Barry News
OBITUARY: Barry Murray, former councillor, died January 12, aged 72
12:30pm Sunday 5th February 2012
FORMER Labour councillor for Gibbonsdown, Barry Murray, died on January 12, at the age of 72.
The celebration of his life took place on January 26, at A G Adams in Gladstone Road, followed by burial in Barry Cemetery.
The funeral ceremony was conducted by family friend, Lorraine Barrett, who is a humanist celebrant and had also been a councillor with Barry on the Vale of Glamorgan Council between 1995 and 1999.
Barry will be very much missed by his wife of nearly 50 years, Pat, daughters Paula and Joanne, grandchildren Bethan and Callum and great-granddaughter Poppy.
The main tribute was given by long time friend, and former Assistant Chief Constable, Bob Evans. Assembly Member Jane Hutt shared her memories of the time when she and Barry were on the former South Glamorgan County Council together.
Barry was born in Ely and on leaving school he successfully applied for an apprenticeship with the GPO and started to learn his trade as a telephone engineer in the maintenance of telephone exchanges and major switch boards.
The apprenticeship was put on hold after three years when Barry was called up for national service which he served with the Army Signal Corps mostly spent in Hong Kong. After National Service, Barry went back to work for the GPO which then became British Telecommunciations and worked for them for forty one years.
Barry was elected to South Glamorgan County Council in 1981 under the leadership of Lord Jack Brooks and was made a Member of the South Wales Police Authority and chairman of the Council’s Public Protection Committee.
He then became the first chair of the Police Authorities in Wales and served on the National Association of Police Authorities and was a member of the Police Negotiating Board.
He was also chair of South Wales Fire Authority and was held in high regard by former Fire Service Chiefs, Mervyn Sheldon and Mick Mace. He also led the campaign to get Wales declared ‘a nuclear free zone’ when he was chair of the Public Protection Committee.
Barry was held in high regard by many former and serving senior police officers, many of whom attended his funeral, led by the Chief Constable of South Wales, Peter Vaughan.
During his time as chair of the Public Protection Committee, Barry worked hard to improve safety at the old Cardiff Arms Park, as well as improving policing at Cardiff City Football Club. He was a huge rugby fan and a Bluebirds supporter.
After local government reorganisation in 1995, Barry was elected to the new Vale of Glamorgan Unitary Authority and became deputy leader of the Authority.
He and Pat were avid walkers and for the past 12 years had enjoyed walking regularly with their friends Neil and Sue Phillips. Barry was a supporter of the Dogs Trust, RSPCA and UNICEF, and donations in his memory will be sent to these organisations.
In closing the ceremony Lorraine Barrett told the packed chapel that Barry was regarded by so many people as being a man of principle and integrity and will be missed by all his friends and colleagues, and will be especially missed by his much loved family.