## Lord Rosser: Rail Enthusiast and Dedicated Trade Unionist
### Early Life and Career
Richard Rosser was born into a family of ardent railway enthusiasts on October 5, 1944, in Northwood, Middlesex. His passion for railways, instilled from a young age, led him to work for London Transport as an industrial relations clerk upon graduating high school.
In 1966, Rosser joined the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) as a research officer. His exceptional abilities and dedication were recognized, and he rapidly rose through the ranks, becoming assistant general secretary in 1982 and general secretary in 1989.
### Political Engagements
Alongside his trade union career, Rosser actively participated in politics. He served as a Hillingdon councillor from 1971 to 1978 and chaired the finance committee for the latter four years. He was also appointed a magistrate in 1978 and rose to chair the Uxbridge bench from 1996 to 2000.
Rosser was a staunch supporter of Tony Blair and the Labour party. He chaired the Blackpool Labour conference following Labour’s triumph in the 1997 election. He later served as a non-executive director of the Prison and Probation Service management board and chaired its audit committee.
### House of Lords
In 2004, Rosser joined the House of Lords and became Labour’s frontbench spokesman on transport matters. He continued to advocate for the interests of working people and the railway industry, delivering insightful speeches and scrutinizing government policies.
Rosser was a respected member of various parliamentary committees, including the procedure and privileges committee and the secondary legislation scrutiny committee. He utilized his expertise to shape legislation and hold government to account.
### Personal Life
Rosser was an avid supporter of non-league football and collected programmes from around the country. From 2008, he served as vice-president and later president of the Isthmian League, demonstrating his passion for the sport.
In 1973, Rosser married Sheena Denoon, a computer programmer. They had two sons and a daughter, as well as five grandchildren. Rosser passed away on April 10, 2024, at the age of 79, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in the world of trade unionism, politics, and railways.