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downsmail.co.uk


Kent-born formerMP Toby Jessel dies at 83


A COLOURFUL MP born in Bearsted has died at the age of 83. Toby Jessel, Member of Parlia-


ment for Twickenham, will be re- membered as one of PM John Major’s “b*****ds” for his anti-EU stance and a party rebel. This summer, saidone report, he


declared with glee he had been named as one of the eight Tory mutineers who defied three-line whips over Europe. Mr Jessel was remembered dur-


ing his 27 years in parliament as a traditional Conservative who backed the campaign against air- craft noise on his patch,whichwas under theHeathrowflight path. In 1978, he attracted tabloid at-


tention when he said his con- stituents were


experiencing


nocturnal “coitus interruptus”, but itwas a fight he never reallywon. Thomas Francis Henry Jessel,


known as Toby, was born in Bearsted in 1934. His father Richard was a decorated WWII


RoyalNavalCollege inDartmouth to study music, a decision which hurt his grandmother dearly. After leavingDartmouth,Mr Jes-


selwas denied a place at the Royal Academy ofMusic butwent toOx- ford,where he studiedphilosophy, politics and economics. His failed in his first two at-


tempts towin a parliamentary seat in Peckhamand inHull north. In 1970,Mr Jessel fought the seat


in Twickenham, south west Lon- don,where hewon an 11,000-plus majority.He remaineduntilhewas beaten by the LiberalDemocrat Sir Vince Cable in 1997. His lifewas tingedwith tragedy


RoyalNavy captainwho savedthe lives of 1,000 men from a sinking HMS Ark Royal. His mother Winifredwas an heiress. His great-grandfather, Marcus


Samuel, becameLordBearstedand was the founder of Shell Transport and Trading.Mr Jessel was an ac- complished pianist who left the


afterhis firstwifePippa lefthimfor an Ulster unionist MP, and their daughter Sarah, agedfive,diedina car accident. TheMP used the ex- perience to successfully campaign for compulsory seat belt legisla- tion.He remarriedin 1980. In 2014, he left London and settled in Rye, East Sussex.


News Church thanks


TWO church stalwarts have movedon to “small andsheltered” accommodation after years of vol- unteering at Leeds Church. Retired head teachers Roy and


HazelWebster both served on the parochial church council and its sub-committees, as well as taking part inmany community activities. Roywas also a churchwarden. Due to ill health, the couple have


decided to leave their home at April Cottage and move to more comfortable accommodation. The church and congregation


thanked them for all they have done for the village.


Trustee role


THE Hollingbourne Meadows Trust is looking for a newtrustee. The successful candidate would


take responsibility for fundraising andmaking grant applications fol- lowing the retirement of Peter Lee, a trustee andsecretary for 14 years. Chairman Shaun Cardwell


thanked Mr Lee for his work for the trust, which owns and main- tains meadowland in and around the village for public use. Those interested in the vacancy should call 01622 880199.


Maidstone East January 2019


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