MORE than 200 people saw Tavistock's longest serving councillor Ted Sherrell made the first ever Freeman of the town on Sunday at a ceremony and cream tea in the town hall.

Town councillor of 40 years, author and Justice of the Peace for 30 years, Ted, who described grass roots democracy as one of his life's passions, was praised for his sincerity, honesty and for being a man of the people.

A man of many talents and many jobs throughout his 71 years, including working for both the editorial and advertising side of the Times, an Air Ministry clerical officer, an agricultural rep, running a stationary shop, a salesman and a fireman, both full-time and retained, the councillor was also mayor of Tavistock in 1980/81.

Cllr Anne Johnson said Ted had devoted 40 years of 'outstanding service to the town' since he was elected in May 1973 following in the footsteps of his father, who was on Bere Ferrers Parish Council and Tavistock Rural District Council.

Ted was a magistrate from 1981 until he retired until 2011, serving firstly on the bench in Tavistock and later in Plymouth. In 1983 he became a West Devon borough councillor.

Cllr Johnson said:?'Involved with the Crowndale Recreational Project for many years, a trustee of the Tavistock School Endowment Fund and Jessie Ann Alford Charity, Ted has given much time to Tavistock and we are all the richer for his enormous tradition.'

She highlighted Ted's support for his fellow councillors and that he was always there to call on for advice: 'He is honest, sincere, passionate about the town and cares about its people. This is reflected by the support he receives at the ballot box by electors who vote for the man of the people, Ted Sherrell.'

Mayor of Tavistock Harry Smith said Ted had the ability to always bring to debates either a personal recollection, often of a debate held many years ago on the same subject, to bring serious considered opinion on the matter or, as witnessed on many occasions, that special wit that only he had and could display as only he could.

He said anyone you spoke to in town knew Ted, who was born at Chollacott Nursing Home some 50 yards from where he now lives and spent the first 30 years of his life living in the Bere Peninsula. He has also been a lifelong Plymouth Argyle supporter.

'It is amazing to think we could probably have filled this hall many times over with people who admired and wanted to celebrate this achievement,' said Cllr Smith. 'We could almost fill Ted's beloved Home Park with those who have been touched by his work as a town councillor.

'Ted is really a very special person thoroughly deserving of this award, unanimously supported by his fellow councillors.'

Ted, who was joined at the celebration by members of his family, including three of his four sons, friends and colleagues, said it was a day he would treasure for the rest of his life.

'Clearly, one of the most pleasing aspects of an occasion such as this is that you have lovely, complimentary, flattering things spoken of yourself without first having to be dead,' he said, laughing.

'It is clear that I have only survived as a member of this fine council for over 40 years because I have been blessed with the support of a goodly proportion of the electorate of Tavistock. They have repeatedly permitted generosity of spirit to supercede memory and judgement by returning me to office. Their trust and faith has been, and remains, humbling.'

Ted spoke of his great love and rock, his wife Ann, and the other passion in his life — writing novels and short stories, many of which have been published.

He said he believed totally in democracy at town and parish level with local councillors representing our basic freedoms, 'the most effective bastion against oppression and authoritarianism'.

But he stressed the importance of every single one of us to vote in order for democracy to survive and flourish and the need for more people to come forward to seek election.

'Sadly in our town it is now several years since there was an election,' he said. 'We need to encourage the younger folk to get involved — to put their names forward for the ballot and take an active part in town affairs — and with there being, at present, three vacancies on the town council, now would be a good time to start. For sure the world in 20 years' time is one which their generation will inhabit, not mine.'