8:16am Thursday 11th March 2010
By Mike Laycock
CIVIC chiefs are being urged by charities and politicians to organise a memorial service for former Lord Mayor Jack Archer.
Mr Archer, of Holgate, who served the city for decades as a Labour councillor but was also a champion of the elderly, died recently aged 90.
His funeral will take place at 11am tomorrow at York Crematorium, Bishopthorpe, but there are growing calls for a subsequent service – possibly at the Minster – to remember his life of service to the York community.
Mr Archer, who leaves a widow, Ena, and a daughter, Brenda, helped Age Concern, York Blind And Partially Sighted Society and Older Citizens’ Advocacy York (OCAY), which promotes the rights of elderly people.
Linda Tester, of OCAY, said Jack had helped found the organisation and chaired it for several years, and she had contacted the civic office to suggest something should be organised in memory of him.
Annie Greenwood, a volunteer with OCAY, also backed calls for a memorial service, which she said would ideally be held in the Minster.
James Player, deputy chief officer at Age Concern York, said he had informally asked civic officers at the council if such a service could be organised.
He said: “Jack did a huge amount for the city of York and people of York. He was twice chairman of Age Concern and life president. It would be good to be able to mark everything he did for York.”
York MP Hugh Bayley said Mr Archer had contributed so much to charity and the city that he would like to see a memorial service held.
James Alexander, Holgate councillor and Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for York Outer, said he had written to the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, to ask if the Minster could be used for such a service.
He said in his letter: “Jack was a true first citizen of York. Right up until his death he was still an advocate of the poor and the helpless.”
A council spokeswoman said it had agreed in principle to hold a memorial service and the idea would now be investigated, but she stressed nothing had yet been decided.
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