Illtyd Harrington was my geography teacher at Kennington secondary school in south London during the mid-1950s. He was very popular with the pupils owing to his anarchic humour and beautiful, rich Welsh accent.
Our paths next crossed in the early 80s, when I was a social secretary in the Bermondsey Labour party and organised, through Illtyd, a visit of young people to the seat of London government, County Hall, on the south bank of the Thames. Illtyd personally conducted us around the council chamber, insisting that each individual sit on the leader’s “throne” and stating that, thanks to the forthcoming abolition of the GLC, soon the throne and the power of London would no longer exist. He was a compassionate, kind and principled socialist.
