One of the leading political figures in Sedgemoor in recent years has died. Ken Dyer of Blackmore Farm near Cannington passed away last week aged 87, after a life as a Somerset farmer, a prominent member of the Conservative party, a parish councillor and a former chairman of Sedgemoor District Councillor.

The current chair of Sedgemoor Duncan McGinty said Ken brought a business approach to the council which in the 1980s still had a “1970s mentality.” He said: “Ken was one of the first people to interview me to see if I would be a suitable candidate for election. He was a Marmite character, people either loved him or hated him, but everyone had a great deal of respect for him because he was an exceeding astute individual. He was also one of the architects of the council that we have today as he had a great influence. A man who was thoughtful, direct and considered who used didn’t use a thousand words where three would do.”

Cllr Peter Burridge-Clayton of Burnham said he was real character. Speaking on behalf of his fellow Burnham and Highbridge councillors he said: “He had a business brain and was also a genuinely nice man. As leader of the council he was someone who got things done. A really hard worker who will be greatly missed.”

Born at Bullringer Farm in Thurloxton in 1929 to Frank and Annie Dyer (nee Irish) he was educated at St Margaret’s School in Bridgwater, and Greenham School and then Courtland Road School in Wellington. He left school at 14 to work on his father’s farm when horses provided the power for ploughing and haulage. After his father’s death he and his brother David had to leave their tenanted farm at Elworthy and take jobs as farm workers at farms in North Petherton.

In 1952 the brothers took on the tenancy of Blackmore Farm when the first choice tenant dropped out after just one day.

“It had no electricity, windows were missing in the house and there wasn’t a gate that wasn’t broken,” said his son Ian Dyer, “it was just after the war and nobody had any money and or wanted a big old house. They had nine cows they that they milked by hand and he told them he was going to take the herd up to 40 and they said it couldn’t be done but he did it.”

His son Ian is the current chairman of the district councillor and has carried on the work on building up Blackmore Farm. He recalls his father had a near death incident in the early 1960s when he was run over by his own tractor.

“He was crop spraying in a wheat field in his tractor – there were no cabs in those days,” he said, “a pipe broke off and he put the tractor out of gear and jumped out but it was still in gear and he slipped and fell under the rear wheel. The wheel went right over his chest, cracked he ribs and he was pushed into the ground but managed to turn his head. His body shape was imprinted into the ground.”

One of the most remarkable elections in Somerset was the day Ken won the Cannington ward from the Liberals by one vote. It was an event that earned him personal congratulations from the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and tipped the balance in Sedgemoor from a Liberal-Labour coalition to a Conservative majority.

He leaves a widow Vera, three children Ian, Lorna and Alan, eight grandchildren and one grandchild. The service of celebration will take place after a private funeral service at Westfield Church, Bridgwater, on Friday, February 5, at 2.30pm. All welcome.

Send your memories of Ken Dyer to harry.mottram@nqsw.co.uk