(CIVIL SERVANT)
(525)
Born in Leicester on 12 May 1924 and educated at Green Lane Road Junior School, Moat Road Intermediate Boys’ School and the City of Leicester Boys’ School. On leaving school at the age of sixteen, he worked as a clerk in the medical records department at the Leicester Royal Infirmary.
He joined the army in 1942 and served in the Royal Army Pay Corps. In 1944 he was invalided out of the forces with tuberculosis. Councillor Billington returned to work in the Health Service where he was medical records officer, at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, from 1954-1967 whereupon he became a Home Office clerical officer.
Married Miss May Swift at Sutton in the Elms, Leicestershire, on 28 August 1943. They had one daughter, Sheila Ann. Following a divorce, Councillor Billington married Maureen J. Martin at Leicester Register office on 13 May 1978.
He joined the Labour Party in 1949 and became secretary of the Newton Ward branch in the 1950s and the Secretary of the newly-formed New Parks branch in 1982. Councillor Billington was elected to the City Council in 1971 as a Labour Councillor for the Newton Ward.
In May 1973, he was elected to serve on the new Leicester District Council also on the new Leicestershire County Council, in both instances as the representative for the Newton Ward. He later represented the New Parks Ward on the City Council. His main interest was housing because the vast majority of people he represented were council tenants. Councillor Billington was the Vice-Chairman of the Housing Committee and Chairman of the Housing Management Sub-Committee. He served on a number of other Committees, including Health, Education, Museums, Libraries and Publicity, Policy and Resources, also the Estates Committee of which he became the Chairman in 1973. In 1974, he was appointed to be the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on the City Council.
In 1969, Councillor Billington was appointed election agent for Barnet Janner, MP for North West Leicester and then continued to serve as election agent for Barnet Janner’s son, Greville when he was elected to represent the constituency in 1970 (Leicester West constituency from 1974).
He was a Governor at New Parks Secondary School, Alderman Newton School, Dovelands School and Forest Lodge Infant and Junior Schools in addition to being Chairman at Greenacres and Emily Fortes Schools.
Councillor Billington was elected to the office of Lord Mayor of the City on 19 May 1983. He chose his wife Maureen to be his Lady Mayoress. Mrs Billington had also worked at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and was a domestic supervisor at the hospital.
The highlight of Councillor Billington’s Year of Office was the distinction of meeting two members of the Royal Family. Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, The Duchess of Gloucester, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Anglian Regiment visited the City on 19 June 1983 to attend the Annual Royal Tigers Service at Leicester Cathedral. The Service, held for the former Leicestershire Regiment Old Comrades Association, was also attended by the Lord Mayor and other Civic Dignitaries. Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was welcomed to the City by the Lord Mayor, on 22 March 1984, when she visited the factory of TW Kempton Limited Hosiery Manufacturers, Archdeacon Lane, Leicester.
One of Councillor Billington’s most memorable events was a three day visit to Krefeld in June 1983, to mark the 300th Anniversary of the emigration from Krefeld to Philadelphia, U.S.A. of a group of Krefeld citizens. The celebrations were also attended by the Vice-President of the United States of America and the President and Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The Lord Mayor visited Krefeld again in September 1983 on the occasion of the Freedom Parade of the 16th Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals. In April 1984, Councillor Billington accompanied by the Chairman of the Leicestershire County Council, Councillor Mrs. Janet Setchfield paid a visit to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment serving in Cyprus as part of the United Nations peacekeeping force. As guests of the Battalion they were able to meet many Leicestershire soldiers serving on the island.
On 5 October 1983, the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Right Honourable John Michael Geoffrey Adams visited the City. He was the son of Sir Grantley Adams, Prime Minister of Barbados in the 1950s. Councillor Billington hosted a Civic Dinner in honour of his guest following which the Prime Minister addressed the Leicester City Council, in the Town Hall, prior to visiting the Barbadian community in Leicester.
Councillor Billington attended a Service of Thanksgiving at the Church of St James the Greater on 16 October 1983 to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Leicestershire, Rutland and Wycliffe Society for the Blind.
The City’s twinning links were further strengthened with the four day Civic Visit to Leicester in March 1984 by the Oberbürgermeister of Krefeld, Herr Dieter Pützhofen and a delegation from the German City. The following month, a Civic Delegation from Strasbourg visited the City to take part in the Strasbourg Twinning Weekend activities from 13 to 15 April 1984.
Councillor Billington chose to support two Appeals during his Year of Office - ‘The Leicester Society for Mentally Handicapped Children’ and the ‘Baby Care Life Support System’ at the Leicester General Hospital. His Appeals raised £13,200.
Councillor Billington’s Year of Office was concluded on 17 May 1984 whereupon he was appointed Deputy Lord Mayor for the year 1984-85.
He died in Leicester on 30 June 1997, aged 72 years.
