Mr Schofield's working life was interrupted by the outbreak of war in 1939 and he would go on to serve in the so-called "forgotten army" in Burma, which remained on the frontline against Imperial Japan even after the war in Europe ended in 1945.

His experiences would stay with him for decades to come, guiding Mr Schofield's work with the Burma Star Association, which supports those who fought in the campaign, and his approach to politics.

After the war, Mr Schofield later worked for the Ministry of Defence, British Standards and trading standards, rising to become head of the consumer advice centre in Bolton.

Over this time, his interest in politics continued to evolve and Mr Schofield served as Councillor for the Stand Lane ward in the 1960s and 70s, a commitment he continued following his move to Little Lever in 1970 where Mytham Primary School still has a reading prize in his honour.

All this was accomplished while raising his children Anne and Peter with wife Dorothy, who remained at his side until her death in 1999.

Peter Schofield said: "He was a Labour man, but more of a moderate socialist in that he wanted people to be treated fairly but also owned shares and things.

"Radcliffe at the time was quite a deprived area and he wanted to make sure people were treated fairly."

He carried this attitude with him during his time as president of the North Manchester Valuation Board when the government imposed the deeply unpopular poll tax in 1990.

Peter said: "He wanted it on record that he didn't agree with it, he also felt that if something was unfair he would want it put on record."

Recognition for his many years of work came in 1994 when Jack Schofield was awarded an OBE by the Queen.

After retirement, Mr Schofield moved to Nottingham to be closer to his daughter.

He died peacefully on Saturday October 16 2021, leaving his children Anne and Peter, grandchildren Adam, Jon and Samantha and his great-grandson Harrison.

A funeral service, featuring a British Legion bugle player will take place later this Autumn.