Mayor of Croydon Jonathan Driver laid to rest near birthplace

4:11pm Tuesday 13th January 2009

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The Mayor of Croydon has been laid to rest in a private family service at a church in his native Yorkshire.

On Monday a congregation of friends and family came to St John’s Church in the village on Cononley to pay their respects to Jonathan Driver, the youngest-ever borough mayor.

Councillor Driver died on New Year’s Eve after coming down with flu, aged just 41.

The service began with the hymn Lord is my Shepherd.

Psalm 90 and 1 Corinthians 15 were read before vicar John Peet gave his address.

He said: “The first reading, from Psalm 90, talks about a person’s life consisting of three score years and ten.

“The great sadness of today is that Jonathan didn’t make that, by quite a long way.

“But, on the other hand, life is as much a matter of quality as it is of quantity, and we can celebrate the fact that Jonathan packed into his 41 years more than many people who live for twice as long.”

Mr Peet described Coun Driver’s early life in Cononley, attending Cononley School, and showing early signs of what were to be significant themes in his life.

He was a leading light in many productions, reading, acting, and taking part in Sunday school nativities.

Coun Driver then moved to South Craven School, where he showed a keen interest in drama, history, religious education and English.

He then went south to Kings College London to study theology, at a time when King’s had one of the best theology faculties in the country. He gained a degree in divinity. He also enjoyed drama, taking leading roles in Gilbert and Sullivan productions.

It was while he was in London that he became involved in politics, and won his first election in Lambeth in 1994, eventually becoming Lambeth’s youngest mayor at the age of 30.

By that time he began his teaching career at Emanuel School in Wandsworth where he taught history for almost two decades.

Coun Driver continued his interest in drama and music. He took a leading part in Leatherhead’s Operatic Society, with his baritone voice in Gilbert and Sullivan productions and musicals such as Oliver.

He was first elected to Croydon Council in 2006, representing his home area of Waddon, where he had lived for the past seven years.

Mr Peet read the many tributes that had poured in from Croydon councillors and residents.

Rev Peet concluded: “And so that very full and busy life has come to an end – prematurely, because there is so much more he could and would have done.

“But we can be thankful for what he was, and what, we trust, he continues to be, in the presence of the God whom he worshipped throughout his life, and tried to serve, as he served his fellow human beings.”

The service then held prayers before singing the hymn Thine be the Glory.