Tributes as ‘passionate’ former Hull Lord Mayor dies after long illness

FORMER Lord Mayor of Hull Councillor Pete Allen has died after a long illness.

The Labour councillor represented the Newington and Gipsyville ward in west Hull.

He became Lord Mayor in May 2018, but fell ill a few months later.

As a result, many of his civic duties were taken over by his then deputy Councillor Steve Wilson who has seen his own subsequent spell as Lord Mayor extended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Although he completed his civic year, Mr Allen fell ill again and has been absent from the Guildhall for several months.

Mr Wilson said: “I am very sad to hear of the passing of my predecessor Councillor Pete

Allen.

“Pete was passionate about serving Hull and his constituents too.

“He was also a stalwart of the Labour movement.”

Mr Allen was first elected to the council in 2004 having previously worked as a full-time trade union official.

His first job was an apprentice river pilot on the Humber, but then moved to work on the fish docks as a barrow boy before joining the Merchant Navy.

Returning to shore, he landed a job filleting fish in the Birds Eye factory in Hull before moving to Hull City Transport where he worked as a bus driver for 13 years.

He later swapped his driver’s cab to become a full-time trade union officer for the Transport and General Workers Union, notably leading several successful campaigns to secure equal pay and rights for women in the workplace.

His most memorable success was representing women workers at seafood firm Smales in what would become Hull’s first ever equal pay case.

He retired as a councillor in 2008 but returned to the Guildhall in 2011, helping Labour regain political control of the authority.

Paying tribute today, Hull City Council chief executive Matt Jukes said: “He was such a genuinely nice man who cared passionately about his people and his place and always approached life with a great sense of humour.

“He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.”