The tale of Tony Bleasdale OAM is a tale of two cities – England ’ s Liverpool in which he spent his formative years , and Blacktown where he served its citizens for nearly three decades .

This great man left this place on March 3 , passing away on a flight back to Australia after spending a few weeks promoting Blacktown and drumming up business investment for his beloved city .

I ’ m sure it would have been a comfort to Tony and his treasured wife , Nina , that she was at his side on the plane during his final moments .

The Rodgers and Hammerstein song , You ’ ll Never Walk Alone , was made famous in 1963 by Liverpool ’ s very own Gerry and the Pacemakers and adopted as Liverpool Football Club ’ s anthem .

Tony Bleasdale ’ s loss has been heartfelt by his family , friends and a multitude of admirers who had the pleasure of knowing him .

Vale Tony , you ’ ll never walk alone in our memories .

by Greg Martin

Following is the Blacktown ’ s Finest tribute to Tony Bleasdale OAM which previously appeared on these pages .

Your writer spent nearly two hours interviewing Blacktown City Mayor , Tony Bleasdale for this article and on the journey , I experienced a range of emotions as his life story unfolded .

To say Tony Bleasdale has lived a life is to say Liverpool Reds ’ legend , Kenny Dalglish could play soccer !

I ’ ve mentioned Dalglish because the 74-year-old Tony spent his formative years as a Liverpudlian before migrating to Australia as a 15-year-old , arriving in Sydney aboard MV Fairsky on September 27 , 1962 .

Leaving behind his parents , Frank , a wharfie , and his mother , Mary , plus eight siblings , was heartbreaking for all the family , especially young Tony as he ventured to the other side of the planet on his own .

But Tony ’ s great adventure was a better move than anything performed by Boris Spassky on a chess board !

He found his true love and a devoted family , a series of rewarding jobs and tasks and the respect of just about everyone who had the fortune of crossing his path . Tony was first elected to Blacktown Council in November 1996 , serving several terms before his election as mayor in October , 2019 .

He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal ( OAM ) in the Queen ’ s 2010 honours

list for his service to the community as a supporter of charitable organisations , and for his contribution to local government in the Blacktown City area .

This human dynamo of a man ’ s charity work and sponsorships include Gynaecological Cancer Research Fund , Blacktown Relay for Life , Schizophrenia Research Institute , Construction Industry Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign , Mount Druitt Town Rangers Soccer Club , West Tradies Club and Antarctic explorer , Matt McFadyen .

Tony ’ s journey to the Blacktown mayoral role began when the newly arrived 15-year-old boosted his age to 21 and along with three fellow young immigrants , successfully gained employment at Anderson ’ s Meatworks in Paddington .

“ We had only arrived in Sydney a few days before and the four of us were placed in a boarding house where we were so very fortunate to have as landlady , Mrs Ferguson – she and her husband , Ron , were a godsend ,” Tony recalled .

“ Mrs Ferguson stressed to us ‘ tell them at the meatworks you are all 21 and keep telling them that if you are queried – they are desperate for workers and if you keep to your story , you ’ ll be hired ’.”

Sure enough , they were – and on men ’ s wages !

“ It was five pounds a week – an amazing amount of money for we young blokes ,” Tony recalled .

“ It enabled me to pay Mrs Ferguson my board , send two pounds a week back

to my parents in Liverpool and still have money left over to enjoy life in my new country .”

Tony and his cobbers were among a host of young fellas who migrated to Australia after replying to advertisements placed throughout the British Isles seeking boys and young men to come Down Under for work opportunities .

“ Mum and dad , who had lost loved ones in both world wars , had previously denied me permission to join the army but both realised that going to Australia would open up opportunities for me ,” Tony said .

“ I well remember receiving a letter from my mother after she had received a few of the weekly two-pound money orders and she wrote that the entire family agreed ‘ Tony ’ s found gold in Australia ’.”

Tony was on a winner when he found employment at Andersons Meatworks but also hit the jackpot a few weeks after he had received his first pay packet and bought a pie from a milk bar in Woolloomooloo .

“ This attractive lass handed me the pie and as I fished into my pocket for money , she said ‘ that ’ s OK ’, so delighted , I went outside the shop , scoffed down the pie and then went back inside and ordered another ,” Tony said .

“ This time I had to pay but I remembered the young lady and a couple of nights later I recognised her at the Beatle Village nightclub in Paddo where we had a dance or two which led to more and more dances over the ensuing weeks .