TRIBUTES have been paid in the States to a former Deputy and businessman, who founded a car hire company which was once the largest in the Channel Islands.
John Falle, who died aged 95 earlier this month, was the Deputy of St Saviour for six years after topping the poll in the election of November 1963.
In a short tribute to Mr Falle during this week’s sitting, Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae said that the late Deputy had served on both the Social Security and Sewerage Committees until he retired from the Assembly in 1969.
Mr Falle also played a key role in introducing road safety measures around two schools in his parish: St Luke’s and Plat Douet primary schools.
Mr MacRae said that in the early 1950s, Mr Falle had joined the family business, founded in 1926 by his late father Jack.
Falle’s Motor Works had three bases covering car sales and repairs and petrol retailing, and its car hire business – established in the 1950s – had, by the 1970s and 80s, become the largest in the Channel Islands.
The Deputy Bailiff said the company’s fleet reached a maximum of more than 2,000 vehicles in the height of the tourism boom, opening an office at Southampton Airport, but had subsequently declined as travel tastes had changed, and that the car hire business had been sold in 2003.
He said: ‘Our thoughts are with Mr Falle’s wife, his five children and ten grandchildren.’
Members observed a minute’s silence before continuing with Assembly business.
Mr Falle’s funeral is set to take place at St Saviour’s Church this Friday 21 July.
