JOVIAL Jim Brunskill and his brother Terry helped the St Helens Star to click with townsfolk in those early days with their photo expertise. writes DENIS WHITTLE

This week countless friends on the local business and social scene are mourning the death of Jim, a popular personality who was a role model for the 'smile please' slogan of his photographic profession.

Mr James Brunskill, of Parbold Avenue, Blackbrook, died in Whiston Hospital on Thursday, July 1, at the age of 74 after being taken ill at home. He leaves a widow Win, daughter Diane, grandsons Craig and Gratton, great-grand-daughter Shannon, and brothers Ray and Terry, with whom he was in partnership in North Road for more than 30 years

A larger-than-life character and former pupil of Parr Central School, Jimmy worked both at British Sidac and as a cinema projectionist in his early days and enjoyed shutter-clicking stints at the old 'Sutton Bug' and 'Parr Dog.' It was on returning from service with the Royal Navy in the Far East during the second world war that he met his Cornish-born bride-to-be and NAAFI girl Win Rowe, while serving on HMS Raleigh based at Torpoint.

Given her knowledge of military matters, jovial Jimmy quickly dubbed his beloved 'The War Office' and they married in Cornwall in 1948 before making their home in St Helens.

A past-president of Haydock C & B club, Jimmy was also a welcome figure at the St Helens Star when he and Terry won many new friends for the Star as our roving lensmen in the early years of the paper.

And many of the straight-from-the-shoulder phrases coined by Jim (BDG... big daft group; RFS... room full of smoke; mushroom patch... Jim's dark room) are now a much-loved part of our Star folklore.

A funeral service was held yesterday (Wednesday, July 7) at St James the Great Church, Haydock, followed by cremation.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.