Deputy Mayor - information
Deputy Mayor of Rochdale - Councillor Keith Swift
Due to the evacuation of St Mary’s Hospital,
Manchester, Keith Swift first saw the light of day in the billiard
room of Prestbury Hall, Cheshire, during the “Big Freeze” of
1947.
He has a younger brother and sister; all three were born within
25 months of each other.
Keith was brought up in the, then, new estate of Wythenshawe,
and attended Rackhouse County Primary School, where his granddad
had been the first caretaker of the new school.
Another new school, Wythenshawe Technical High School for Boys,
was where Keith spent the early 60’s. Supporting a soul band “The
Big City Soul Band” formed by school friends was the first
introduction to the music business. When the band turned
professional and changed its name to “Samson” Keith joined them in
London and spent 18 months travelling throughout the UK and Europe.
In 1969 the band was supported on tour by a, then, one-hit-wonder
David Bowie.
Keith’s interest in all types of music has continued to this
day. He is a former player and Secretary of Milnrow Brass Band and
is now carving out a new career as a “Rat Pack” singer. He has
performed at many prestigious venues, such as Manchester City’s
Eastlands Stadium and the Portmeirion Hotel.
Keith met June whilst they were both living in Sale and they
married in 1974 at Sale Town Hall. They have two daughters of whom
they are extremely proud, Sally, a Financial and Pensions
Consultant, and Stephanie, who is a Chartered Accountant. They also
have a granddaughter, Ella.
Keith has served on the Council for eleven years. He has been
Chairman of the Pennines Township and is currently Cabinet Member
for Townships and Corporate Management.
Deputy Mayoress of Rochdale - Mrs June Swift
June Swift was born and brought up in Chorlton-cum-Hardy,
Manchester, the eldest of four children. She attended Oswald Road
County Primary School until the age of eleven, and then went on to
Manchester Central Grammar School for Girls.
After leaving school she joined Williams Deacon ‘s Bank (now The
Royal Bank of Scotland), working her way up from junior clerk to
Chief Clerk in Securities. During this time she met and married
Keith and they set up home in Newhey. They decided to come to live
within the Rochdale Borough because they had visited the area
several times before their marriage and had come to love the
natural beauty of the surrounding countryside and the friendliness
of the people in Newhey. She resigned from the bank in 1977 when
she was expecting their first daughter, Sally.
A few years later, after Stephanie had also arrived, June and
Keith moved to their present home, which at the time was a wool and
drapery shop. June combined the running of the shop with bringing
up the two girls for about four years, when she was offered a job
back with the bank, with whom she remained until her retirement in
2006.
June is Church Warden of St Thomas’s Church in Newhey. She is
also a Licensed Lay Assistant at the Church. Her hobbies include
gardening, reading and all types of craftwork – particularly
painting – and most recently mainly looking after Ella, her and
Keith’s first grandchild, who is a lively and lovely two year
old..