Just read in People that the wonderful Steve has died. I'm so sorry. I remember the days when he was reluctantly in the Navy. We, in IS,raised the money at parties to buy him out Then he turned up in the LSE canteen as a chef. I was a student there and still can see his smiling face as we recognised each other. He and Jenny were already in love. We supported his charismatic younger brother John in his attempt to organise schoolkids against the Vietnam war and for socialism. Heady days indeed. My heart goes out to you Jenny and your kids and grandkids. Thinking of you all Wenda xx

Stephen’s eulogy from the funeral mass: Dad was extraordinary—patient, compassionate, and loving. He was always ready to lend a helping hand, and share his kind heart. His values and principles, deeply rooted in his character, were shaped by his life experiences. When Clare & I speak of Dad, we’re conscious that our story with him is just part of a much bigger one. Luckily for us, Dad thoughtfully documented a huge part of his life in his book, "Sadism, Songs, and Stolen Liberty." Drafted using his Blackberry during his daily commute to work. 'A good read', he proudly exclaimed as we read together at St Josephs. And indeed it is, with each chapter brought to life with a song, the soundtrack of his younger life. A gift for us to cherish. In his own words; 'he didn't choose the songs, the songs chose him'. Dad was born in a house on Lennox Road, Finsbury park, which has since been knocked down. We know this, because he’d tell us every time he’d pick us up from Finsbury Park station. We never tired of his unique north London tours. His parents were Rose ‘Iris’ and Albert ‘Bert’ Mann, and he was the middle child, with his older brother Geoff and younger brother John. John who sadly passed away in 2007. He went to local schools including Pooles Park and Tollington, as well as a spell living in Harlow. In March 1962 at the age of 11, he started work on a paper round for a newsagent in Finsbury Park, getting up a 5.30am to deliver papers to houses and flats in the Seven Sisters Road area. A few months later, he started collecting the London Evening News from a van outside Finsbury Park station, selling the papers to commuters. On Saturdays, he worked all day helping a milkman from United Dairies. In 1963, he gave up the paper round to work each morning before school for Edwards’s dairy, delivering milk to houses, shops and businesses around the Holloway Road. In May 1964 he left school aged 15 and signed up to join the Royal Navy as a chef. He filled the gap before joining the Navy working for a firm called Holloway Engineering near the Nags Head making television sets. It was during his time in the Navy that Dad met Mum, and a everlasting love story began . In his book, Dad fondly recalls the day in 1970 when he bid farewell to the Navy, meeting mum at Waterloo station and crossing the bridge on the 4a routemaster buss, humming the kinks song ‘Waterloo sunset’, and feeling young, free and in love. On leaving the Navy Dad got a job as a chef at the London School of Economics followed by a stint working for Birds Eye picking green beans in farms between Brighton and Arundel. He then joined the Post Office where he worked at Muswell Hill, Wood Green and Mount Pleasant before transferring to Post Office Telephones as an engineer in January 1974 working in North London. He became active in the union, and held a number of posts including Branch Secretary of the North London Branch, Chair and Secretary of the London Region, member of the National Executive and in March 2000 he was appointed as the CWU’s National Telecoms Health and Safety Officer. Always keen to learn, he also studied for a degree in computing. On 31st March 2020, at 5pm, and 58 years of working, he retired. Dad’s dedication to community service was unwavering, leading to his election as Labour councillor for Noel Park in September 2015 and his tenure as Mayor of Haringey between May 2017 and 2018. He was also made Freeman of the City of London, passions and honors he shared and experienced with Mum. A formidable partnership. His work continued with his chosen mayoral charities; Mind in Haringey and Studio 306. Dad was an avid Arsenal fan, and as a child would collect programs and players autographs after games. A life long fan and season ticket holder he and mum also served on the AISA committee, where they collaborated with like minded diehards to provide an independent voice for fans tackling some of the more difficult 'off field issues. But to us, he was dad. We’ve always said he was the best dad in the world. Patient, loving, warm, gentle, loyal, supportive, playful and funny. You wanted to be around him. He was our rock, our protector, and our guide. He taught us the importance of kindness, empathy, and standing up for what we believe in. He taught us how to love, and to be loved, unconditionally. He adored his son Kevin and daughter in law Lisa, and was so proud of Kevin’s work and their life together in China. He