Copyright © 2019 Crowthorne Parish Council. All rights reserved.

Crowthorne Parish Council

Address
Parish Office
Morgan Centre
Wellington Road
Crowthorne
RG45 7LD

Telephone
01344 771251

Email
clerk@crowthornepc.org.uk

Jack Bolton was a northerner born and bred! He grew up in Blackpool with his older sister Rita.

In another era, Jack would have gone to university. Instead, he left full-time education when he was eighteen, to join the Army.

Cllr Jack Bolton

He completed his National Service with REME. He spent most of his two years in overseas postings, Hong Kong and Malaya.

After being de-mobbed, he worked as a radar systems technician for Ferranti, working on the EE Lightning, a supersonic jet aircraft. He was attached to 74 Squadron RAF Coltishall All the test pilots knew Jack, and his expertise was greatly respected.

Throughout most of his working life, Jack was not only at the forefront of electronic technology, he was a pioneer. This was especially so when he worked for Racal Electronics. He was closely involved in the development of an encryption system for bank cards that is still used today. Racal operated throughout 110 countries worldwide, and Jack visited all of them. In fact, if you include his holiday destinations, there were only two places he didn't visit: Alaska and Japan.

As if his day job wasn't challenging enough, in his spare time, he gained a Professional Marketing Diploma. Interestingly the motto of 74 Squadron was "Progress by Endeavour". This could have been written for Jack.

When he retired, he carried on working - doing consultancy work. He became a Crowthorne Parish Councillor in 2007. His principles were based on common sense, and one of his main goals was to encourage community spirit. In his councillor profile he wrote, "I'm retired but still very active" which was an understatement!

He was a member of Crowthorne's Businessmen's Association. He was on the Board of Trustees for a pension fund. At one point, he was a steward for tours of Twickenham Stadium and was a volunteer for the Royal Ascot Enclosures. He was passionate about rugby union and was a massive Harlequins' fan.

Hazel and Jack would have celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary this October. When they met, it seemed very unlikely that they would become a couple. When Hazel agreed to meet up with Jack, she didn't realise she was on a date!

For 28 years, Jack and Hazel had a holiday home in The Witterings. Hazel made sure to keep a bag packed because Jack would suddenly say, "Right, Hazel, there's no work for three days and the weather's looking good: let's go to The Van!"

Jack was immensely proud of his family: he loved being Simon's dad, and grandad to Sarah, Liam and Louise. He welcomed his daughter-in-law Tracy into the family with open arms and always said that she was the daughter he never had.

It seemed that whatever the weather, and even if there was torrential rain and a storm-force gale blowing, Jack would say, "It's brightening up over there" - a wonderful motto and one which his family now can't help using themselves.

Jack was a gentleman, wonderfully frank, correct and full of wisdom. He is and will be dearly missed. But above all he is remembered - with love and affection.

COUNCILLOR JACK BOLTON