Council Leader Ravi Govindia has paid tribute to former long serving Wandsworth councillor John Garrett who served as a councillor in Wandsworth for 20 years between 1982 and 2002, and served two terms as Mayor.
He played an active role as Wandsworth’s representative for many years on the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority and was also chairman of the trustees of the Clapham Rail Disaster Fund, a member of the Battersea branch of the Royal British Legion and a former Governor at Earlsfield primary school.
He was a leading fundraiser and supporter of many charities and local voluntary organisations, including President of St John Ambulance, Wandsworth and Southfields Division, a governor of the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability, twice President of Balham Rotary club and honorary member of the Tooting Rotary Club.
He was also a Freeman of the City of London, Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers and Renter Warden of the Company of Firefighters. He was a Knight of the Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem – Knights Hospitaller and holder of the ‘Polonia Restituta' decoration and Serving Brother of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem.
Born in Battersea, after completing his national service he joined his family’s Balham-based construction firm which was first set-up in 1880 and later became a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building.
In 2002 he stood down as a Wandsworth Councillor and moved to Surrey, but a year later was elected as a councillor in Guildford, where he served in a number of positions including as Deputy Mayor between 2011/12.
Cllr Govindia said:
“John Garrett was a hugely popular, hard working and dedicated public servant who devoted his life to helping others. He also ran a very successful local construction firm and there are many buildings in the borough that he helped build and improve over many years. This was just one of the many ways in which he left his mark on Wandsworth.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Marion and their family. He will be sorely missed by all those who knew him.”
July 31, 2014