Category: Missed a ThameNews story?

FAMILY, friends, and customers came together on Friday, September 9, to pay tribute to, and celebrate the life of Thame legend, John Markham aka John the Stitcher, at his funeral service, filling the Oxford Crematorium in Barton, Oxford. John died on August 21, 2016, after tenaciously fighting cancer for several months. He was just 64 years-old.

The phrase ‘hiding your light under a bushel’ could have been penned for the man most knew as simply ‘John the Stitcher’. Most knew him from the friendly, helpful, creative, professional help he served up to his numerous customers from his distinctive leather shop in East Street, Thame. But that was merely the surface of the depth of his abilities. Many didn’t even know his last name as he was fondly known as just ‘John the Stitcher’ – the name on his Thame shop front for 33 years.

John provided exemplary leatherwork services from the tiny, dimly lit and impossibly crowded shop on the corner of East Street and Chinnor Road, across from The Cross Keys pub. Before he moved his sewing machine towards the front of the shop a few years ago, he would be found (eventually) sitting at the back amidst a pile of new leather, partly finished projects, and completed items way at the back. His shop would be full to capacity with just two customers standing together just inside the front door.

‘A rare step into an olde worlde shop’

John started his own business originally on the site of Shoe Care, moving to 1, East Street, where he remained for over 25 years.  He made new – or repaired – leather goods, from your old worn out item, a pattern that you had roughly sketched, or from a photo of what you wanted. His shop was a wonderful yet rare step into an olde worlde shop environment with the glorious smell of tanned leather, dressing, glue, and polish. To visit John there, was a unique, rewarding, entertaining and pleasurable experience.

John the Stitcher made leather goods for classic car restorers, pilots of antique airplanes, film companies – notably for the film ‘Pan’ – horse riders, motorbike riders, and many more. Fittingly, being a motorbike rider himself in his youth (an accident prevented him from riding further), a group of six motorbikes assembled to accompany his family and John on his final journey from the funeral home in Cowley, Oxford to the Oxford Crematorium in Barton Oxford.

As well as being willing to rescue a broken belt buckle or handbag, or to sew a new zip in a pair of much-loved boots, there didn’t seem anything made of leather that John couldn’t do, or a problem he couldn’t solve with leather. He made for example a leather chute for grain bags in a grist mill, tonneau covers and seats for classic cars, as well as a seat for a Tiger Moth aeroplane.

A visit now to his still-visible Facebook page – John the Stitcher – has a treasure trove of photos displaying just some of his creative work. A fascinating book could be made of the photos from his personal photograph album. Perhaps some author will accept that project for John on behalf of his family and friends?

John’s Patience and humour

Ever mindful of some people’s poor memories, he would sometimes keep repaired items for six months or more, waiting patiently for the customer to collect and pay for his work; some never did. Yet his humour was ever present. One customer, upon bringing in her daughter’s handbag hoping to get a new zip, told John that she was afraid that it was purple (thinking that he might struggle to find a replacement purple zip), to which John replied that he couldn’t help it if the handbag was purple! 

Another customer had so many other motorbike riders asking where he got his leatherwork done, that he paid John to make him a belt with John’s name, phone number, and postcode stamped into it – and the belt became a travelling advertisement. In name and thoughts, John continues to ride everywhere with that biker today.

A private and modest man, most knew little of his family or his past. When coaxed, he would dig out an aging, well-thumbed photo album of many of his past projects. Each photo was cheerfully and enthusiastically explained with a fascinating story. Yet this was a man of many academic accomplishments, including a degree in politics and Socio-Economics with an extension in British Institution at Liverpool University

Clearly expressing John and his family’s enjoyment of a wide variety of music, the entrance song to the beginning of his memorial celebration was the soulful, bottle-neck slide guitar tune ‘Feelin’ Bad Blues’ by Ry Cooder, while the exit music was the tender, ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ by The Spaniels. The music for reflection was the melancholy classical Beethoven string quartet piece, ‘Cavatina.’

‘A huge hole’ in the life of Thame

It was also fitting that John’s memorial booklet ended with the poem, ‘Miss Me But Let Me Go’. Yet his sad departure has left a huge hole at the heart of Thame life. However, Thame is a far richer place now for all his contributions.

After the service, the family invited celebrants to join them in continuing to share memories of John at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel. His family also requested donations, in lieu of flowers, to be made to either Sobell House Hospice Oxford or Maggie’s Centre Oxford.

In the 1992, John married his wife Wendy, who still lives in Oxford. Together they had one child – Kiah – and John was step father to Wendy’s three children – Melissa, Carina and Daniel. John is also survived by his brother, David.

SOURCE: Contributed by Allen Shriver

THAME is in the running to win up to £50,000 in prize money as part of a nationwide search for the Britain’s best high street.

