1953
(495)
(Managing Director, Kingstone Ltd. and Mutual Clothing and Supply Co. Ltd.)
Born 21st September 1891 in Bradford but moved to Leicester at an early age. Son of Charles Edward Keene (member of the City Council from 1923 to 1938) and Emma Jane Keene. Served in the First World War in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
Elected to the Council as Labour member for Charnwood Ward in 1926 and elected Alderman in 1945. He has served on most of the Committees of the Council at various times, but his main interests have been the educational and cultural life of the City and town planning and redevelopment. He was Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Education Committee from 1938 to 1946 and was again elected Chairman in 1953. Alderman Keene has also been Chairman of the College of Art and Technology Subcommittee since 1927 and Chairman of the Governors of the Gateway School since its foundation in 1928. He is a Vice President of the Leicester University College and Chairman of the General Committee. He was Vice Chairman of the Museum and Libraries Committee for 8 years. Alderman Keene has been Vice Chairman of the Publicity Committee for a considerable number of years and has been largely responsible for the supervision and preparation of the Department's publications.
From 1939~1941 Alderman Keene was Chairman of the Air Raid Precautions Emergency Committee. From 1941~ 1944 he was a Deputy Regional Commissioner (North Midland Region) with special responsibility for the National Fire Service.
Alderman Keene was appointed Chairman of the Special Reconstruction Committee set up by the Council in 1942. This Committee was merged with the Town Planning Committee in 1945 and he continued as Chairman until 1953. Alderman Keene was Chairman at the time of the preparation and presentation of the first City Development Plan required under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1947. He continued his association with the work of the Committee as Chairman of the Plans Subcommittee. He is Chairman of the Slum Clearance and Redevelopment (Special) Committee set up in 1952.
Alderman Keene was High Bailiff of the City during the year 1935~36. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1940.
He was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1950.
On the 2nd June, he represented the City of Leicester at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Alderman Keene is a member of the Methodist Church and has served as a Local Preacher since 1910.
In 1921, he married Ruth Stocks, who died in 1949, and has three sons. In her memory Alderman Keene laid out the Ruth Keene Memorial Gardens, Castle View, which he opened on 26th May 1953.
In 1952, he married Hetty Swann, who was formerly the City Publicity Officer.
