Tribute to former Lewes councillor Guy Earl: Lib Dem member and ‘dedicated activist’ was always ready to help people

Lewes Liberal Democrats said the much-loved Lib Dem member and two-time town councillor in Bridge Ward passed away at his Lewes home on Thursday, December 14.

They said Guy will be remembered for his many acts of kindness.

A Lewes Lib Dems spokesperson said: “Politics ran through Guy’s veins. Not only did he work tirelessly for the local party, but he kept abreast of wider political events past and present. There was not much he did not know about the Liberal Party. He was so well informed about politics that he could confidently place bets on the outcome of French elections.

“A two-time Town Councillor in Bridge Ward, Lewes, Guy was a delight to canvass with. Always polite and charming, he could win over the most reluctant voter. His delivery capability was legend.”

The Lewes Lib Dems also described Guy as ‘a proof-reading terrier’ for Focus newsletters, adding that former Lewes MP Norman Baker ‘relied on his skills to put the finishing touches to his writing’.

They said: “Guy put his background in financial services to good use as a local treasurer. But at election time he came into his own: identifying candidates, collecting nomination papers and chivvying up deliveries. Although he took a lead, when it came to taking the credit Guy preferred to remain in the background.”

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They added that Guy will be best remembered in his personal dealings with people. They said: "So many of those who knew him counted him as a friend and he was always ready to step in when there was someone in need. Recently, he shouldered the considerable burden of settling the affairs of Stephen Catlin, another fondly remembered Lewes Councillor. Many have cause to thank him for being both a sympathetic ear and a practical friend ever ready to give someone a lift to a hospital appointment. Our sympathies are with his family and close friends at this time.”

Angela Wigglesworth, a friend of Guy’s for more than 30 years, told the Express: “Guy was one of the kindest people I ever knew, and one of the best friends I ever had.”

She said his death had been ‘shattering’ for many people. She said: “It was his kindness they remember and his smile. And always so ready to help people, they say. He was a passionate Liberal Democrat and tireless worker for them. It was rare to see Guy without batches of Focus to distribute, and his car with his Cornish flag fluttering by the driving wheel (he was a proud Cornishman) would be stacked with boxes of Lib Dem literature to be distributed.”

She said: “He was not only supportive in times of trouble but, as for so many people, in practical ways, I wonder how many have been grateful to him for the lifts to appointments he offered them. I was one of them. If, without a car, I had a difficult place to reach, his offer to drive me there would be made practically before I’d mentioned it.”

She added: “Life without Guy will be so different for so many people – many, like me I think, will find it hard.”