Final farewell of chief, Martin Davies, who put people before money

Published: 17 June 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

HE didn’t say it often – he didn’t feel he needed to. But on Friday morning, Martin Davies looked up at his partner and told him: “Love you lots.”

It was just about the last words Richard Boaste remembers hearing from him. 

Hours later, the leader of the Conservative Party in Camden was found dead in their Belsize Park flat, a life cut tragically short at just 45. 

A coroner’s inquest will establish how and why, but initial suggestions that the cause was a heart attack are untrue. The mystery is only deepened by the knowledge that Councillor Davies did not smoke or drink excessively and visited the gym three times a week.

“I was the one who smokes like a trooper,” said Mr Boaste, a respected theatre stage director. “I would get told off if I didn’t buy him low-fat foods. I had to get two lots of shopping in.”

Known for his dedication and consideration at the Town Hall, Cllr Davies was one of Camden’s most popular politicians, admired by members of all parties but modest about his achievements.

Recently, as the council’s social services chief, he had worked on reshaping the borough’s care homes for the elderly and set plans in train to replace out-of-date buildings with new state-of-the-art centres. His party lost its share of power at the Town Hall in May, but even as Labour took up the reins, there were words of praise for Cllr Davies’s handling of the council’s most sensitive brief.

In the aftermath of the elections, he became leader of the Conservative group and had just started work on organising a battling response to the new Labour council. 

Yet in the few days since his death, another picture of his life has emerged, away from the grind of council casework, which reveals a mischievous and creative side reserved for friends and family.

Cllr Davies had, for example, travelled the world with Mr Boaste, his partner of 11 years. The pair drove across the United States, laughingly imagining themselves as a gay Thelma and Louise, characters from the famous road movie.

“We went across California and to the Grand Canyon,” said Mr Boaste. “Martin said if we are going to do Thelma and Louise then we need to do it in a Cadillac. The thing we quickly found out is that if you drive across California in a red Cadillac, you can’t fit all of the luggage into the back. And if you do, you can’t get the roof down!”

Cllr Davies had “played with pandas in China”, “knew America like the back of his hand” and had regularly visited Australia.

“Another time we covered Britain on steam trains with our fathers – after both our mothers had died,” said Mr Boaste. “Talk about Four Poofs and a Piano! This was two poofs, their fathers and a steam train. 

“We were lucky: we didn’t have a problem with families. My parents treated Martin like a second son, and mine treated him like a second son. And that’s one of the reasons why we never got around to getting married or a civil partnership. We didn’t feel we needed to.”

Mr Boaste continued: “It was strange because on Friday morning, Martin was sitting on the sofa and he asked me to make him a cup of tea. I brought it to him and then he looked up at me and said:‘Love you lots’. It was funny because we didn’t say those words much, we didn’t feel we needed to. It was just known between us how we felt about each other. Apart from me saying, ‘I’m off for the day’, they were the last words he said to me.”

Cllr Davies gave up his job as chief executive of Age Concern in December to concentrate on election campaigning, 

He had missed a council meeting last Wednesday with flu-like symptoms and in his absence Labour’s new social services chief Pat Callaghan sung his praises.

Away from the council, Cllr Davies and Mr Boaste captured the cool in London’s gay community, a hip couple who could fly away across continents at a moment’s notice.

“It was only because of the [1999] Admiral Duncan pub bombing that we met,” said Mr Boaste. “Soho, where I would be hanging out with other people doing theatre shows, was effectively closed, so a group of us decided we would go up to Hampstead for a weekend. We got drinking and talking in a pub in Hampstead. My group went off to get some food and I was left talking to Martin and one of his girl friends from Stevenage where he used to live. At the end he gave me his number and a few days later I called.”

The romance blossomed in a whirlwind. Mr Boaste, who had previously lived in Ealing, moved in with Cllr Davies – and Mr Boaste’s faithful labrador Benson completed the family. Their beautiful dog died a few months ago, aged 17.

“I lost my two best friends this year,” said Mr Boaste. “Our lives complemented each other. He would be busy with council meetings and I would be busy with shows but we would come together and it just worked. I didn’t actually know a lot about his work at the council because he kept private everything that was confidential. We would be at a restaurant and somebody I didn’t know would be waving at him. It would be somebody he had helped.”

