A former magistrate who helped serve justice for more than 30 years has died at the age of 86.

Richard Crosskill, of Framingham Earl and formally Bramerton, served as a magistrate at Norwich from 1970 to 2006.

He also chaired the city’s bench from 1991 to 1995, and was involved both in countywide training and recommending potential new magistrates for appointment at Great Yarmouth and Cromer courts.

Mr Crosskill had a been a director of his family firm, founded in 1810, which supplied pharmacies and hospitals.

He joined the business straight from The Leys School in Cambridge, but left at 57 in what he described as a “back-to-front” move in order complete an honours degree in politics with modern history at the University of East Anglia.

He graduated in 2006.

An ancestor, another Richard Croskill - this time spelt with a single ‘s’ - had been a freeman of the city of Norwich in 1640.

During his early twenties, the latter would go on to chair Young Conservatives in Norwich. In his early thirties, he was president of the Norwich Junior Chamber of Commerce.

His group had researched the case for civic purchase of RAF Horsham St Faith and he was pleased to see a civil airport come about.

In his early forties, he became president of the Norfolk County Association of Parish and Town Councils, having served on his own at Bramerton, near Poringland. He was also an independent member of Forehoe and Henstead Rural District Council.

In the Bramerton community, he edited the group churches publication ‘Eleven Says’ for 14 years, changing it to tabloid newspaper form. He also served on the committee of the village‘s amenity group the Bramerton Society and had belonged to the Bramrocks drama group.

At the aged of 72, he stepped down from the regional valuation tribunal service where he sat on appeals against domestic council tax and business rating.

Mr Crosskill died on September 11. He leaves behind his wife Merrilyn, known as “Merry”, daughters Alison and Caroline, and grandchildren Connor, Finn and Olivia.

A private cremation will take place and all are welcome to attend a service of thanksgiving at St Peter’s Church, Bramerton, on Wednesday, September 28 at 3pm.