Attree & Kent
Hove
Ceremony Details
The Ceremony for Jonathan Cartwright will be held on:
Wednesday, 26 February 2025 15:30
Lewes Road
Brighton
BN2 3QB
Committal Details
The Committal for Jonathan Cartwright will be held on:
Wednesday, 26 February 2025 15:30
Lewes Road
Brighton
BN2 3QB
Reception Details
The Reception for Jonathan Cartwright will be held on:
Wednesday, 26 February 2025 15:30
There is no reception planned
In memory of
Jonathan Cartwright (Rufus)
Obituary for Mr Jonathan (Rufus) Cartwright by Mrs Melanie (Mel) Cartwright
The way I want to remember Rufus is as a survivor.
He was born in the last days of the Second World War, 2nd August 1945. He spent 2 years in an orphanage before being adopted by a couple who were attempting to keep their marriage together. Sadly that didn’t work and Rufus told me, he would lie awake listening to his parents arguing. He and his sister, Sally-Anne, were sent to boarding school from an early age and he found being away from home easier. His parents divorced when he was 12 years old. He has 3 half-brothers, Paul, Martin and Steven.
On leaving his public school, Cranleigh, he started work at the BBC, where he acquired his nickname, Rufus. After some years he left to work in an independent music producer. He embraced the hippie life-style, but as a weekend hippie. During this time he met and married his first wife, Amy. They had a son, Simon but sadly their marriage didn’t last. Amy returned to America and Rufus believed he would never see his son again.
His career at the music producer was at a special time and he worked with some wonderful musicians (the Beatles signed a birthday card for his sister). However all good things come to an end and he was ‘let go’. He joined Harrods initially as a temporary job before he went to South Africa to visit his mother who had moved there some years before. On his return he got a permanent job at Harrods. He worked there for 25 years, surviving many ‘purges’ and upheavals.
It was four years after he started at Harrods that I met him. We were both doing an evening class. We struck up a conversation and I moved in a few months later. Rufus had a way of making the most mundane things funny and I loved him for that. Though to be honest our marriage of 43 years was sometimes turbulent. During one argument Rufus said, ‘anything for a quiet life’. I replied, ‘there’s the door, use it because you’re not going to have a quiet life with me!’ We have 2 wonderful children, Rebecca and Gerald.
Rufus struggled to be a father, his own childhood being so rotten he viewed relationships like a bull might view a china shop: better to stay out than risk the wreckage. However, that didn't stop his children loving the messy man he was. Simon, his first son, made enormous, transatlantic, efforts to forge a good father-son relationship with him, for which Rufus was eternally grateful. When Simon re-entered his life in the early 2000's a missing piece returned to Rufus. Not only that but he married a lovely New Zealander, Kaz and had two fantastic boys, Harrison and Phoenix.
Rufus retired when he was in his late 50’s. He really enjoyed his retirement, especially after he revived his passion for Swiss stamps and joined the Royal Philatelic Society. He volunteered there for many years and had some of his happiest times. He chose to be known as Jonathan there but they always knew he was an old hippie!
Donations
Donations for Jonathan Cartwright (Rufus) £35
Mrs A P Line
Lost Cats Brighton
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