John Farley MBE, Jersey

John Farley MBE

John Farley MBE

Sunday 8th March 2015

It is with sadness we report that one of our members, Mr John Farley who had just been made a Member of the British Empire in recognition of his huge amount of public service, has just passed away at the age of 86.
John had been an active member of the Jersey club since 2010, but had been extremely active in island life for well over 60 years. He appeared to revel in hard work, but was probably best known as the proprietor of our all items store in our superb market in St Helier known as ‘The Red Triangle Stores’ (The Shop of a 1001 things).
In his private life John was a leading manager and life member of The Jersey Battle of Flowers Association and was still very much involved right up to the end of his life. He was also very interested in our leading drama club, The Jersey Green Room Club, not that John was one to get out on the boards, but he loved to make and paint the background scenes for stage plays and was one time president and enjoyed looking after the business side of the club.
As well as all this John was working with the Lions Club of Jersey for more than 40 years, and even entered politics, serving in The Jersey States (The Island Government) for six years and for more than 15 years as an active member of Jersey Cancer Relief.
John as mentioned ran The Red Triangle Stores for more than 60 years, after initially taking the job for a temporary six-week period.
The 86-year old planned to to emigrate to Australia in 1952 and took the job at the market store to tide him over for a short while until he left, but during that time he met his wife Jean to whom he was married for nearly 60 years, before she died last October.
John, who was known as ‘ The Farther of the Market’, was loved and respected by many members of our club here in Jersey and the people of the island. He will be sorely missed.
Peter Huntingdon Bewers