Remembering John Marjoram
by Alyssa Pearce | Amplify Stroud
August 2025
After the death of John Marjoram in May this year, floods of tributes and memories have been shared to celebrate everything that he was and all that he did for the Stroud community.
At the first District Council meeting after his passing, Councillors took some time to share stories and sentiments of John’s life.
Catherine Braun spoke about how John convinced her to stand for election after becoming a member of the party, saying that “he’s been a real inspiration to generations of Green Politicians and community activists.”
Cate James-Hodges was elected as Councillor for the Stroud Central ward in May and is the youngest ever Stroud District Councillor. I recently spoke to her about John’s legacy and the impact he had on local politics.
“Sometimes in life, you don’t fully appreciate the impact someone has had on the world around them until they are gone. However, John Marjoram was always known for his incredible tenacity and stubbornness. It’s safe to say a considerable number of my Stroud District Green Party colleagues may have never found their feet in local politics without his encouragement.
“Stroud District Green Party’s culture of welcoming people with open arms is partly thanks to John’s somewhat unconventional recruitment skills. Simon Pickering and Sally Pickering (two people who I feel were instrumental in my local election win in 2025) met John soon after coming to Stroud, and like many people John met, they were pulled into the world of local politics.
John had an input into so many of these things. I feel many of us owe a personal thanks to John for leaving a legacy of community and collaboration behind.”
It wasn’t just the impact that he had on the Green Party by becoming one of the first Green Councillors nationwide in 1986 that he will be remembered for but also the time and ferocious dedication to improving Stroud for its residents.
Cllr Jonathan Edmunds describes him as “a maverick, a true character, a life force. I’ve never met anyone so invested in politics and so passionate about it.” He continues to say that John had “a real commitment to help those in trouble, he was the first person to ring you to check on your welfare”
John’s wife, Laura Ridolfi, reflects this saying that “John was the warmest and most welcoming person you can imagine, he really made you feel at home. He was down-to-earth and very interested in people.”
“What I noticed immediately about Stroud that there was a very strong sense of community, and the community was made not by people who were born here and grew up here but by people who had lived in different parts of the world, moved to Stroud and decided to stay.”
John came to Stroud in 1968 from Essex to follow his connections with the Quaker movement, which was, and still is, very strong in the area.
When I asked her what she thought we could learn from people like John, Laura reflected on how important it is to “work together; don’t get discouraged easily because it takes time to transform and make the world a better place, it’s so easy to feel like you’re not doing enough; listen to people - this was something that he was very good at - and don’t be scared to say what you think."
It is politicians like John Marjoram that we need more of, politicians who will stand up not only for the causes that they believe in, but for the needs of the people that they represent.
Alyssa Pearce is the Deputy Editor for Amplify Stroud
With thanks to Matt Bigwood from Stroud Times for additional photographs of John.
Support Stroud Valleys Project in memory of John Marjoram
Local poet and writer Adam Horovitz has written a poem in John Marjoram's memory. This is available as a limited edition print, proceeds from which go to to local nature charity Stroud Valleys Project.
Kerri Tyler
Amplify Stroud is supported by Dialect rural writers collective. Dialect offers mentorship, encouragement and self-study courses as well as publishing.
You can find out more at https://www.dialect.org.uk/
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