Tony Dalrymple, who passed away on Friday 22nd October, aged 89, was a resident of Lingfield and Crowhurst for 42 years, and became a well-known figure in the two communities thanks to his work as a Councillor.
Tony arrived in Lingfield in July 1976 with his wife Anne and two children, Paul and Jane, and lived in College Close, next to the parish church. This was home for 26 years, until August 2002, when Tony and Anne moved to Crowhurst. Just five years later, Anne passed away. Tony continued to live in Crowhurst for a further eleven years, then was a resident at Stildon Brendoncare Nursing Home in East Grinstead for three and a half years, until his death last month.
In May 1986 Tony stood as a Liberal candidate in Lingfield & Crowhurst and was elected to Tandridge District Council. Subsequently re-elected as a Liberal Democrat, Tony represented Lingfield and Crowhurst as District Councillor for twenty-one years continuously, until April 2007, when he stood down to spend more time with his wife Anne, who was ill.
Tony was honoured to have served as Chairman of Tandridge District Council for the year 1995/96, and proud to have been made an Honorary Alderman after standing down from the District Council in 2007.
As well as his District Council service for Lingfield and Crowhurst, Tony won two terms as a Surrey County Councillor, representing Godstone for eight years between May 1993 and May 2001. Throughout this time, he also served as a member of Surrey Police Authority.
Tony was an active member of the congregation at the church of St Peter and St Paul in Lingfield and a sidesman for many years. He was also President of Lingfield Silver Band from 1993 till 2015.
Tony served as a Governor of Oxted School and The Warwick School in Redhill, and he was a Donation Governor of Christ’s Hospital School near Horsham.