Peter O'Callaghan, a dedicated housing campaigner who played a key role in the 1977 Housing (Homeless Persons) Act, has died aged 82. He spent decades helping homeless people, particularly Irish emigrants, in London.
Early life and calling
Born in Cork, Ireland, Peter was the son of Pauline (nee Donovan) and James O'Callaghan, a bank manager. He was the second eldest of six surviving children. Due to his father's frequent job moves, Peter attended several secondary schools, finishing at Knockbeg College on the County Laois-Carlow border.
Initially, Peter trained for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare, but after five years he decided it was not his calling. He then completed a teacher training course at University College Cork, but his restless nature led him to London in 1968, where he began working with homeless Irish emigrants through the Catholic Housing Association Society (Chas).
Career in housing aid
In 1969, Peter joined the pioneering housing charity Shac (the London Housing Aid Centre), directed by Father Paul Byrne. As head of the emergency department, he undertook detailed casework and built bridges between radical campaigns, housing charities, and progressive councils aiming to tackle homelessness and poor conditions in the private rented sector.
In the mid-1970s, Peter moved to run Brent Housing Aid Centre. During the 1980s, he served as assistant director of housing at Hammersmith and Brent councils. Over the next two decades, he was chief executive of Patchwork Housing Association and later the Brent Irish Advisory Service.
Impact and legacy
Together with Shelter, Chas, and others, Shac's advocacy for homeless people led to the transformational 1977 Housing (Homeless Persons) Act, which remains the basis for homelessness legislation today. Peter felt most fulfilled working face-to-face with people in housing need, described by friends as inspirational, innovative, and a real people person.
Known for his quick wit, warmth, and humour, as well as his fabled speeches and storytelling, Peter saw the good in everyone.
Personal life
While working at Shac, Peter met Lesley Williams, a psychotherapist, and they married in 1972. They settled in Queen's Park, north-west London, where they raised their twins, Kate and Tim. After retirement in 2010, they moved to Devizes, Wiltshire. In his final years, Peter lived with dementia and Parkinson's disease.
He is survived by Lesley, Tim and Kate, a granddaughter, Louise, and two brothers, Ivor and Niall.
