It was standing room only in Brightlingsea’s St James’ church as around 400 people turned out for a service of thanksgiving to mark the life of barge skipper and sailmaker James ‘Jim or Jimmy’ Lawrence.
Jim, one of the last skippers to work a trading Thames barge, died in January at the age of 90, leaving three daughters. His wife, Pauline, died in 2018.
The congregation of local residents, barge and smack sailors, sailmakers and more heard lifelong friend David Patient describe Jim as a man who helped ensure the survival of sailing barges as a founder member of the Association of Bargemen.
The service, on February 16, opened with a recording of Jim – a self-taught musician – singing Shoals of Herring and closed with his rendition of Cool Water. Mr Patient recalled Jim’s performances for neighbours during lockdown, singing and playing his ukele or banjo outside his Tower Street home.
Unlike many, said Mr Patient, Jim was happy to pass on his skills. “He’s left behind a score of bargemen and sailmakers,” he said. “Jim wasn’t a jack of all trades and master of none – he became a master of a lot of things he tackled.”
He added: “The word unique is often misused but Jim’s life was unique – it cannot now be repeated.”
The Rev Caroline Beckett conducted the service, Richard Beer read from Gone From My Sight, by Henry Van Dyke, and lay minister Catherine Graham read verses from Psalm 107: “Some went out on the sea in ships”.
