It was with great sadness we learned the news last week of the passing of Proprietor Alderman Frank Doran MBE, aged 72, following a battle with Alzheimer’s.
A Proprietor since 2005, Frank was well known within the Institution and of course across the Liverpool City Region for the vast contribution he made during his lifetime, not least his instrumental part in the city’s European Capital of Culture bid.
Frank was Lord Mayor in 1996-97 and, as cabinet member for culture in 2008, helped secure Liverpool’s status as European Capital of Culture.
Away from the Town Hall, he served in the Parachute Regiment for more than a decade before spending 25 years in the intelligence corps.
While on active service in Kuwait, the former cabinet member discovered his hard work on promoting Liverpool had been successful, seeing himself on television presenting the city’s bid to Tony Blair, having begun planning the bid back in 1998. Retiring from the armed forces in 2009, Mr Doran was also a long term servant to the University of Liverpool, acting as a teaching technician in the department of chemistry from 1970 to 2011.
Speaking with the Echo in 2013 following being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, he said “I have Alzheimer’s, it doesn’t have me. I am fighting it with the same vigour I needed one hundred miles behind enemy lines in Iraq.”
He was made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours in 2016 for services to the community in Liverpool. In 2014, Mr Doran was made an honorary alderman of the city of Liverpool for his long service to the council. Having been first elected to his Kensington ward in May 1973, and served his residents until May 2008.
Within The Athenaeum he was an avid supporter for many years, as a great collector of books and documents about the history of Liverpool Frank had particular interest in the Library and made many donations and contributions during his Proprietorship. Between 2017 and 2019 Frank was elected to The Athenaeum’s Main Committee and following his term continued to provide support and ideas to the Management Team. A thoughtful thinker, he cared deeply for the Club and wanted to help ensure its success.
He will be very sorely missed by all who knew him.
Frank is survived by his wife Sandra and his two stepchildren.
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