Editing Ken Purchase (section)

==Early life==
He attended Springfield Secondary Modern School (became Woden Primary School) on Springfield Road in Wolverhampton. At [[University of Wolverhampton|Wolverhampton Polytechnic]], (now [[Wolverhampton University]]) he gained a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in Social Science. Ken worked as a [[co-operative]] development officer. He was an apprentice toolmaker in the foundry industry from 1956–60 at the firm of Arthur Shaw & Company at [[Willenhall]]<ref name=funeral>{{cite news|url=http://expressandstar.com/news/2016/09/20/ken-purchase-funeral-to-dedicated-man-of-the-people/|work=Express & Star|date= 20 September 2016|title= Ken Purchase, funeral to dedicated man of the people|accessdate=22 September 2016}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> From 1960–8, he worked in experimental component development in the aerospace industry. From 1968–76, he was a toolroom machinist in the car industry. He worked in the property division of Telford Development Corporation. From 1981–2, he was a housing officer in the Housing Department of [[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council]].<ref name=funeral/> From 1982–92, he was a [[Business development|Business Development Advisor]] at Black Country CDA Ltd. He was a councillor on Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council from 1970–90.