He was a giant of local causes

I read with sadness about the untimely passing of my old friend John Hodges and wish to make a contribution to your tribute item next week.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Feb 2016, 12:36 BST
Updated 19th Feb 2016, 12:39 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

I met John when I moved to Hastings in 1984 and used to drink in the Clarence pub in Silverhill.

I immediately struck a rapport and friendship with him.

He was a passionate and brilliant quiz player and we played together in quiz teams for The Clarence in Silverhill and the Royal Albert in Battle Road for a number of years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I remember our team at the Royal Albert won the Whitbread south of England quiz competition twice in the 1980s, principally thanks to John’s captaincy and knowledge.

He could answer any question from football to embroidery!

He was the most intelligent man I’ve ever known but was also a very kind man.

I also played golf with John on a few occasions and not surprisingly, John was a gifted golfer as well.

I lost touch with John around 1998 when my work took me to London and though I moved back to Hastings in 2009 I never got round to tracking him down again which saddens me.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

John and Denise were good friends and regularly Denise would give us a lift to or from the pub!

I blame John for introducing me to real ale in 1984 and the subsequent increase of my body weight over the ensuing years!

I’m sad that John has gone and my thoughts are with his wife and family.

He was a giant of local causes and politics and I know he was a devoted socialist. I doubt whether I’ll see his like again.

George Rankin

Licensing director

The Content Bureau Limited

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hastingsobserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @HastingsObs

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Hastings Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.

Related topics:HastingsLondonEngland