Angela Molloy was a leading activist in both the North Southwark & Bermondsey Labour Party and on Southwark Trades Council over a number of years. Her tragic death in her early 50s has robbed her family, friends and the wider community of a woman with real spark and determination – someone who was always willing to challenge the powers that be.
Angela was born and brought up in Walworth in London – a place she championed with passion and vigour, particularly over the development of the Elephant and Castle and the Heygate Estate. She was an eloquent advocate of social housing and never lost sight of her roots, living in Walworth all her life and playing a very active role in the local housing co-op. The plans for the Heygate Estate, which was part of the regeneration of the Elephant and Castle, gave force to her anger, because she saw it as social engineering: trying to remove working-class people from their roots in favour of the rich and well-heeled.
She was secretary of the local Labour Party at a critical time in its history and stood as a local council candidate in 2002. She could be relied on to fight for Labour’s traditional values, both as a local member and through wider networks.
But it is probably as a trade unionist where Angela really made her mark, taking on the likes of Robert Maxwell, who sacked her – something she was always very proud of – when she worked in the print industry. Later, as secretary of the parliamentary branch of the Transport & General Workers Union, she did much to formalise terms and conditions and get the union proper recognition.
She had a tremendous sense of humour and always found the time to let her hair down with friends and family. That included celebrations of her Irish roots – she was a regular on the annual St Patrick’s Day march in London. In recent years, she worked for the Unite union and was a valued and much respected member of staff because she was such a dedicated advocate of trade union rights and fighter for social justice.
In a moving tribute at Angela’s funeral, Unite London and Eastern regional secretary Steve Hart said that if there is an afterlife, she will be up there organising. That’s the sort of person she was. She will be sorely missed by all those who knew and loved her, including her mother and six siblings, who survive her.