Cllr Davies had lived in Reading and Welwyn Garden City before moving to Hampstead. 

“The story his mother used to tell is that the family were driving through Hampstead when Martin was six, seven, possibly eight, and he looked at the houses and the cocky little bugger said I’m going to live here when I’m older,” said Mr Boaste.

Cllr Davies trained as an accountant and was working as a financial auditor when he decided to change careers and concentrate on services to help the elderly.

“He slashed his salary because to him, he wanted to do something that was about the people and not the money,” said Mr Boaste. “He worked hard to get to a position like the one he had at Age Concern. Every Christmas, we wouldn’t be at home. We’d be at a day centre doing lunches.”

Mr Boaste, who used to run the Everyman cinema in Hampstead, said: “He loved his travel. He loved his wildlife – and he was into astrology.”

“He did love his music and there would be Rocky Horror moments: He would be in his office bashing away at his keyboard which was loud and sending emails and you’d just hear Richard O’Brien’s voice. 

“I don’t know how you get work done with the Timewarp on – but he did. He was able to switch from one thing to another and it wasn’t just keeping plates spinning in the air, he would be dedicated and understand whatever he was focused on. He was serious about helping people.”

Hundreds are now likely to attend a funeral service, where the theme will be orange: Cllr Davies’ favourite colour.  

Mr Boaste added: “I’m a stage director, it’s what I do – and what I have to do now is stage direct this for Martin. We have people from the West End who are chomping at the bit to help. There will be a choir and a full orchestra. This will be a celebration of his life but I will never myself say goodbye Martin.”

• The service is at Holy Trinity Church in Finchley Road on Friday July 2 at midday. Family flowers only. Donations can instead be made to Macmillan Nurses through Levertons in Belsize Park. The service is open to all but organisers want a rough idea on numbers.

‘Tragic loss’ Tributes to Cllr Davies

Cllr Andrew Mennear, acting leader of the Conservative Group: “I just can’t believe he has gone. People are coming up to me and saying they simply don’t believe it. He worked so hard. He will be a terrible loss.”

Cllr Andrew Marshall, former leader of the Conservative Group: “His knowledge and commitment in adult social care is well known with a lasting legacy, for example, in the two new care homes being built. What is perhaps less known is that he played a critical role in keeping the Conservative backbenchers engaged in the local coalition with the Lib Dems, not least because he was seen as a bit more sceptical about the coalition than I was. His early death is a tragic loss to everyone he knew and the people of Camden as a whole.”

Cllr Chris Knight (Con): “I saw first hand that he was a magnificent councillor. He put a huge amount of work into what he did. He simply cared about the people of Camden and what happened to them. I feel that we should have a memorial to Martin, possibly a sheltered housing project.”

Keith Sedgwick, former Conservative Gospel Oak councillor: “I never heard Martin speak badly of other people or people speak badly of him. In the world of politics he was a very rare type of person, one who was without artifice and whose kindness was genuine. Camden is a poorer place for having lost such a wonderful human being and my life is so much the richer for having known him.” 

Cllr Keith Moffitt, leader of the Liberal Democrats: ”Martin has gone far too soon, just when he was getting into his stride in his new role as leader of Camden’s Conservative group, and we shall all miss this wonderful friend and colleague more than I can say.”

Cllr Abdul Hai (Lab): “Martin was a very lovely person and I'’m saddened to learn about his unexpected death. I recall various conversations with Martin which were very pleasant. He is a true example of what politicians should be. My thoughts are with his friends and family members.”

Cllr Nancy Jirira (Lib Dem): “I am absolutely gutted and my last real conversation with Martin was so dignified – I so respected him and he was always so, so caring.  

Cllr Roger Robinson (Lab): ”I know I speak for the Labour group to express our sincere condolences to his family and to his colleagues in the Conservative group on the Council – he will be remembered by us all who served with him as a lovely person who cared for Camden and its residents.”

Cllr Maya De Souza (Green): “He was very respected by all and it’s very  sad to think we won’t have him around in the future. I’d like to express my deepest condolences to his friends and family on behalf of Camden Greens.”