JAMES STANLEY JOHN FRENCH
10/04/2008
"I say you chaps. My glass in empty!" - that was our Jim. Larger than life, with a ready wit, enthusiasm in all he did, and dedicated to his family, his friends, his church and last but by no means least, to journalism. I was proud to have Jim as a friend. I knew him from the days when we were both trainee reporters with the old South London Observer in Camberwell. We kept in touch over the years. In those early days Jim, with boundless energy, would take the steps up to our attic two at a time.
So it was with sadness and shock I learned of his death at St George's Hospital, London, following an operation which it was hoped would give him a better quality of life. For some years he had great difficulty in getting around.
Jim married Patricia in 1963 and they moved from Streatham, London to Billingshurst some years ago where they took an active interest in their local St Mary's Church. It was packed to capacity at the Thanksgiving Service on Feb 1st. An address was given by Canon C Pain. Among the tributes was one by Ken Morgan of the National Union of Journalists. He spoke of Jim's dedicated work for the Union, negotiating wages and conditions during difficult times and helping to resolve many welfare problems. In 1990 the NUJ made him a Member of Honour. Ken said: "He was a good friend and great company."
After doing two years National service in the Intelligence Corps Jim, a keen sportsman joined the Daily Mail on the Sports Desk and later mobbed to the Financial Times. He was also a life member of the old Newspaper Press Fund now the Journalists' Charity.
Jim leaves a wife and fourchildren, Angus, Fiona,Toby and Stephen. Donations in his memory are going to the NUJ Members in Need Fund and British Heart Foundation.
Marhita Wearing