GURTH Brooke, who has died at the age of 94, was a lifelong stalwart of the Royal British legion, Highcliffe Cricket Club and the Conservative Party.

He was born to a family who owned a large estate in Christchurch.

His father was Sir Percy Brooke.

At the age of 16, he joined Highcliffe Cricket Club, which played in those days at the Beacon Lodge Estate owned by the family of Sir Egbert Cadbury.

He became a valued medium-pace bowler and once took eight wickets for six runs. He also played for Ickenham in Middlesex.

In 1986, when Highcliffe honoured him for 50 years as a player, he said: “I’ve had a great deal of pleasure as a player and as an administrator and I hope to have a few more seasons playing.”

In fact, his playing days continued until around 10-15 years ago and he remained the club’s president until his death.

Gurth joined the Highcliffe branch of the Royal British Legion early in the Second World War and was branch secretary from 1943 until 1998. He continued on the committee until 2011, notching up more than 70 years’ service.

A Conservative from an early age, he was chairman of the Christchurch and Lymington Conservative Association in the early 1970s and chaired the selection committee which picked Robert Adley to fight the seat in 1970.

He was president of the party’s Highcliffe North and Walkford branch for many years.

Christchurch’s current mayor, Cllr John Lofts, said Gurth was the best public speaker he had ever heard aside from Sir Anthony Eden in his prime.

Gurth was also a veteran member of the Swiss Alpine Club, climbing the Matterhorn in Germany as well as other mountains in Norway, Sweden, the Faroe islands, Iceland and Mexico.

His other charity work included a long association with Clingan’s Trust, which helps young people with their careers and training.

He lived alone in a bungalow on what had been his family’s estate, long after the land around it was sold off and developed.

His garden was used for Conservative Party fetes and other community events.

Cllr Lofts paid tribute to him at his funeral at Bournemouth Crematorium yesterday.

Donations in lieu of flowers are being sent to Help for Heroes.