Remembering Jim: World's End bids farewell to beloved postmaster of 45 Years

Jim and his family moved to Burgess Hill in 1951, where their father ran the Post Office. After his fathers death in 1955, Jim was sent home on compassionate leave from National Service and worked as the postmaster at the World's End post office in Burgess Hill for 45 years.

He became a long-standing and beloved fixture in the community and he stayed until his retirement in the year 2000.

Jim’s younger brother, John, who also worked with Jim at the store, spoke on how Jim never rushed or grew flustered, even when queues stretched from the counter to the pavement.

John said: "He treated every customer as the most important thing”, taking the time to help people fill out their forms if they struggled to do so themselves.

While siblings occasionally helped out during busy periods, Jim practically ran the post office entirely on his own, putting his head down, and working with strict independence.

John described his elder brother as a “One-Man Band”.

Though John described Jim as not very athletic, John reflected on a fond memory with his brother. John spoke on how Jim once joined five of his brothers so that six siblings could play for the World's End cricket team on the exact same day. Having not played in ‘donkeys' years’, Jim lasted just 15 minutes before being carried off the pitch stiff and aching, and he never played again.

Jim retired at the age of 64 due to the computerisation of the post office, as he steadfastly refused to use a computer.

His sibling described him as “the most honest chap you could meet” and how his brother treated the post office counter as his “haven’” where he felt completely safe.

Despite working alongside his sibling, Jim never once queried, argued with, or objected to his John's decisions or suggestions at work.

The shop, which is now the Best One in Worlds End, operated as the ‘VG store’ and North End Post Office back in the day.

Many long standing residents of the community would still fondly remember the Thwaites family from this era.

Jim not only showed himself as a devoted worker but also as a devoted husband, as he was married for 68 years to Kath.

John said: "The public, you know, just loved him, which they do now. Every time you bump into somebody from the past, they sort of say to me, 'How's Jim?’

“His story deserves to be told, you know, that people will now know that Jim's passed away that we can't get to.”