TRIBUTES have been paid to one of Dorking's best-loved figures, who died last week.

Sir Martin Wedgwood passed away at the age of 76, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.

TIRELESS: Sir Martin Wedgwood Photo courtesy of Hank Etheridge

Sir Martin, who lived in Pixham Lane with his wife Lady Sandra Wedgwood, was chairman of the Dorking and District Preservation Society (DDPS). The couple married in 1963, and Lady Wedgwood told the Advertiser this week that her husband was generous, intelligent and loving.

"He was a very good and kind man," she said. "It was very fortunate that we shared most of our interests so we always did things together.

"He was very clever, particularly as a linguist. He always impressed people wherever he went with his willingness to talk to them in their language."

Sir Martin was taken to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill on Wednesday, October 6, and died peacefully in his sleep on October 11. He leaves behind three children and seven grandchildren.

Lady Wedgwood said Sir Martin was devoted to his family and committed to his home of Dorking.

"I think he would like to be remembered as someone who tried very hard to get lovely things into the town," she said.

Hank Etheridge, chairman of planning for DDPS, said Sir Martin was a tireless campaigner for the society.

"He was a workaholic, he kept us all on our toes," Mr Etheridge said. "He had an enormous amount of knowledge, he was extremely well read. He was just an all-round nice chap and he did so much for the society."

Dorking councillor Margaret Cooksey said: "He was a real battler for Dorking. He had been president of the DDPS for as long as I can remember and it will be a very sad loss. It will be difficult for anybody picking up where he left off."

Sir Martin was heavily involved with the ongoing refurbishment of Dorking Museum and he left money to the museum in his will.

Museum chairman Kathy Atherton said Sir Martin's work was vital to preserving the history of Dorking.

"It is important to know why we are the way we are, why the town is the way that it is," she said. "He also worked hard with the present Dorking, making sure that we don't just become an anonymous town that sprawls and doesn't have any character."

Sir Martin's funeral is due to be held at St Michael's Church in Mickleham at 2pm today (Thursday).