adored his daughter me and daughter in law Cordy, him and mum loved their visits to Shanghai, Washington DC, and Bangkok to explore and spend quality time with family. It was in Thailand the Christmas before last, that we all gathered together for what would be our last family holiday, the first time we'd been together since before covid. Moments and memories we will all treasure. Dad knew how to find joy in every moment whether at grand events or in the most mundane. Some of our happiest childhood memories are sitting in the car with him while we discussed the traffic, and which was the best journey option, while he rattled off interesting facts and information about every local landmark. We loved assisting as his sous chef, dad would always say ‘the first rule of cooking is to start with a big bowl of hot soapy water to clean as you go’, which he knew we rarely followed but he patiently said as if it was the first time. On a childhood holiday in Menorca during an ‘el nino’ year, the rain poured almost the entire trip. Yet Dad would look out the window each morning and announce, ‘it’s a glorious day’. Devastated with mum critically ill and in ICU for several months in 2019, dad showed inspiring dedication. He was at her bedside every single day and he rallied support and prayers from the community and every major religion. At the same time he managed to be fully present for family and friends, and especially delighted in his infant grandson Rufus, cherishing every moment together in the hospital waiting room, making sure he made him laugh just as much on the worst days as the best. When he became a grandfather, he became the best grandfather in the world. Living abroad you might think the bond would be weakened, however the bond he has with his grandson and granddaughter is unbreakable and transcends his death. Lockdown, and being in different countries had no effect on their closeness, as he’d make his grandson giggle over FaceTime daily as a toddler. We could make an entire photo album entitled ‘reading to his grand children’ and ‘greeting his grandchildren from Heathrow’. In his final days at his most fatigued, when all the energy left was the squeeze of a hand, he had a full arm around Rufus and Tallulah. They brightened his life and he theirs. He delighted in their being. We are so grateful and so lucky for the time they had together and know that the love and kindness he surrounded them in will last their lifetime and beyond. Initially baptized C of E as a child, Dad would attend Catholic mass with us every Sunday. Then last year he messaged to say he was being confirmed catholic. He was strong in his faith and believed in Jesus and God and the afterlife. Dad’s illness came suddenly, unexpectedly, and developed heartbreakingly quickly. In that short time he bravely adjusted from thinking his condition was treatable, to the fact he was dying. Not only did dad teach us how to live, but he taught us how to die, with bravery, acceptance, and peace. He was kind to absolutely everyone throughout, whether they were family members or hospital or hospice staff. He continued to offer us wisdom, strength and solace to the very end. He told us he loved us many times. He gave his grandchildren cuddles. He told us we should be slow to anger and quick to forgive. And that the meaning of life is to spread Joy. His faith was incredibly strong and gave him and us great comfort in his final days and moments. When we asked if we could talk to him after he dies, he said of course, that’s what he’s here for, that he’ll always be with us in our hearts and he’ll be our guardian angel. During his final hours, Kevin, mum and I were able to be with dad while he slept. We knew he was pain free, calm, and happy at st Joseph’s. We held his hand and fell asleep listening to the sound of his breathing. We awoke to the gentle voice of a kind nurse telling us she thought he’d taken his final breathe. Dad had wanted the window open the entire time he’d been sick. When asked whether he was too cold with the winter wind blowing into the hospice room he replied ‘it’s lovely’. So now, we knew to open the window. We said prayers. As we left the hospice that cold, wet morning, we glanced back up at his hospice room window. Two planes had crossed paths and left a white cloudy trail that formed a perfect cross above his room, where his beautiful soul had left his earthly body. Dad is now in heaven, touching the souls of others, the same way he touched lives of others here on earth. We love you forever dad, you’ve spread joy, now you can rest in peace.

I am really grateful to have met Mr Stephen Mann, and I was fortunate to have last seen him at my brother's wedding in October 2023. An early memory I have of him, was when he was mayor of Haringey and came to visit the cadet group I was part of as a teenager. I was so excited to see him. I have always been inspired by him, and I especially admired his committment to supporting Studio 306 Collective. May his soul rest in perfect peace.