Jack Thompson, who has died aged 86, was the first Director of Planning for Winchester City Council and, during his 16 years in office, became instrumental in safeguarding the historic beauty of the city while overseeing a period of significant modernisation.
Appointed by the newly formed Winchester City Council in 1974, Jack’s early years were notable for the tumultuous public inquiry into the M3 extension. He was a central figure in the development of The Brooks and regarded as a passionate advocate for the preservation of the architectural aesthetic of the city.
Jack was born in 1935 in Downpatrick, County Down. He attended Repton Prep and Sherborne School (Westcott 1949-1953) and, following national service, trained for seven years at the Architectural Association in London.
Feeling he could be more influential in planning than as a practising architect, he relocated to Edinburgh in 1965 where he qualified as a town planner. He soon after joined Hampshire County Council and quickly rose to Assistant County Planning Officer, with a specific responsibility for the villages and conservation area to the south of the Winchester.
Following the re-organisation of local government, Jack was recruited to the newly-created role of Director of Planning, overseeing a district that spanned from Micheldever to the north of the city to Denmead to the south – a large and mainly rural environment he would come to love as much as Winchester itself.
Widely respected for his quiet authority, Jack believed that the planning department should operate independently of the City Council and be able to exert an objective and professional influence, which at times brought him into conflict with his elected bosses.
“Those who worked with Jack remember him as a respected and gifted planner with a considerable integrity and intellect,” says former city architect and current chairman of the City of Winchester Trust, Keith Leaman. “Importantly, he had the respect of councillors – and is often still mentioned today.”
“As an architect he enjoyed a productive relationship with other architects, which was beneficial to the city,” says former architect Michael Carden (a 52), now vice-president of the City of Winchester Trust. “He was for architecture, planning and the city.”
Jack was a familiar sight riding his bicycle between his family home in Edgar Road and Colebrook Street office, often in a deerstalker hat. Firm but fair, he made it clear to new recruits that work started at 9am, on the dot, with precisely one hour for lunch. If, however, they were to be late back, they should send a message explaining that they were delayed in ‘Committee Room Five’, planning code for the Crown and Anchor pub across the road.
Following his retirement in 1990, Jack and his wife Dawn moved to the New Forest. He later relocated to the Isle of Wight and spent much of his retirement sailing his yacht Skyeboat with his second wife Patsy in waters both home and abroad. He is survived by his four children, Claudia, Tim, Patrick and Michael.
Courtesy of The Hampshire Chronicle.
John (Jack) Buckner Thompson died very peacefully on Wednesday 24th November 2021. He was residing at Broadwindsor Residential Home in Dorset. His brother Jim and his wife Patsy were both by his side. His children and grandchildren, together with his stepchildren and step-grandchildren will miss his gentle humour and kindness with deep affection and love. The Funeral will take place at St Peter’s Church, Goodworth Clatford, Hampshire at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday 9th December 2021. Donations for Dementia UK and enquiries to A.J. Wakely & Sons, 91 East Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3LB.