John Franklin Lock obituary

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/01/john-franklin-lock-obituary

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My friend John Franklin Lock, who has died of motor neurone disease aged 62, was given the freedom of his home borough, Newham, last October for his lifetime of work on the regeneration of the East End of London, notably helping to ensure sustainable benefits from the 2012 Olympic Games.

John had 30 years’ experience in health, education, arts, urban regeneration, sport, technology, social enterprise, volunteering and business development. He worked in publishing, with Newman Books, until becoming constituency manager for Tony Banks, elected as Labour MP for Newham North West in 1983, after a bitter selection struggle.

It was through working with Tony that he met his partner, Jan Tallis, who in 2002 became his wife. Both of them were elected to Newham council in 1986; John served until 1994. Subsequently he led the University of East London’s engagement with the 2012 Games. Sir Robin Wales, Newham’s mayor, said of him: “Thanks to John, our borough is a much better place.”

John helped raise funding for UEL’s Docklands campus, including the Knowledge and Sports docks, and latterly led the transition of the council’s managed leisure services department into the independent trust activeNewham.

As a founder member of the Stratford Renaissance Partnership, he spearheaded the international promotion of Stratford as one of London’s main investment destinations. He was instrumental in creating Stratford’s cultural quarter, now home to Birkbeck University and UEL, led the development of Stratford Circus performing arts centre, was a director of Theatre Royal Stratford East for 10 years and sat on the Greater London Arts Council.

Born in the Isle of Wight, the first child of Joyce (nee Franklin) and John Lock, John went to primary school in Cowes and to Carisbrooke grammar school, Newport, before reading history at University College London. He moved to Newham after graduating.

Driven by his passion for equality of opportunity and his belief that the East End could and should be better, he achieved a great deal, particularly as chair of the leisure services committee, despite the effects of Margaret Thatcher’s cuts to local government. He was drafted in by the education committee to chair the governing body at Plashet girls’ school in East Ham, in challenging circumstances.

A keen photographer, he took up oil painting 10 years ago and was also a poet. He recently completed an epic poem entitled Dining with Pliny, which friends and family plan to publish.

John is survived by Jan and their sons, Nathaniel and Cato.