Former mayor of Grantham Graham Wheat dies, aged 91

A former Mayor of Grantham and chairman of the district and county councils has died at the age of 91.

Graham Wheat was Mayor of Grantham twice and served both on South Kesteven District Council and on Lincolnshire County Council for many years.

In December 2015 he was was seriously hurt in a traffic accident, when he was struck by a vehicle while he was on a verge near his Grantham home. As a result he suffered a brain injury and eventually had to be moved to Harrowby Lodge Nursing Home, where he spent the rest of his days.

Mr Wheat’s daughters, Myra Readman and Rhoda Charlton, said: “He was a well-respected member of the community. He put the community at the heart of everything he did. He became a councillor because he wanted to make a difference.

“The air force was his great passion.”

Mr Wheat was born in Bedworth, in Warwickshire, in January 1928 and joined the RAF when he was 16. He trained as a technician and rose to the rank of chief technician, making the RAF his career. He served all over the world including Japan, Africa, Singapore and Cyprus, as well as the UK.

He met and married Mary who was also serving in the RAF, and they had two daughters. They have two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

After retiring from the RAF, Mr Wheat was employed by his brothers-in-law in their engineering company before going into business with Mary in Grantham.

Together, they ran the Brook Street sub post office and an adjacent tobacconist and newsagent, until their retirement.

The then both entered politics. Mr Wheat was elected on to South Kesteven District Council and Lincolnshire County Council. He became chairman of both.

Mr Wheat’s lifelong passion was the RAF and all things aeronautical. He was a member of the mess at the Prince William of Gloucester barracks and at RAF Cranwell.

He was involved in the new Bomber Command Memorial at Lincoln as well as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and was an avid collector of military aircraft models.

Mr Wheat led a full and active social life and enjoyed looking after his garden and attending concerts, especially at RAF Cranwell and Lincoln Cathedral.

He was a member of numerous groups and was chairman of governors of several local schools.

He was a member of Grantham Twinning Association, a judge for Lincolnshire Best Kept Villages competition, vice-president of the Lincolnshire Playing Fields Association and chairman of the Citizens Advice Bureau among many other posts.

District and county councillor Ray Wootten said: “Graham was a dear friend and he was a long serving respected county and district councillor. He had the honour of being chairman of the county and district council and also the Mayor of Grantham. He was a kind and considerate gentleman who always had time for both his friends and the local community he served.

“If you needed any information regarding the RAF or its history Graham was your man, as it was his passion, in particular the Dambusters raid, carried out by 617 Squadron.

“Graham liked nothing more than joining us for coffee over fresh baked scones of a morning and putting the world to rights, or joining Heather and Mark on a Sunday for dinner. We shall miss him.”

Mr Wheat’s funeral will take place at St Andrew’s Church in Collyweston, on July 1 at 11am.