Tributes paid to former Worthing music shop owner and Shoreham councillor

Geoffrey Carr was born and raised in Moulscoomb, Brighton, but lived the bulk of his years in Shoreham and Worthing.

Geoffrey was proud of his time on Shoreham Urban District Council, being involved in many projects, including the building of the footbridge in Old Shoreham Road, on the Southwick-Shoreham border. He also raised a lot for charity with the organ concerts he organised and compered through his shop, SMC.

His widow, Gladys Carr, said: "I am so proud of what he achieved. He was a wonderful husband and I was so lucky we were married for 36 years. His father and mother didn't live to old age and when we got together, he said if we have ten years, we will be lucky."

Also in the news: Meet Freddy, the injured Shoreham fox neighbours have fallen in love with

See also: 25th World Scout Jamboree: Scout leaders from Worthing and Littlehampton selected for UK service team

In fact Geoffrey had a lucky escape in his 50s, when a piece of concrete coving in Shoreham High Street fell and hit him on his head. He was badly cut and it broke his vertebrae but he survived.

Geoffrey lived in Parkside, Shoreham, for 30 years and served as a Conservative councillor on Shoreham Urban District Council for two runs. At one time, he was tipped to follow in the footsteps of Richard Luce as the Conservative MP for Arundel and Shoreham in 1974.

Gladys said: "He did a lot of helping people. He believed he was there to help people rather than make personal gain. He was very proud of the time he served on the council."

Geoffrey did National Service in the RAF and then ran his own business in Shoreham and Brighton as a plumbing and heating engineer, assisted by his eldest son Ian.

Gladys said: "Before he started, he had been an apprentice. He had two weeks' wages behind him and that is how he started and from there he built it up."

The couple set up the SMC music shop in Shoreham, then moved it to Worthing, first in the Guildbourne Centre and then Brighton Road. They moved to live in Goring 20 years ago and ran the shop together, retiring from it in 1998, when it became a bridal boutique.

Gladys said: "We had contacts with various music manufacturers, particularly organs, and gave concerts at the Pier Pavilion where each of the seven companies played to raise money for charity. We achieved a lot."

Geoffrey was involved with West Sussex Woodturners at Amberley Museum and helped run workshops on Wednesdays in the summer holidays for children to make things. He was also with Shoreham and Southwick Rotary Club for more than 30 years.

In his younger years, Geoffrey was a very good footballer, playing County League for Moulescoomb Rovers. He later went on to run the youth team Kingston Rangers. Later, he played cricket, becoming a fine wicketkeeper for Brighton Arrows.

Geoffrey was a season ticket holder at Brighton & Hove Albion FC, even managing to get on the pitch to celebrate promotion to the Premier League.

He was also a keen gardener and enjoyed playing croquet in his later years, three times a week with Angmering Croquet Club at Ham Manor Golf Course.

Geoffrey had five boys, Ian, Mark, Grant, Matthew and Michael, before he met Gladys, who he married in 1986. He was previously married to Joyce and then Margaret.

Mark said: “I was blessed to have him not only as a dad but as a very good friend.”

Geoffrey died on August 4 and his funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 30, at 2.30pm at Southwick Christian Community Church. Family flowers only please, donations to British Heart Foundation.