Thame High Street has been entered in to the Small Market Town category of the Great British High Street award, in recognition of the town’s collective efforts to increase the vitality and viability of the area. This includes holding workshops for businesses to help them take advantage of the town’s associations with the filming of Midsomer Murders, the installation of numbered, brass waymarkers set into the pavements linked to Historic walks leaflets, using the high street in innovative ways to promote the evening economy including Street Cricket, ‘Brush Parties’ for budding artists in a local pub, regular, live music events in local pubs, supporting events like the Thame Food Festival and the Thame Arts and Literature Festival, appointing a Market Town Coordinator, mentoring and offering social media training to town centre retailers and other small businesses to work together to promote the town and what it has to offer – all helping to deliver Thame’s vision as an attractive, appealing destination for residents, visitors and shoppers.

The on-line entry includes photographs of various activities in the town centre, and video footage of interviews with Thame’s market traders, independent retailers and the Mayor or Thame, Linda Emery, as well as scenes from town centre life – much of it shot my Emma Lowndes of ThameTV, and edited into three separate video, by Tony Long. You can view the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mytf6FRdJs

The results of a recent survey carried out among retailers in the town centre, show just how such projects and initiatives have contributed to:

76% increased customer visits
68% increased turnover
100% customers satisfied
34% increased event footfall

If successful, Thame will win a share of the cash prize pot, and dedicated support and mentoring from industry experts which could range from one to one coaching to advice on digital marketing.

One of the main objectives of the Great British High Street competition is to share successful ideas for regenerating high streets and making them vibrant places to shop and socialise.

Helen Johns, who has co-ordinated Thame’s entry on behalf of 21st Century Thame, and supported by Thame Town Council, said: “The High streets is a vital part of our community and makes a very important contribution to the local economy through the thousands of pounds it generates and the jobs it supports in retail, leisure and other businesses. This translates to billions of pounds and thousands of jobs all over the country supporting the national economy.

“There’s a renewed buzz on our high streets and this competition is searching for the very best ideas, innovation and creativity which is great news for our town centre, and fingers crossed our entry will be successful.”

There are seven separate categories in recognition of the diversity of Britain’s high streets: City Centre; London; Town Centre; Market Town; Coastal Community; Village and parade of shops.

The public can support Thame’s nomination at http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk/get-involved and if Thame is shortlisted, everyone will be able to vote for their favourite high street. Nominations are open until July 17, 2016.

Jim Barrett, former landlord of Three Horseshoes, Towersey

ROYAL Navy Chief Communications Yeoman Jack Barrett, known to his friends in Towersey and Thame as Jim, who has died at the age of 95, was at sea throughout the Second World War, and saw action from the Far East to the Atlantic, the Arctic, the Aegean, the Mediterranean and East Africa.

He retired from the Navy after 25 years’ service and became landlord of the Three Horseshoes in Towersey, which he ran with his wife, Clare. Jim was also one of those instrumental in creating the Towersey Folk Festival, which has become a national event and recently celebrated its 52nd anniversary.

Jim continued his service to the community in other ways, and was for many years a trustee and the hon. treasurer of the Thame and District Day Centre.

He was born on November 15, 1920, in Long Crendon. He held the 1939-45 Star, the Atlantic Star, the Africa Star, the Burma Star, the Italy Star, the France and Germany Clasp, the War Medal, and a medal given him by the Russian Embassy for his service on the Arctic Convoys. As a communications specialist, he served mainly in destroyers but also on battleships, cruisers and aircraft carriers.

After leaving school at the age of 14, Jim joined the Naval training ship Arethusa, and from there progressed to HMS Ganges, a training establishment where he learned the trade of signalman. In August 1939, aged 17, he joined the cruiser HMS Colombo as a Signalman and was on board when war was declared. His diary note for September 3, 1939: 1115: ‘”Britain declared war on Germany.”

For the next three years Jim was at sea in the in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Singapore, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, Capetown, Aden, the Maldives, Somaliland, and Mombasa.

From having started his service as a Boy Second Class, he was now Acting Yeoman (Petty Officer) of Signals. He was 21 years old. His diaries record many actions at sea, including, in 1939, the capture of German merchant ship Henning Oldendorf. For November 19, his diary records: “Captured Henning Oldendorf under Russian flag and different name. Sent prize crew aboard and sent her to Leith. She had been at sea since 16th October. Cargo minerals.”

