Multi-skilled Jim was well known around south Warwickshire

Richard James Pitcher, better known as Jim, passed away at the age of 79 after a short illness. Sally Jones, who knew Mr Pitcher, contributed the following article in tribute to him.

Jim typified the driven stoicism of many gifted working-class boys from the pre-welfare state generation and he was widely respected for his kindness, joie de vivre and ability to turn his hand to a variety of skills.

He was born in 1932 at Chapel Street, Wellesbourne, to Beatrice Mabel Pitcher. He never knew or spoke about his father.

Jim went to the village school but left at the age of 11 to get a full-time job, having already worked as a bread delivery boy for the grocer’s shop in Chapel Street for several years.

He moved to Newmarket as a teenager to work as a stable lad in several racing yards and he loved horse racing for the rest of his life.

Despite his lack of a formal education, Jim taught himself to play and read music on a battered accordion, then developed into a gifted and versatile musician, playing numerous instruments including the cornet, trumpet, saxophone and organ which became his greatest love.

As a young man, Jim ran popular dance bands in the area, which played at weddings, dances and parties. He received several offers to travel the world playing in a band on the cruise ships but opted to stay in Wellesbourne and marry his teenage sweetheart Iris.

The couple had seven children but later separated. While working at the moulding firm Webb’s in Stratford, Jim met Margaret Clifford, who would become the love of his life. They married in 1977 and went on to have two children of their own, Claire and Lee.

Jim then worked for the local entrepreneur Seafield Grant, making garden figurines, showing a particular gift for life-like models of hedgehogs and busts of William Shakespeare.

Next he moved into gardening and rapidly became one of the family in every home he worked in, thanks to his shrewdness, kindness and loyalty.

When diagnosed with widespread bone cancer one month ago, and given six months to live, he showed not a shred of self-pity but said his main regret was not living to see his youngest grandchildren grow up. He suffered the pain of his final illness uncomplainingly, cared for at home by nurses from the Shakespeare Hospice in Shottery.