It is with immense sadness the Harwich Branch Labour Party has learned Les Double passed away yesterday morning. It was common knowledge Les had been very ill for two years but he had continued to focus on serving the community and in particular our town with great strength and fortitude. Indeed, less than 4 weeks ago Les chaired the meeting of Harwich Town Council’s Finance committee to oversee the setting of the precept for the next financial year.
Les served as a Harwich Town Councillor since 1991, twice being mayor of Harwich, as a Tendring District Councillor since 1995 and also served three terms as Harwich’s Essex County Councillor from 1997 to 2009.
Les was a long-standing governor of the Harwich School, had served as a governor of Chase Lane Primary School and was a director of the East of England Co-operative Society which he believed in passionately.
Les was the driving force behind so much of what has been achieved locally, including the remarkable Harwich Connexions, which was his brainchild.
We feel a total sense of inadequacy in posting this brief tribute as we are fully aware that we are, at present, simply skimming the surface of all that Les achieved on our behalf and we are sure that more fulsome and appropriate tributes will follow over the coming days and weeks.
At this moment it is really a case of trying to come to terms with such a massive loss to us all and to send our thoughts and prayers to Les’ family and friends.
H&M Standard – ‘Political leader honoured for decades of town work’
TDC News – ‘Tributes Paid to Long-Serving Councillor and Community Stalwart’
EADT – ‘Harwich: Town and district councillor, Les Double, dies’
Funeral service to be held at St Nicholas Church, Harwich, Monday 28th January at 1.00pm.
Family flowers only, donations to Macmillan Nurses, c/o Co-operative Funeral Services, 125-127 High Street, Dovercourt CO12 3AX. All welcome, please wear something red.