JUST 48 hours after his son won a seat on Fenland District Council, former Labour councillor and mayor of March, Fred Clark, died in Peterborough District Hospital on Sunday. Mr Clark, 85, was first elected to the Isle of Ely County Council in 1961. He al

JUST 48 hours after his son won a seat on Fenland District Council, former Labour councillor and mayor of March, Fred Clark, died in Peterborough District Hospital on Sunday.

Mr Clark, 85, was first elected to the Isle of Ely County Council in 1961. He also served on March Urban District Council, March Town Council, Fenland District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.

In last week's local elections, his son John was elected to Fenland District Council as Conservative member for March East.

Born in Thetford, Mr Clark moved to March in 1940 when his work on the railway brought him to the town. He was a railwayman until his retirement as a driver in 1982.

During the Second World War he helped organise and star in many charity concerts. He became secretary of the ASLEF welfare committee in 1955 which organised several balls, raising hundreds of pounds.

He met and married Marjorie in 1945 when she was working as a land army girl. They lived in Knights End Road before buying a plot of land in 1959 and building their own bungalow. Marjorie died 12 years ago.

The couple also had a daughter, Ann, five grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

Fred was chairman of the governors at Cavalry and Burrowmoor Primary Schools and of Neale-Wade Community College. He was also involved with the Isle of Ely Society for the Blind (now Fen Vision).

He also supported Mencap, Camtad, March Educational Foundation, the Deaf Society and Citizen's Advice.

The funeral will take place on June 4 at St Peter's Church, March (11.30am), followed by cremation.