Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Lovell left school in 1939 and began an apprenticeship as a plumber, also joining the Plumbing Trades Union (PTU).
Soon after, he was drafted to work at the Swan Hunter Shipyard, but returned to plumbing immediately after World War II.
[1] Lovell joined the Labour Party and was elected as a councillor, and also chaired Wallsend Trades Council.
In this role, he created a national pension scheme for plumbers, and championed more flexible apprenticeships, which could be completed under a variety of employers.
[1] Lovell retired in 1987,[2] and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.