(RETIRED HOSIERY AND KNITWEAR WORKER)
(541)
Born in the Belgium Congo in Central Africa on 18 July 1938. His father, who was a missionary, died when he was four years of age. He returned to Britain with his mother and two sisters who were also born in Africa. The family lived, initially in Llanelli, South Wales. Following the serious illness of his mother he moved again five years later to Arbroath in Scotland where he was brought up in a children’s home.
After leaving school at the age of 16 years he completed a five-year apprenticeship as a bricklayer. In his early twenties he had a serious motorcycle accident. He moved to his father’s native city of Leicester in 1964 and worked in engineering. Between 1968 and 1983 he worked in the hosiery and knitwear industry. During that time he worked as a union representative for the National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers for eight years and was a Health and Safety representative for six years.
He joined the Labour Party in 1980 and was first elected to the City Council for the Castle Ward in 1983, a seat he successfully held in subsequent elections.
Councillor Swift served on many Committees including Vice Chair of Planning, Urban Regeneration and Recreation and Arts. He was the Chair of the Recreation and Arts Sub-Committee, Contracts Compliance and Social Strategy, and the Chair of Social Justice (Anti-Poverty) Commission.
His interests included music, art and cycling.
He was appointed Deputy Lord Mayor of the City on 21 May 1998 for the year 1998/99.
Councillor Swift was elected to the office of Lord Mayor of the City on 20 May 1999.
He chose Mrs Marilyn Hall J.P. to be his Lady Mayoress. Mrs Hall was born in Coalville and was educated at the King Edward VII Grammar School in the town. She moved to Leicester in 1962 following her marriage to John Hall who served for many years as a City and County Councillor before his death in 1992. The Lady Mayoress, who had three sons, was active in the City as a School Governor and had served as a Justice of the Peace since 1984 when she commenced to sit on Leicester Magistrates’ Wednesday bench.
Councillor Swift had the distinction of meeting several members of the Royal Family during his Year of Office. He was presented to His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent on 9 June 1999 when he officially opened the new Media Centre and Championship Lounge at the Grace Road Headquarters of Leicestershire County Cricket Club. On 8 October 1999 the Lord Mayor met His Royal Highness The Duke of York upon the occasion of his visit to the Training Ship TIGER. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales was welcomed to the City, on 28 January 2000, by Councillor Swift at the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre where the Prince launched a major new community initiative ‘Leicestershire Cares.’ Prince Charles’ visit to the City also included an engagement at the Leicester City Football Club ground at Filbert Street where he presented certificates to members of the Princes’ Trust Voluntary Scheme. The Prince’s visit was concluded with a tour of the Church of St Mary de Castro. The Lord Mayor met Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal on 18 April 2000 when she attended the Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Allied Dunbar Premiership League match at the Welford Road Stadium. Her Royal Highness came to Leicester to receive a cheque on behalf of Leicester Cathedral’s new Millennium Appeal Fund of which she was the Patron.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester visited Leicester and the County on 11 May 2000. The Lord Mayor met Their Royal Highnesses upon their arrival at London Road Railway Station prior to the Royal Visitors embarking upon a series of separate engagements. The Duchess of Gloucester officially opened the new £1.8 million extension building to the Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice, at its Groby Road base, following which Their Royal Highnesses joined civic leaders, LOROS staff and fundraisers for lunch. Later the Duchess opened the new library at the Leicester High School for Girls.
As the year 2000 dawned Councillor Swift had the unique distinction of being Leicester’s Millennium Lord Mayor. He attend the Millennium Service at Leicester Cathedral on 2 January 2000 and later that month presented a commemorative beaker to the City’s first born child of the new Millennium, baby Adam Asif and his parents at the Town Hall.
The City’s twinning links were further strengthened with a visit by the Lord Mayor to Krefeld in March 2000. During his Mayoralty, Councillor Swift received delegations from Rajkot and Krefeld and hosted receptions for the visitors in the Victorian Gallery at the New Walk Museum. The Lord Mayor also paid a Civic Visit to Kilkenny in April 2000.
The City’s military connections were maintained with a Civic Visit by Councillor Swift to the 16th Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals at Rheindahlen, Germany in February 2000. The Lord Mayor was guest of honour at a special Kosovo medal parade where he presented more than 160 service men and women, from the Regiment, with medals for their service in Macedonia and Kosovo between February and December 1999.
The Lord Mayor attended the Leicester Synagogue on 30 May 1999 for the induction of Rabbi Chaim Kanterovitz by the Chief Rabbi, Dr Jonathan Henry Sacks.
A number of important changes took place in the Diocese of Leicester during Councillor Swift’s Year of Office. On 19 June 1999 he attended the enthronement of the new Bishop of Leicester, The Right Reverend Timothy John Stevens at the Cathedral and hosted a Civic Dinner in honour of the new Bishop at the City Rooms the following month. Councillor Swift attended Choral Evensong, at Leicester Cathedral, on 19 September 1999, which was the Farewell Service for the Provost of Leicester, The Very Reverend Derek Hole. On 13 May 2000 the Lord Mayor was present, at the Cathedral, to witness the installation of the new Provost of Leicester, The Very Reverend Vivienne Francis Faull who became the first woman priest in the country to be installed as a Provost.
On 22 September 1999 the Lord Mayor attended a Farewell Reception for Dr. Kenneth Edwards the retiring Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University, which was held in the Charles Wilson Building. The following week the Lord Mayor hosted a Civic Dinner, in the City Rooms, to mark Dr Edwards’ retirement. On 4 November 1999 Councillor Swift gave a Civic Dinner, in the City Rooms, in honour of the retiring Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University, Professor Kenneth Barker.
On the sporting front Leicester was again to the fore. On 24 May 1999 Councillor Swift held a Civic Reception, at the Town Hall, for the victorious Leicester Tigers Rugby Club to celebrate the Club winning the Allied Dunbar Premiership League. The following month the Lord Mayor presented Simon Dore with his World Kickboxing Network Heavyweight Championship Belt followed by a Civic Reception for him, at the Town Hall, on 17 August 1999. Further success came to the City on 27 February 2000 when Leicester City Football Club won the Worthington Cup Final by defeating Tranmere Rovers 2-1 at Wembley Stadium. Two days later, Councillor Swift hosted a Civic Reception for the team and officials, at the Town Hall, to mark the Club's first cup triumph at the famous stadium.
An unparalleled occasion took place on 30 March 2000 when the Lord Mayor visited Leicester born Harry Halford, acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the World’s oldest man at 108 years of age. The Lord Mayor joined Mr Halford and guests for lunch at the Harley House Nursing Home and presented him with a crystal rosebowl.
A great impression was made upon Councillor Swift by the many young people, volunteers and carers he met during his year of office.
Councillor Swift chose to support the Leicester Children’s Holiday Centre (Mablethorpe) as his Mayoral Appeal which was designated, the ‘Lord Mayor’s Children’s Holiday Appeal.’ The total amount raised was £100,767.08
Councillor Swift’s Year of Office was concluded on 18 May 2000.
On 17 May 2001 he was appointed High Bailiff of the City for the year 2001/2002.
