Alan Locke: highly-respected former Mayor of Craigavon and businessman was a strong advocate of improved social housing

Mr Locke, aged 95, passed away in Craigavon Area Hospital on November 5, 2024.

Alan was born on 16 April 1929 to Rachel and George Locke. He was the second eldest of four children, having an older sister June, and two younger brothers Lester and Victor. Alan had a happy childhood growing up in Thomas St, Portadown.

Following the tragic death of his father when he was only 13 years of age, life plans dramatically changed with Alan having to leave Thomas Street Primary School at the age of 14 to serve his time in TA Shillington & Sons prior to joining the family business Locke Tools and Locke Travel, so beginning a lifetime of service to the community both as a businessman and as a public representative.

In the early 1950s Alan met his future wife May at the Castle Ballroom in Banbridge with whom he shared a long and successful marriage. The couple were blessed with three children, Alan, Nigel and Hilary, who grew up in a happy family home in Windsor Avenue.

Eight grandchildren followed of whom Alan was very proud and gave him great joy which helped offset the loss of May in 1998 and his son Alan in 2013. Alan enjoyed spending time with his family and grandchildren particularly on local and foreign holidays.

In his early twenties Alan assumed full control of the family business which he was to dynamically led until his retirement in 1996. He was particularly proud of his role in overseeing the movement of the business premises from its original location in Woodhouse Street to West Street where many members of the public will remember purchasing tools, farm machinery or holidays.

Alan often reflected on his bold decision to take on a local franchise for Jones balers from Welsh company Jones Balers Limited which led to Locke Tools being the number one sales outlet within the UK for this product and many friendships being made with farmers across the length and breadth of southern Ulster.

Travel Agency

In later years Alan further diversified, focussing on the sale of specialist tools and wood turning equipment, all this going on alongside a thriving travel agency which was the first in Portadown.

Alan served as an Ulster Unionist councillor for over 20 years on Craigavon Borough Council. This was another arena in which he was able to meet a variety of people and develop life long friendships, a favourite pastime of his.

Whilst interested in all aspects of council work, he took great satisfaction from the development of industry and recreational services in the borough. However being a councillor was not the only way in which he worked to improve the local community.

He was a founding member of the organisation that become known as South Ulster Housing Association which over 30 years greatly improved the social housing stock across this part of the province.

It was an honour for the family when a building project that included his former family home on Thomas Street was named ‘Locke House’ in recognition of his service to the association. Alan was a great advocate for supporting local business and was a member of Portadown Chamber of Commerce.

It had been a childhood ambition to become a pilot prior to being pressed into business life as a teenager, so it was with great pride when he gained his private pilot’s licence at the age of 40. Thereafter Alan and family enjoyed many Sunday afternoon flights across Northern Ireland and other places as diverse as Niagara Falls, Canada and the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Throughout his life, Alan was a faithful member of St Marks Church, Portadown, being involved in church life from his youth through to his later years. He was also a lifetime member of the Orange Order and Royal Black which he also served faithfully during his lifetime.

Following retirement he was an active member of a number of local community groups including Portadown Probus Club and the Jubilee Club.

Sign up for a free Northern Ireland World newsletter and let us bring the news to you

Alan had a passion for ballroom dancing and was delighted when his family brought him to Blackpool Tower to celebrate his 90th birthday where he enjoyed an afternoon of waltzing around the famous dance floor.

Alan’s funeral service took place on November 8 at First Portadown Presbyterian Church. The service was conducted by Rev William Orr, Rector of St Marks, Portadown. This was followed by a family internment at Tartaraghan Parish Church.

Alan will be dearly missed by his son Nigel (Helen), daughter Hilary Doyle (Stephen), Wendy (wife of the late Alan Jnr), grandchildren Paula, Gemma, Stephen, Caroline, Alan, Alana, Michael and Alex and great-grandchild Finn.

Contributed