▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁Cle ary ▁was ▁made ▁an ▁Ald erman ▁of ▁Liverpool ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Labour ▁group ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 5 – 4 8 . ▁He ▁under to ok ▁lecture - t ours ▁to ▁British ▁Forces ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁Later ▁that ▁year ▁he ▁married ▁Eth el ▁Mc Coll . ▁He ▁was ▁Lord ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Liverpool ▁ 1 9 4 9 – 5 0 . ▁ ▁Tw enty ▁years ▁after ▁losing ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons , ▁he ▁re - enter ed ▁the ▁f ray ▁to ▁contest ▁Liverpool ▁Wal ton ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁general ▁election . ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁longest ▁gap ▁recorded ▁of ▁any ▁former ▁MP ▁in ▁trying ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Parliament . ▁He ▁was ▁un success ful , ▁but ▁did ▁obtain ▁a ▁small ▁swing ▁against ▁the ▁national ▁tr end . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁kn ight ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁Queen ' s ▁B irth day ▁Hon ours ▁List ▁and ▁made ▁a ▁Fre eman ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Liverpool ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁Cle ary ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Mer sey ▁D ock s ▁and ▁Har bour ▁Board ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁Gar ston ▁on ▁ 9 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁aged ▁ 9 0 . ▁ ▁Sir ▁Joseph ▁Cle ary ▁enjoyed ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁longest ▁post - service ▁lif esp ans