My husband, Andrew Krokou, who has died aged 76 of thyroid cancer, was a teacher and an active local politician in north London. He was the first councillor of Cypriot heritage on Haringey council, elected in 1971.
He was born into the tight-knit Greek Cypriot community of Camden, his parents being among the earliest settlers there. Andrew grew up speaking Greek, and always remembered the shock of going to school at five and having to learn English, sitting next to a cousin who would translate for him.
Educated at St Michael’s school in Camden and then Quintin Kynaston secondary school in St John’s Wood, he became one of the first people in his family to attend university, winning a place at Newcastle to study history and politics.
His working life began in accountancy as an articled clerk, but he decided it was not for him. His love of politics and education made him decide to train as a teacher.
He worked throughout his career at Lister Community school in the borough of Newham, where he taught economics, humanities and business studies, and became head of department and assistant head teacher. Andrew believed passionately in the importance of education as it had shaped his life. He gained his PGCE from the University of London and, while working as a teacher, a diploma, then a master’s, in urban education, from the Institute of Education.
Andrew first joined the Labour party at 16. When his family moved to Tottenham he quickly became involved and was elected to Haringey council in May 1971 at the age of 23.
Over 11 years in total he served wards in Tottenham and in Hornsey, and for a period was chair of the council’s finance committee. After taking a break, he was elected to the council for a second spell (2002-06) and was chair of the Alexandra Park and Palace Board, helping to set the building “on its feet” as an events venue and tackling its financial challenges.
Andrew was also on the board of the Tottenham Grammar School Foundation, which he helped to establish, a significant local charity funding educational opportunities for young people in Haringey. He was a trustee of Tottenham District Charity, continuing as its chair until the last few months of his life.
His passions included wine, Tottenham Hotspur, opera and his family. He read the Guardian every day, going to the Letters page first, and was himself a sometime contributor.
Andrew and I met through the Labour party and spent a lot of time together stuffing envelopes for the February 1974 general election. We married in 1976.
He is survived by me, our two children, Kate and Tom, and by five grandchildren.
