Tribute to ex-councillor Jimmy Cartwright

Ex-councillor Jimmy Cartwright died on Monday 25 July in East Whittering. Representing the Claygate ward he served many years as Liberal Democrat councillor for Elmbridge borough until 2013, when he retired at the age of 81 and moved to West Sussex. As a tribute to Jimmy we re-publish an interview with him and his wife Audrey from the April 2013 issue of Focus. Jimmy Cartwright resigns from Elmbridge Council - by-election in May 2013 A long-serving Claygate Councillor Jimmy Cartwright has decided to ‘retire from active service’ at the mature age of 81. He has resigned from Elmbridge Borough Council and this triggered a by-election as his term runs into 2014. The Liberal Democrats have selected Mary Marshall of Holroyd Road, Claygate as their candidate in the forthcoming May elections, hoping to hold on to the seat vacated by Jimmy. The Focus team visited Jimmy and his wife Audrey as they prepare to re-locate to their new home in West Sussex. Copious cups of tea and delicious cakes inspired a memory-laden fire-side chat with the cheerful couple. There was a time when Jimmy Cartwright, as the local area manager for Wall’s, used to witness his salesman pick up orders for meat pies, pasties, bacon and pork sausages from eleven (yes you heard right!) different grocery stores in Claygate. Well into the 60‘s the village was still a haven for small stores littered around the village and where people were served over the counter. “Social life and meeting your neighbours in those days revolved around getting your daily shop locally, that’s how important news were exchanged and village affairs were discussed”, Jimmy comments. “There were no refrigerators either so the stock turnover had to be swift” says Jimmy when looking back at his long and happy career with food manufacturers, and at the different pace of life in the village. Jimmy’s patch as Wall’s area manager was Surrey, but his home base was in Claygate. And so it has remained to this day. In the intervening years Jimmy has witnessed the growth of Claygate into a ‘small town with a friendly village atmosphere’ and a total transformation of grocery retailing. With his sales experience and the knowledge of the local commercial scene, it was no wonder that in later life Jimmy got involved in running village affairs in the Parish Council. But before retiring fully Jimmy also served a number of years as a bursar in a Molesey school. “I wasn’t ready to rest on my laurels after a busy and rewarding career in a sales role, so I decided to apply for this position in a school. It got me involved in the community from the educational side.” One thing rapidly followed another and Jimmy was elected a Liberal Democrat Councillor in 2002, representing the Claygate ward in Elmbridge Borough Council. “It’s been very rewarding and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Speaking on behalf of your community is really more about being an alert and active neighbour than politics as such. After all these years you get to know the people in the village and they know you, so serving as a councillor comes naturally.” Jimmy’s father ran a grocery business in Kingston, which had an influence on his later career choice. But it was Audrey, his future wife, who drew young Jimmy’s attentions to Claygate. Her family lived in Hare Lane and Audrey’s responsibilities in the family home included mucking out in the stables with 15 beautiful horses. “We had a riding school and I had my very own Lad, a handsome thoroughbred stallion. I think Jimmy first fell in love seeing me mount Lad and looking the part,” Audrey giggles. The young couple move to their first home together in Meadow Road and subsequently to Rosehill, but later took up residence at Audrey’s family home in Hare Lane where they have remained ever since. “This has been our ‘happy castle‘ for many years and we’ve enjoyed being in the centre of action in the village. The horses have long since gone, but wonderful memories remain,” tells Audrey. A while ago Jimmy and Audrey decided that in their senior years it was time to embark on ‘a project to explore the world‘. So they started looking for a new home in West Sussex, by the sea. They eventually found just the ideal one in East Whittering, near where Jimmy’s younger brother already lives. Although Jimmy still had a year left of his term as a councillor, he decided that now is the right time to move and handed in his resignation to Elmbridge Council. “As a councillor I have always believed that the best way to get things done is to talk quietly and personally with everybody - including those who opposed my ideas or perspective on things. Grandstanding or aggression was never for me,” Jimmy analyses his approach in Council work.