1977
(519)
(RETIRED TEXTILE ENGINEER)
Born at Leicester on the 3rd December 1904.
On leaving school in 1918 he joined the Leicester City Libraries Department and later decided upon a career in engineering. Throughout his working
life (with the exception of five years in Canada) he was engaged in the Leicester Engineering trade as a textile engineer.
In 1929 he married May Goode. He has one son (Howard David Turner Baker) who also serves on the City Council.
During the 1939/45 war he was engaged on secret government work and also served in the Home Guard. He joined the Territorial Army in 1945 where was a commissioned officer.
In 1952 Councillor Baker was first elected to the City Council as a representative for the Spinney Hill Ward of the City. He represented this ward until 1955 and returned to the City Council in 1963 as the representative of Charnwood Ward. He was elected to the Wycliffe Ward of the City in 1970.
Councillor Baker is a former Chairman of the Museums and Libraries Committee of the City Council prior to the re-organisation of local government in 1974. He was also Chairman of the former Civil Defence Committee and the Further Education, Youth and Careers Advisory Committees of the former City Council.
He is Vice-President of the Leicester and County Convalescent Homes Society.
In 1975 he was appointed High Bailiff of Leicester.
The Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 took place during his year
of office and a special commemoration service for the Jubilee was held in the Cathedral Church of St. Martin, Leicester, on the 5th June, 1977.
Councillor Baker decided to celebrate Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee in a unique way by inviting two hundred ordinary men and women from the City who have given years of selfless service to the community to a Silver Jubilee Garden
Party in the grounds of the De Montfort Hall, Leicester.
The 40th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force took place during his year of office and he held a special reception to commemorate the anniversary in the De Montfort Hall, Leicester, and raised a substantial sum of money for the Battle of Britain Memorial Museum.
BBC Radio Leicester celebrated its tenth anniversary during the year and he arranged a civic reception to commemorate the event.
Always concerned for the needs and welfare of the elderly, Councillor
Baker worked enthusiastically during his year of office in furtherance of the aims of Leicester Age Concern and also raised funds for the Salvation Army Missing Persons Department.
Visits to Leicester's twin cities of Krefeld and Strasbourg and to the 47th Field Regiment Royal Artillery in Belfast, Northern Ireland, were among a wide variety of engagements undertaken by Councillor Baker during a most exacting year of office.
