Last updated 05:34, Friday, 25 July 2008

The sad passing of Jim Gradwell is another loss to the town of Appleby. Jim was the son of Maud and James William Gradwell who lived at Church View, Bongate.

He was educated in Appleby and was a choirboy from an early age at the now-closed St Michael’s Church in Bongate.

His first job was as an apprentice joiner with local builder Fred Alderson, and he never forgot his first week’s wages – the princely sum of seven shillings (about 35p today).

Before long Jim went to work for John Gelder – a builder and joiner based at Long Marton. He soon became a friend of the Gelder family and was still working there when war broke out.

Jim volunteered for the RAF. His work for the local farming community made his job a “reserved occupation”, but he was determined to join up to serve his country.

Jim carried out his RAF service in the UK and married Marjorie (Madge) Blanche Phillips in Appleby in February 1942 while on a week’s leave.

The couple met at a police ball in Appleby.

The couple’s first home was with Jim’s parents in Chapel Street.

They travelled by train to Middlesbrough to spend their honeymoon with Madge’s mum.

At the end of the war, Jim returned to Appleby and his job at Long Marton with Mr Gelder, but he had a leg injury and found the daily bike ride to and from Long Marton difficult, so he went to work for the Appleby-based building and joinery business run by Benny Eggleston.

The couple were now living in Boroughgate in a house they rented from the owners of Appleby Castle.

In 1953 he set up his own business in the Castle Workshop on Boroughgate.

One of his first jobs was for Dr Emery, a cancer consultant at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London who owned Brampton Mill and its water wheel.

Both the doctor and Jim were meticulous with very high standards, and Jim’s work in rebuilding and resetting a new wheel, for which he made all the fittings himself, was an exceptional job which received a great deal of acclaim.

Jim expanded the business and was soon employing more staff. For a while he was Appleby’s funeral director and made the coffins.

Jim was a committed member of the Appleby and District Branch of the Royal British Legion.

Jim and Madge, who finally settled in Scattergate Green, had two daughters, Judith and Christine, three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

His funeral service was held in St Lawrence’s, with Canon Anthony Clegg, conducting the service.

Cremation followed in Carlisle and a reception was held at the Tufton Arms Hotel.