Former Chairman
Jack Russell (left),Brian Rice and Aubrey at DaC’s 50th
anniversary bash June 2003
For those who don’t know, Aubrey Siteman - who on October 17
celebrate his 80th birthday - had been a licensed taxi driver
since 1953 and came to ODRTS ten years later, when Eli Solomons
was just handing the Chairmanship over to Jack Russell. Three
years later, he successfully stood for the BoM using the need
for computerisation as his ‘election ticket.’ He became
Treasurer for the first time in 1968. Barring one short period,
Aubrey kept his place on the BoM until 1984, when he decided to
stand down.
In 1989, he stood again and was re-elected, 22 years after his
first election success. Between 1992 and 1996 Aubrey was the
Chairman of Dial-a-Cab, but eventually stood aside and continued
on the Board in several different positions and is still proud
of the fact that he has - at one time or another - filled every
BoM position within the Society.
In 1999, he had to decide whether at almost 70, it was worth
converting his cab - as all had to at that time – into
wheelchair accessibility. He also confided to Call Sign
readers that he felt he had gone as far as he could go in
serving the Society, having covered every position within the
BoM and suggested that the time was right for him to pursue
other interests and to make way for some young blood.
Nowadays Aubrey still enjoys life, so from all those at Dial-a-Cab
who appreciated all the time and effort you put into helping
make Dial-a-Cab the success it is today, a very happy birthday,
Aubrey…
|
A happy Brian Son after becoming
Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets in 2005
The brother of DaC Board member Mike Son finally lost his
brave battle against acute lymphoma leukaemia – an illness he
had been facing for 9 years. The end came after Brian Son had
yet another recurrence of the illness – this time worse than any
previous occasion. He told his wife Julia, who was at his
bedside, that there was no point taking further treatment. He
died peacefully soon after on Wednesday 17 September.
Brian was on Dial-a-Cab for several years, but was always keener on
politics than he was on driving a taxi. The highlight of his
political career came in 2005 when he was elected Deputy Mayor
for the Borough of Tower Hamlets.
When Brian was driving has cab full time, he decided to take
various part-time studies at the local university and eventually
graduated with a BA Honours degree and became a teacher. Later
on, he was elected as a Councillor for Tower Hamlets.
Through it all, Brian had that constant leukaemia lurking, but with
the advent of new and improved drugs and by successfully
managing the after-effects, he successfully battled the illness
through to virtual normality.
Mike told Call Sign: "We have always been very
proud of Brian. He battled against so much adversity and came
through it successfully so many times. He was my baby brother
and I will miss him so much."
Phillip Son, a driver with Radio Taxis, is a third brother and
to Julia, his brothers and the whole Son family, we all send our
sincere condolences… |
