James Leonard Dearlove (27 Nov 1927 - 18 Feb 2021)

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York Crematorium Bishopthorpe York YO23 2QD
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In loving memory of James Leonard Dearlove who sadly passed away on 18th February 2021. Born on the 27th November 1927 at 275 Burton Stone Lane ,York. The third child of Walter and Florence Dearlove. Jim grew up with his brothers Wally, Reg, and later was joined by Ivy,Brian,Barry and Colin. Started his Butcher Apprenticeship at William Wrights and Sons in 1943 before being called up for National Service in January 1946 just after his 18th birthday. After serving his 2 years he returned to finish his apprenticeship at William Wrights where he met Mabel Ainsworth. In 1949 Jim became a Freeman of the City of York along with Wally And Reg. A heriditary title dating back to 1848. Later he would become a Pasture Master of Bootham Stray. Jim and Mabel married on the 22nd September 1952 and lived above the William Wrights Bridge Street shop. Jim was now training as a shop manager at the same shop. In December 1955 Jim and Mabel became parents with the birth of Richard. In 1956 Jim became the manager of the Field View branch of Wrights, just off Burton Stone Lane. In 1958 the family moved to 8 Scafell Close,Rawcliffe,York. A new build bungalow. The site foreman asked him if he liked gardening, Jim replied yes and ended up with one of the biggest gardens on the new estate. Gardening was one of his passions along with bowling. In November 1962 the family was joined with birth of Dea (Deanna) who did not quite share his birthday being born on 28th November. Jim was now on the rise at Wrights and became manager at the flagship Goodramgate shop. Later he would become Area Manager before become Training Officer. In 1966 the family moved to 5 Rawcliffe Drive. In 1972 Jim left Wrights for personal reasons and went to work at Rowntrees, where he stayed apart from a brief 3 months at Asda, until he retired in 1990. By then Jim and Mabel had become Grandparents with the birth of Emma and Andrew to his son Richard and his wife Janet and Christopher and Alex to Dea and her husband John. Enjoing retirement he helped to run the Rowntrees Pensioners Holiday Club, where Jim and Mabel enjoyed several trips abroad in Europe and at home. They moved to 27 Castle Close, Wigginton in the early 1980s where Jim enjoyed getting the gardens up to scratch, Moles beware!!. After supporting his Grandaughters Emma's fight against cancer ( a reason why he took early retirement ) in the early 1990s, Jim then had to support Mabel when she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. After successfully helping Mabel win her battle and his own with Prostrate Cancer they moved to 56 Wyre Mews, Haxby in 2000. He happily took over the care of the garden beds and carried on playing his beloved bowls, both indoor and outside. And very enjoyable Sunday mornings going down to his son's house to wash his car as there was no outside tap at Wyre Mews. He often did not bother washing the car, instead enjoying a cup of tea with biscuits( of course) with Emma and Andrew. In 2006 a re-occurance of Mabel's breast cancer which led to her death in October 2007. He carried, enjoying his time with his Grandchildren who he was always close to. Especially enjoyed going out for Sunday dinner at the Lysander Arms where he was something of a minor Celebrity. His 90th birthday saw a full family gathering at his favourite eating place with the extra addition of Grandson's Christopher fiance Emily. Unfortunately old age started to catch up. Slowly he had to give up bowls and gardening due to arthritis and eventually driving. 2021 was not a good year for him. What with Covid19 restricting him to stay indoors and his deteriation in his health, he found it hard. He died peacefully at the Meadowbeck Care Home where he had gone after his hip operation.
When Dad left ASDA after an ill fated 3 months,one of the staff turned to me, his son Richard as I was working there as well at the time, and said " Your Dad is a true gentleman. You don't find many about nowadays".
And to the end that is how We will always remember him. A True Gentleman, loved by all.

Rest in Peace Jim

KEVIN DEARLOVE donated £10 in memory of James
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Helen Watts donated in memory of James

Remembering my lovely Uncle Jim who always had a twinkle in his eyes and a cheeky grin to go with his wicked sense of humour.
Rest in peace Uncle Jim.

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Gillian Abbott donated £20 in memory of James

With loving and fond memories of (my favourite) uncle Jim. Just like my dad Walter, Jim's eldest brother, he was most definitely a true gentleman. A sad loss to us all.

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Christine Stanton donated £50 in memory of James

In memory of a loved Uncle Jim. I remember working as a "Saturday girl" in the Goodramgate branch of Wm Wrights in the 1960s when he was manager. Since moving back to York (in Wigginton) I enjoyed meeting Uncle Jim on his many walks around Haxby. He will be sadly missed.

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Julia Pattison ( ne Dearlove) donated £20 in memory of James

In memory of Uncle Jim's cheeky smile and wicked sense of humour.

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Alex Briggs donated £10 in memory of James

A few words from the man himself to make us smile.

On the other end of Burton Stone Lane was[...] a butchers shop where I was a Saturday boy for. I used to take meat out in a basket every Saturday morning. I used to get one and six and a pork pie!

I just went along, made good friends [...]but they were still calling up and at eighteen I was called up into the army [...] oh I loved it, good discipline, free clothes! I’d always had seconds at home, from there on I decided to apply eventually to be a butcher in the army.

Eventually I was demobbed, got my free suit and bought my great coat for ten Bob and when I came out of Fulford Barracks there were men there waiting to buy your suit and everything in a big cardboard box, so I sold them for £12 and I went straight down into York, to coney street to the fifty shilling tailors and I got measured for two suits and bought new shoes.

After leaving the army granddad worked for William Wrights as a butcher and spoke fondly of his time there;

I used to go down to the market, the meat market and we used to buy sheep and cattle and we used to them have to drive them. I was at the front, I used to get hold of a sheep, put a halter round it’s neck and it followed me, and all the others followed it, we used to take them up to heworth grange where William Wright used to live, he had a big field at the back and he used to put them in there, then we had to, when we wanted them, bring them down into Monkgate and over a big roundabout that they’d just built, all beautifully flowered and everything and they were hungry were the sheep and they ate the lot! I couldn’t do anything about it!
We used to go up to the farm to get pigs and bring them down but we had to put them on the back of a horse drawn cart, pigs were all on the back, when we eventually got them in and I used to bring them down on the horse and cart and we used to have a lot of fun then I would go back to the shop, carry on your daily duties. I used to take errands out, maybe just wanted a couple of posh sausages but you still had to go up into heworth and areas like that and one day I remember coming back and there was an event on at York Minister and all the errand boys were wheel to wheel watching this event and we were caught on film that was being taken by the Yorkshire Evening Press, there we were all in the middle watching this event and Bob Wright got his daily newspaper and found our photograph and we were stopped a days pays, that’s how they were then, straight forward.

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Chris Briggs donated £20 in memory of James

I'll miss your cheekiness Grandad. I'll always remember watching the then, York Wasps, rugby league team most weekends when growing up! Now I'm older, I'm not so sure Rugby Union players are 'softies' compared to League players, but I'll take your word for it!

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