It is with great sadness that we report the death of former Senior Partner, Jeremy Carter, who passed away on 8th April. Jeremy was 82. He had been suffering ill health for some time. The funeral was held on 28th April, with family and friends present, including many who knew Jeremy from his business life.

Without question, Jeremy was instrumental in changing the face of Leslie Clark back in the early 1980s. Indeed, it is well known that JC thought Quantity Surveying to be a rather dull career, one he fell into, almost accidentally, after meeting the daughter of founder, Leslie Clark, whom he married, after a rapid courtship.

Jeremy was at the forefront of change, as the profession morphed from “counting bricks” into the multi faceted Chartered QS practices that exist today.

Basing the business in Soho, not an area associated with QSing, Jeremy used the local colour, the atmosphere, the pubs and restaurants to create a forward looking Practice with a fun, bohemian character that clients loved. JC enjoyed nothing more than a great lunch at prominent Soho tables, where he would be highly visible, notepad and fountain pen alongside his cutlery, ready to ensure no leads were ever missed or forgotten. He was a well known face around the area, and he ensured that his relationship skills were fully engrained upon those in the Practice who would follow in his footsteps.

The Leslie Clark parties, either upstairs in the roof top flat above the Soho office, or the fabulous Christmas event held at Searcy’s in Pavilion Road for over 30 years, were legendary, and helped to cement Jeremy’s reputation as a “bon vivieur, par excellence”.

Leslie Clark developed into a business employing upwards of 50 persons, with offices opening around the United Kingdom and in Paris, Dublin and Belfast, so that a truly regional service was always on hand to clients.

Under his direction, Leslie Clark became a major player in the booming Out of Town retail world, as well as acknowledged experts in the Supermarket construction in the 1980s and 90s. Off the back of this success, a much varied, and new clientele underpinned further growth for the business that exists today.

Jeremy was not the typical Quantity Surveyor of his day, he was quite unique. They don’t make them like him anymore.

Nick Rice