A HARD-WORKING local politician and former Mayor has passed away.

Len Snow died on Friday, November 1, aged 90. He spent 27 years as a councillor and served as Mayor of Brent in 1976.

Mr Snow was born in 1923 in Highgate and moved to Willesden when he was eight years old

He attended Kilburn Grammar School and then left the borough to go to Queen’s College, Oxford, where he began a degree in English.

However, the Second World War broke out before he could complete his studies.

Mr Snow served in the war in the Mediterranean and Italy, then later returned to this country to train as an officer. He was one of the youngest captains in the British Army.

He finished the war in India then spent a year and a half in Japan as part of the British Occupation Force.

Before the birth of their first child Mr Snow had completed his degree and started a career with British Road services.

He then moved on to work for British European Airways, which became British Airways, at Northolt and then Heathrow Airport, before retiring in 1982.

He met wife Joan in 1939 and they married in 1943. Their daughter Susan was born in 1948 and son Ralph in 1951.

Susan said: “As a father, he was unmatched. He had the most amazing patience with myself and my brother.

“He taught us both to drive and we both passed first time.

“A lot of things I am I believe are through him, he had such a strong sense of humour and justice and love of books.

“He is totally irreplaceable.”

Susan said when other parents were reading their children Winnie the Pooh, her father was reading them the Iliad and the Odyssey.

The school governor of more than 20 years joined Willesden West Labour Party shortly after the war and was elected to represent Tokyngton ward in 1963.

During his mayoral year, Mr Snow cultivated an interest in local history and went on to produce several books on the subject covering Willesden, Queen’s Park, Kenton and Kingsbury, and Wembley, as well as Copland Community School and Willesden Hospital.

He was working on two books at the time of this death about Watling Street, and Paddington Green to Willesden Green.

The former Mayor is survived by wife Joan, 90, children Susan 65, and Ralph, 62, and grandsons Benjamin, 29, and Jonathan, 25.

The Snows marked their 70th wedding anniversary in October but were both ill in hospital so were not able to spend it together.

His funeral will take place on Sunday November 17 at Golders Green Crematorium.