A FORMER Mayor of Hillingdon marked his 100th birthday in style at his care home with a big family-and-friends bash.
Ken Guy, who served as mayor of the borough from 1989 to 1990, celebrated the remarkable milestone surrounded by family and close friends at Ryefield Court in Ryefield Avenue.
Staff decorated the Berkley Care Group home Garden and laid out a Champagne buffet for guests.
Born in Fulham, Ken moved with his parents to Eastcote, where he grew up.
In 1937, he attended Acton Technical College and, by 1942, he was employed by Joseph Lucas Aerospace Company.
He was not evacuated and, due to being in a reserved occupation and failing a medical test, he was not called up for military service.
Ken lived in Birmingham for nine years with his wife, Gwendoline, while on an aerospace project. It was here where their three children were born.
When the project ended, they moved to Ruislip until 2022.
Ken became involved in local affairs through the residents’ association and Ruislip Conservative Association.
In 1974, he stood as a Ruislip Ward councillor, before moving on to become the councillor for St Martin’s Ward in 1978.
In 1988, he was Deputy Mayor before being elected as Mayor the following year. He was awarded Freedom of the Borough in 2007.
Ken’s mayoral charity was the Child Accident Prevention Trust, for whom he was a volunteer until 2014.
From 1974, to 2008, he was the governor of several schools and was also involved with town twinning and race relations.
Ken became a resident of Ryefield Court with Gwen in March 2021. Gwen died in May the following year.
A highlight of the birthday celebration was a visit from the current Deputy Mayor, Cllr Phillip Corthorne, who brought flowers and a personal card.
A few weeks ago, to mark the care home’s eighth birthday, the current Mayor, Cllr Colleen Sullivan, was also a visitor.
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