Mr Barker, who was Mayor of Morley in 1972-73, died on June 12, just short of his 84th birthday.

A long-serving councillor on both Morley Borough Council and Leeds City Council, he was the second to last mayor of Morley before the borough council was dissolved and Morley became part of Leeds in 1974.

From a family of Morley mill owners, he was the fourth generation of his family to serve on Morley Council and the third to hold the post of mayor.

His great grandfather, James Barker, served on the first Morley Council in 1886, his grandfather, Brian Bradley Barker, was mayor four times, and father, James Barker, was mayor in 1952-3.

But while local historians may be fascinated by the family's history, Mr Barker's family and friends remember a "life well lived" by a "dedicated family man".

That was how he was described by nephew and godson John Haworth in his eulogy.

Mr Haworth said: "Above all Brian will be remembered as a gentleman, a courteous, kindly, generous and gentle man."

Mr Barker was born in Morley in 1925 and was sent away to school at the age of nine.

In 1943 he was called up and joined the Navy, seeing active service in the Channel and the North Atlantic, escorting food convoys from the Americas and in the Indian Ocean where his ship took part in the liberation of Ceylon.

In 1945 he returned to Morley and took up a degree in textiles at the University of Leeds to prepare him to join the family business, Barker Textiles of Deanfield Mills, Morley.

In time he was made a director and was loved and respected by staff, customers and suppliers but struggled keep the business going as synthetics became popular.

The business closed in the 1960s after a devastating fire.

Mr Barker turned his full attention to local government where he had already established a reputation as an independent town councillor.

In 1974 he was transferred to Leeds City Council where he served as chairman of planning.

One of his legacies to Morley is the free car park he negotiated with Ken Morrison during talks about plans for a supermarket at the heart of the town.

Although Mr Barker never married, he was a devoted family man and a loyal and loving son who nursed his mother, Lucy, until her death in 1993.

Mr Haworth, one of at least six godsons of Mr Barker, said: "He would have made a loyal and devoted husband and a wonderful father but chose a life of public involvement."

Following the death of his mother, Mr Barker threw himself into the life of his church, St Andrews, where he served as a church warden.

Mr Haworth added: "As a spin-off from this church involvement and community activity, and because of his fearless ability to make a fool of himself, he was known well beyond the bounds of Morley for his many performances in the parish pantomimes – always as Widow Twanky or one of the ugly sisters.