Bill Camm was a popular and highly regarded local politician who represented Sawley on the district/borough council for just a few weeks short of half a century. Bill was a joiner by trade and and worked at Stanton Ironworks before becoming self-employed for many years. He was elected to the Long Eaton Urban District Council on behalf of the Labour Party in 1961. Several disagreements between Bill and the party eventually led to his subsequently sitting as an independent for most of his long political career. When the LEUDC became part of the new Erewash Borough Council Bill retained his seat, and indeed kept it, with increasing majorities, until his death in 2011. He also represented Sawley on the Derbyshire County Council and in 1983 stood as an independent for the parliamentary constituency then known as South-east Derbyshire. He was not elected but, his poll of 4158 was not matched by that of any other independent at that election.
Always an intensely local man Bill Camm was associated with, or a patron of, too many local organisations to list. He was particular involved with the Sawley Community Association and Sawley and Long Eaton Cricket Club. He was president of both, and his name is commemorated by the latter in their Bill Camm Pavilion.
He was a friend to the Sawley and District Historical Society, one of his donations making it possible for us to launch this website.
When Bill Camm died in 2011 the attendance at his funeral in All Saints Church was such that a link had to be provided to an overflow congregation in the church Hall.
