My friend Jeremy Cameron, who has died suddenly aged 76, during a holiday watching cricket in Grenada and Trinidad, was a former probation officer, an author, a tennis aficionado, cross-continental walker, socialist and vegetarian. His tennis maxim – “keep fit and get the ball back once more than your opponent” – underpinned his approach more generally.
Jeremy started his working life in the 1970s helping homeless young people in Manchester and emotionally damaged children in Norwich. After qualifying as a probation officer at Brunel University in 1981, he started work in Walthamstow in east London. He was a fearless and inspirational officer, and active in the NAPO trade union, where his AGM speeches were lauded for their passion and wit. In 1995, he became a national rep in disciplinary proceedings and continued this work even after resigning from the Probation Service in 2002.
He also played club cricket, tennis for Norfolk and walked solo across Europe and America. Even so, he found time to write 10 books: six crime novels, of which It Was an Accident (1997) was made into a 2000 film; two about his long-distance walks, Never Again: A Walk from Hook of Holland to Istanbul (2014) and Quite Quintessential (2019), an account of his attempt to visit all the places in England beginning with Q; one on local cricket in west Norfolk; and How to Be President – of Norfolk Lawn Tennis Association (2013), an office which Jeremy attained, serving from 2012 to 2014. He also edited Tales of the Probation Service (2019), an amusing collection of anecdotes from retired staff.
The younger son of Peggy (nee Majolier) and Leslie Cameron, Jeremy was born in Buxton, Derbyshire, but only three weeks later moved with his family to Norfolk, where his father was the agent/manager of Westacre estate, near Swaffham, and his mother a local magistrate. Jeremy grew up valuing rural life.
At East Walton village primary and Nowton Court prep schools, Jeremy was known as a shy, bookish lad. At Gresham’s public school, Holt, he excelled academically and in tennis, cricket and hockey. Thereafter he studied history at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Back in Westacre in retirement, despite being diagnosed with a heart problem and then Parkinson’s disease, Jeremy refused to be slowed down; he added parish councillor to his list of achievements and activities, and set up a village library in his suitably adapted garage.
Jeremy spent 10 happy years in a relationship with Belinda Mara. After her death in 2008 Jeremy remained actively involved in the lives of Belinda’s daughters, Alice and Emily, and their children. He also spent time with a partner, Hilary Rock, up to 2019; they remained good friends thereafter.
Jeremy’s brother Michael predeceased him. He is survived by his sisters, Susan and Sarah, and their children; and by Michael’s son.
