Tributes after death of former Doncaster Rovers director and council leader
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Gordon Galllmore was the leader of Doncaster Council in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before the Donnygate scandal, and was briefly a director of the Rovers in the 90s.
He was described by his daughter as a driving force in the construction of the Dome leisure centre.
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Hide AdDoncaster’s present elected mayor, Ros Jones said: “We are sorry to hear of Gordon’s passing and would like to extend our condolences to his friends and family.
"Gordon served as a Councillor for many years, he was the Civic Mayor in 1976/77 and 1994/95 as well as being a former leader of the Council and a Freeman of the Borough.”
Born in 1925, Mr Gallmore was born in Bentley, the son of a miner.
He initially started working in a fishmongers shop, but at the age of 17, with World War Two raging, he was called up and joined the Royal Navy.
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Hide AdHis daughter, Sharon Gotze, said getting the train to Plymouth to start his wartime service was the first time he had left Bentley – but his service took him around the world, from Nova Scotia to Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, where he was ill with dysentery and was kept in hospital for six weeks.
Serving on the frigate HMS Exe, he served throughout the war as an ASDIC operator, an early form of sonar used to detect submarines.
After he was demobbed, he returned to Bentley and became an insurance agent for the Co-op, marrying wife Lena, a miner’s daughter, in 1948.
He started taking an interest in politics and by the early 1950s had been elected to Doncaster Council as a Labour member for Bentley.
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Hide AdHe was the ceremonial mayor for two terms, in 1976 and 1994, and was awarded the Freedom of the borough for his service.
He was briefly a director of Doncaster Rovers, resigning after six months in the Ken Richardson era.
Daughter Sharon said: “I think he was probably most proud of serving the people of Bentley, having grown up very much part of the mining community there. After that, he had a lot of pride in becoming a freeman of Doncaster.
"He had a big role in making the Dome leisure centre happen, which was one of the first leisure centres of its type in the region, with the swimming pool, ice rink and the area for singers to perform.
"I certainly think he was a driving force behind that.”
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Hide AdMr Gallimore, who was also a former deputy lord lieutenant of South Yorkshire, also met a number of high profile royals, including the Queen. He met the Princess of Wales in 1989 at the opening of the Doncaster Dome.
Mr Gallmore, who was aged 95, leaves a daughter, two grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
A small family funeral service is planned with numbers restricted by the coronavirus restrictions.