In November 1942, Jim joined HMS Faulknor as Temporary Yeoman (Petty Officer) of Signals, on which he served until the end of the war, in frequent action. By then his rank was Permanent Yeoman (Petty Officer) of Signals. In subsequent years he saw action with the Arctic convoys, and in Sicily, Salerno, the Aegean, the Mediterranean, at Anzio, at the liberation of the Channel Islands and in the Normandy landings, in 1944. Wikipedia reports that the Faulknor had a particularly active operational role during World War II, and was known as “the hardest worked destroyer in the Fleet’. As a communications specialist Jim served on the bridge of the Faulknor at the heart of the action.

Many of these events are reported as they happened in Jim’s detailed diaries, which carry eye-witness, immediate reports of many actions which were costly both in men and ships, especially in the Mediterranean and the Aegean.

Arctic Convoy JW53 – 1943

There are vivid reports in his diaries of the battles and the freezing cold of the Faulknor’s Arctic escort duties. His entry for February 25, 1943 reports:

“Today we have been closed up at action stations for nearly nine hours.  At lunchtime 14 JU88s attacked us splattering bombs all round but no one hit; the barrage made them keep up too high, then again 28 Jus (Junkers ) escorted by 40 ME (Messerschmidt) 109 and dropped everything they could but they seemed scared, just jettisoned their bombs anywhere, although some of the fighters jumped on us out of the clouds and machine gunned us, only one casualty in MVs, a man with a shrapnel splinter in his leg, he has been transferred with some difficulty to (HMS) Scylla.

“Just as dusk was falling another 10 JU88s came over; but no hits, although several near misses registered. And so the night goes on, snowing like the devil and we can hear the U boats making their sighting reports and homing other U boats. Signal comes through that all the escort are to drop two depth charges. This done nothing more was heard of the U boats and we have obviously made them keep well below the surface; whether any hits were registered we can’t say, it is too dark.”

The following year, during the Normandy landings, it fell to his ship to carry several eminent military people and politicians to the area, among them Field Marshal Montgomery, whom Jim recalled meeting. A countryman as well as a man of the sea, Jim knew the ways of the land about his home village – where the best blackberries could be picked, how to pluck and gut game birds, and how to grow great crops of vegetables behind his pub.

He was born on November 15, 1920 in Long Crendon, on the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire borders. He attended the village school until he was 14, when he joined the Training Ship HMS Arethusa. There his education continued – while he also remembers having to carry out chores like scrubbing decks. He then moved on to the training ship HMS Ganges, to learn his trade of Communications. When the war ended, after six years continuously at sea and in the thick of the action, Jim was Chief Yeoman of Signals – and still only 24 years old.

Jim’s wife, Clare, died in 2000. He is survived by three children, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Active and interested in people and events, with a razor sharp gift for marshalling his facts and dealing with practical matters –perhaps learned from his years as a Signals expert – Jim remained involved with the Thame and District Day Centre well into his 90s.

LOCATION UP-DATE: After some confusion as to the location of the field in which the ponies were found on Sunday (4/9),  Thames Valley Police have clarified that the field is off the A418 Thame bypass, near the Esso Service Station and Priest End.

The 10 horses that had been left there after a padlock was broken and entry forced.

The horses are a mixture of white and brown in colour and were in a poor condition. TVP is ensuring the horses are looked after.

Investigating officer PC Melanie Stafford from the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Thame, said: “I would like to speak to anyone who has information about these animals. It is distressing to see them in such a poor condition and it is essential we trace the owner.

“Anyone who has any details should contact Thames Valley Police via the non-emergency number 101.”

If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

AN investigation is underway to try to find the owner of ten ponies, found dumped in a very poor state of health, in a field near St Mary’s Church, Thame. One of them has since has to be put down.

 

The grim discovery created a major welfare issue for Thame PCSO, Diane Jackson, who managed to contact Norcal Vets in Thame, who covered half the fee for chipping, castrating and providing treatments for other ailments the stricken animals were suffering from.

Following an appeal on social media for donations to cover the rest of the vet’s bill, £900, an anonymous donor came forward and the bill was paid.

The ponies were discovered on Sunday morning when the owner of the field turned up and found the lock broken. A new home has now been found for the animals.

Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call the Police non-emergency line 101. If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after bricks were thrown at a parked car in a residential area of the town, twice.

The first incident took place in Churchill Crescent on August 21, between 10.30pm and midnight.

A car parked on a driveway had a brick thrown at it, causing its rear lights to be broken.

The second incident occurred in the same road between 6am and 6.30am on Saturday (3/9).

A brick was thrown at the same vehicle, causing a dent to the roof, and snapping off the aerial.

Investigating officer Sgt Vicky Hoskin, based at Thame police station, said: “There have been two incidents within a two week to the same vehicle which was parked on a driveway of a property.

“I would like to speak to anyone who has any information about these incidents, or who has seen any suspicious activity in the area.

“Anyone who has any details should contact Thames Valley Police via the non-emergency number 101.”

If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court