Haringey’s first black councillor and a “political pioneer” has died at the age of 92.

Basil Lewis OBE served the borough for 14 years as a Conservative councillor for Stroud Green between 1968 and 78, and for Crouch End from 1978 until 1982.

Thought to be one of the first black councillors in the UK, he was also a successful businessman and a founder member of several community groups.

Mr Lewis was appointed OBE by the Queen in 1982 for his political achievements and community work.

Haringey Council leader Cllr Joseph Ejiofor said: “Basil was widely respected and a longstanding pillar of Haringey’s black community.

“Basil Lewis was a political pioneer, a dedicated public servant, a community leader, a businessman and a proud family man who always sought to bring people together and help new migrants integrate.

“He will be fondly remembered. I would like to send my sincerest condolences, personally, and on behalf of the people of Haringey to his loved ones, family and friends.”

Born in Clarendon, Jamaica, Mr Lewis arrived in the UK in 1954 and settled in Hornsey.

His first job was as a telephone engineer for Standard Telephones, where he worked for 13 years. Later on, he set up a record shop and a travel agency, Sunshine Travel.

Among the many organisations he helped to found were Haringey Community Relations Council, Hornsey Credit Union, Ferme Park Housing Association, the North London West Indian Association and the West Indian Standing Conference.

Mr Lewis was a devout Baptist and a member of the Union Church in Crouch End.

His son Wayne, a barrister, said his father helped to inspire his own efforts to become a politician before he moved into law.

“My dad was well regarded, and I thought I would follow in his footsteps to some extent – but I got distracted out of that,” he said.

“He got his OBE for services to the community in Haringey. The day I got called to the bar as a barrister was the same day he was at Buckingham Palace. In the morning, I was there with him and mum and one of my brothers.

“He was very active on the community front. A lot of people know him and respect him.”

Former colleague Brian Salinger, who was councillor for Alexandra ward from 1982 to 1986, said: “Basil was a lovely man with a great sense of humour who was dedicated to serving the community that elected him in Stroud Green and Crouch End, as well as the wider community in the whole of Haringey. He was a trailblazer for race relations.

“While he was on the council, he was dedicated to that and highly respected right the way across the borough. His faith was a large part of his life, and he had lots of friends across the political spectrum.”

Peter Forrest, president of Hornsey and Wood Green Conservative Association, said: “Basil was a role model at two levels – a role model in terms of the first black councillor in Haringey and probably the rest of the country, and also a role model in the sense that he very much wanted to get people like himself, relatively recently immigrated, to get involved in political processes and make a difference.”

Mr Lewis is survived by his three sons.