Haworth's historic parish church was packed for the funeral of Bradford's last Tory Lord Mayor.

The present Labour Lord Mayor Harry Mason and his wife Christine, MPs, councillors, local activists, family and friends joined to say their last farewell to Smith Midgley.

Mr Midgley, Lord Mayor in the tumultuous year 1988-89, died, aged 79, in Airedale Hospital a week ago, after suffering a stroke and undergoing a hip operation following a fall.

He shot to national attention during his year in office when he used his casting vote to keep the Conservative group in control. They had 45 seats to Labour's 43 and the Liberals two.

It was against convention for the Lord Mayor to use his casting vote, and the position of Lord Mayor had been shared between the parties, no matter who was in control. Since then it has been held by the Labour group.

Long standing Tory Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ilkley) recalled Smith's strength of character throughout the period.

She said: "Throughout his year of office Smith acted with dignity in difficult times. More difficult times than we can ever know.

"The need for the use of his casting vote developed because of successive by-elections during that year. At the start Smith would not have realised the dramatic part he would have to pay.

"All parties would have asked the same of one of their members. The Conservative Party owe him a debt of gratitude they can never repay."

Mr Midgley was a community politician and had helped get approval for Haworth to establish its own parish council.

"Smith made Haworth Parish council happen. Maybe he didn't achieve Home Rule for the Worth Valley but he produced a voice for Haworth," she added.

In the congregation was Eric Pickles, Tory MP for Brentwood and Ongar, who was a ward councillor in Haworth at the same time as Mr Midgley, who held Haworth on Bradford council until 1994.

Also present was former Keighley Tory MP Gary Waller, whom Mr Midgley helped canvass the constituency at the last General Election.

Leading the service was Reverend Jenny Savage, who said Smith's year as Lord Mayor had meant so much to him and his wife Edna, and was a tribute to his loyalty and commitment to the community.

Mr Midgley served as a councillor with the old Keighley Borough Council, representing Haworth, and was a foundation Councillor on Bradford council when it was formed 25 years ago.

It had been his intention to fight for a seat on the new Haworth Parish Council, when elections are held next Spring.

He had recently been involved in the battle to get traffic calming measures at Brow Top, Haworth.

Mr Midgley, who was married for 57 years, leaves two daughters, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He celebrated his golden wedding in 1992. He met Edna on a blind date during the 1939-45 war.

She was a hairdresser and he worked as a draughtsman.

He was a governor of Haworth, Stanbury and Lees schools and a member of Keighley and District Agricultural Society. He was a keen writer and contributed articles to the Keighley News.

He had a dry humour and enjoyed painting and compiling dialect verse, including his collection of verse and prose, Haworth Rhymes & Writings.

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