EVERYONE we have spoken to has described Bill Pearmine as a warm generous man, a doughty political opponent but without personal rancour.
Vi Smith, a leading member of the Labour party Mr Pearmine's contemporary on the council, recalls: "I always regarded Bill as a very staunch worker for the party.
"He fought straight and wasn't afraid to say what he was thinking. But, whatever the outcome, he would go with the majority decision,"
She recalls that Mr Pearmine often saved his comments until the end of a debate. "But when he did get up, the oracle spoke, on his feet and without a note."
Mrs Smith was also a family friend of the Pearmines and says that his latter years were devoted to his wife, his daughter and her husband, and his two grandchildren whom he adored.
Neil Gerrard, now Walthamstow's MP, defeated Mr Pearmine for leadership of the
Labour party in 1983.
He told us: "Bill was one of the nicest people I have ever worked with. He had the respect of everyone on the council.
"A measure of his character was how supportive and helpful he was to me after I took over from him as leader, even though he didn't go willingly.
"There will be few people in the future who will match his years of public service and at the same time be so universally liked and respected."
From the opposite side of the political divide, former Conservative leader Gerald King said:
"I always knew Bill Pearmine as a very good local councillor and I got on well with him.
"We had our political differences but we were always good friends. In his time he did a lot for Waltham Forest."
Former Conservative councillor and Mayor in 1985/86, Tony Simmons, has written to the Guardian from the Isle of Wight: "I had great admiration for Bill, and albeit our politics differed, I learnt a great deal from him.
"That learning still helps me to this day."
It was his willingness to pass on his knowledge to younger councillors that is recalled by Graham Woolnough, now the Liberal Democrat leader on Waltham Forest Council.
"He was one of the old stagers and sometimes they don't want to share what they know. But Bill was always there with advice.
"I always found him a fair and reasonable person and I had a great deal of respect for him."
A political career spanning 32 years
MR PEARMINE first entered Chingford Council in 1958. His political career suffered a blip when he lost an election in 1961, but he was back in public service by the following year and never left it until he retired in 1990.
He was made an alderman in 1964. The title meant that he did not have to seek election again for six years.
The aldermanic system was abandoned in 1970 when Mr Pearmine again became a councillor, this time for the High Street ward of Walthamstow.
Four years later he moved into the neighbouring St James Street ward where he remained.
He was party leader from 1968 in a Conservative-controlled council and became leader of the council in 1971.
During his time at the helm, he fought battles for the pensioner's travel card, nursery education, and redevelopment of poorer areas of the borough.
In 1983-- by then in opposition again he lost the leadership of the Labour Group to his deputy Neil Gerrard.
His period as Mayor from 1987 to 1988, with his wife Dorothy as Mayoress, is looked upon as a golden time, for they were a very popular couple.
Much of his working life was spent at the BOC Cryoplants factory in the North Circuiar Road. He became a senior shop steward.
