Gordon Pirie

Group Captain Sir Gordon Hamish Martin Pirie (10 February 1918 - 23 July 2003) was a Royal Air Force officer and local politician in Westminster.

Born in Oxford, Pirie spent much of his childhood in Kenya before entering Eton School. In 1938 he enrolled at the RAF College, Cranwell and served throughout the Second World War, retiring with a CBE in 1946.

In 1949 he was elected to Westminster City Council as a Conservative Party councillor for Covent Garden Ward. He held that seat until 1956 when he became a councillor for Knightsbridge St. Georges Ward for three years, and for Wilton Ward from 1959-63. He moved to the aldermanic bench in 1963. He held the chairs of the housing committee from 1953-56 and of the highways committee from 1956-63. He served as Mayor of Westminster in 1960-61 and was leader of the council from 1963.

Following the passing of the London Government Act 1963 an enlarged City of Westminster was formed in 1965, taking in the adjacent Metropolitan Boroughs of Paddington and St Marylebone. Pirie became an alderman on the enlarged council, continuing as leader and was Lord Mayor in 1974-75. In 1978 the office of alderman waas abolished and he served a four year term as a councillor for Belgrave Ward, retiring from the council at the 1982 election.

In later years he was a governor of Westminster School, a council member of the Royal Albert Hall. He was knighted in 1984.