My tribute to Haringey Labour legend Andrew Krokou (October 1947 – June 2024)
I wrote this for Parikiaki following the sad passing of Andy Krokou, a Haringey Labour legend and much missed friend.
Andrew Krokou (28/10/47 – 04/06/24) was Haringey Labour through and through. He joined the party when he was only 16 and when he was first elected to Haringey Council back in 1971, he was the first Councillor of Cypriot origin and one of the youngest at only 23. He served Bruce Grove and West Green wards before taking a break and being re-elected as a Noel Park Labour Councillor in the 1980s and going on to serve as Chair of what was then Hornsey & Wood Green Constituency Labour Party.
When I first met him back in 2013, he was our dedicated, hard-working Treasurer, at a time when that wasn’t the easiest role. We didn’t have any money, the Liberal Democrats had gained seats on the council, and we had a Liberal Democrat MP. Nationally, Labour was back in opposition and only at the beginning of the long walk back to government. For me, as the Labour candidate who was trying to become the Labour MP, I’m incredibly grateful to Andy for so much during those times. His depth of experience, endless energy and strong belief in what Labour could achieve held the whole thing together. But more than that, he was always someone who you could learn from, with good humour, wise counsel, and a friendly ear, and he was someone who believed that Labour needed to be in power to achieve change for working people, devoting so much of his time to that end.
His parents came from Eptagomi in the northern ‘panhandle’ of Cyprus. They were part of a community of Greek Cypriots who settled in Camden Town after the second world war and Andy went to St Michaels School in Camden and then Quintin Kynaston School in St Johns Wood, before going on to Newcastle University to study history and politics.
He loved politics and I know he would have been at our local Labour Party office these past weeks helping to get ready for the General Election and feeling incredibly excited at the prospect of a Labour Government. Andy also loved education, he had a PGCE in Education from the University of London and after starting his working career in accountancy he swiftly moved into teaching, spending his whole teaching career at Lister Community School in Newham and retiring as Assistant Head Teacher. We had many a conversation over the years about education, and Andy cared deeply about our schools and the prospects for our young people in an increasingly difficult world.
He also cared deeply for our precious National Health Service and whilst sadly his last 15 months were overshadowed by his serious and rare cancer, his widow, Angela, has told me of the excellent treatment he received from the NHS throughout his illness. He died peacefully in the North London Hospice and never lost faith in our NHS, education, or the future. His family are incredibly grateful to all the health and care workers who provided such support and care during those months.
Andy will forever be a part of the history of Haringey Labour and the old Hornsey & Wood Green Constituency Labour Party. His was a life well lived, one dedicated to leaving the world a better place than he found it, and one devoted to Angela, their children Katherine & Thomas and their five grandchildren who he loved so dearly. My thoughts are with them all.
Much missed, never forgotten.
Catherine West