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He's Very Much Part Of The Village Scene
31 Dec 1971
St John's Church of England School, Read
Mr Blundell surrounded by some of the children at the school concert.
School caretaker and pianist, church organist and cleaner, grave digger and shoe repairer. That's what Jim Blundell has stood for in Read. Mr Blundell, who is 67, decided to call it a day after serving St John's C. of E. School for more than 35 years, and at the school Christmas concert two years ago he was given a chest of drawers and a bedside table from the school, a table lighter from the kitchen staff, a clock from the Read Cub pack and a desk from other well-wishers. Instead of "getting his feet up," he has carried on playing the piano at morning assembly. Now he has retired as organist at the village church, but again it won't be a complete break. He will still play at morning services as deputy organist.
He has lived in the village all his life and started work at the age of 13 in his father's shoe shop. But then in 1935 he was asked if he would help out as caretaker of the school and soon afterwards was appointed on a full time basis. He was also appointed sexton of the church and then in 1940 was given the job of church organist, a job which has given him more pleasure than any other aspect of his work. He was also caretaker for four years at Read and Simonstone Constitutional Club but then in 1942 got his call-up papers and joined the Army. When he returned to the village he continued with all of his old tasks.
Mr Blundell, who lives at Fort Street says that he has never wanted to leave Read, but is saddened by the way things have changed over the years. "At one time I knew everyone who lived here, but now people are coming and going so fast that it is impossible to keep track of who is who. In my younger days we had to find our own entertainment and we had lots of fun putting on pantomimes, concerts and dances. In those days you had to walk to Simonstone railway station or get on a tram at Padiham Town Hall if you wanted to get out of the village, but now things are very easy and we seem to have lost that village atmosphere." Nevertheless, Mr Blundell, small in size but a giant in character, is very much part of the village scene which he has known and loved all his life.
