Tributes have been paid to an ‘extraordinary’ Holocaust survivor who served as a councillor for 40 years, following his death at the age of 87. Paul Porgess was first elected to Stockport council in 1978, winning the old Cheadle East seat in a shock by-election result. He was one of the first Liberal councillors to represent the Cheadle area and would continue to do so for the next four decades.
He was born Pavel Kraus, in Trebivlice, Czechoslovakia to parents Victor and Olga. During the Second World War, his family was deported to the ghetto in Terezin and then to the Warsaw ghetto. After falling ill he was separated from his parents but was helped to escape from the camp by the Polish Resistance. He was taken to a Christian family in Warsaw who sheltered him during the war.
Tragically, his parents are understood to have died in Warsaw in 1942. Paul came to England after the war, earning a doctorate in chemistry at the University of London, before moving to Cheadle with his wife Joan.
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He lectured on metallurgy at the Technical University of Manchester and the couple had three children Michael, Claire and Jane. Paul’s daughter Jane O’ Neill is following in his footsteps by standing in the new Cheadle East and Cheadle Hulme North seat at this year's local elections.
She has described her dad as a ‘humble and caring man’. “He cared for his family and cared about the people he represented on Stockport council,” she said in a tribute to her late father.
“We are all saddened that he has left us, but the messages of support from those people he helped and worked with are proof that he leaves an incredible legacy behind him. We will miss him terribly, but couldn’t be anymore proud.”
During his time on the council, Paul held a number of positions, including chairing the housing committee, equal opportunities special panel and social inclusion and community cohesion working party.
More recently, he was chair of the Cheadle Area committee. Further tributes have also been paid by a number of his Lib Dem colleagues. Despite retiring as a councillor four years ago, he remained a member and continued to campaign for the party.
Coun Tom Morrison, who represents Cheadle Hulme North, said: “Paul was a great mentor to me and I was so privileged to carry on his work when he retired in 2019. I will miss his advice as he would often give me new ideas for campaigns in the community.
“He was a treasured friend, I was lucky to know him.”
And former councillor John Pantall - a colleague of Paul for 30 years - recalled how it was ‘tremendous to work with someone so committed to helping people on everyday matters’.
“His commitment to his community was undiminished even after retirement,” said Mr Pantall. “In fact he was helping our Liberal Democrat team on Easter Saturday knocking on doors and taking up issues. He really cared and was a great friend, I shall miss him.”
Coun Jilly Julian added: “Paul’s compassion and commitment to our area drove him and that is still referenced today by many residents.
“The impact he had on people’s lives cannot be underestimated and still to this day people reference things he did and said. He put people before politics and was an inspiration to us.”
Labour councillor David Meller, who represents Cheadle Hulme North, has also spoken of his sadness over Mr Porgess death.
He said: "Despite being in an opposing party he was nothing but warm and kind to me when I got elected onto the council in 2018. A really decent man indeed.
"He was a thoroughly dedicated ward councillor over many years and was certainly that during the brief time he was a fellow ward colleague. My thoughts are with his family and with close colleagues of his."
His family and colleagues say once arrangements are made to celebrate his ‘extraordinary life’ they will be shared appropriately.
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