Fond farewell to Thame legend ‘John the Stitcher’

FAMILY, friends, and customers came together on Friday, September 9, to pay tribute to, and celebrate the life of Thame legend, John Markham aka John the Stitcher, at his funeral service, filling the Oxford Crematorium in Barton, Oxford. John died on August 21, 2016, after tenaciously fighting cancer for several months. He was just 64 years-old.

John ‘The stitcher’ Markham

The phrase ‘hiding your light under a bushel’ could have been penned for the man most knew as simply ‘John the Stitcher’. Most knew him from the friendly, helpful, creative, professional help he served up to his numerous customers from his distinctive leather shop in East Street, Thame. But that was merely the surface of the depth of his abilities. Many didn’t even know his last name as he was fondly known as just ‘John the Stitcher’ – the name on his Thame shop front for 33 years.

John provided exemplary leatherwork services from the tiny, dimly lit and impossibly crowded shop on the corner of East Street and Chinnor Road, across from The Cross Keys pub. Before he moved his sewing machine towards the front of the shop a few years ago, he would be found (eventually) sitting at the back amidst a pile of new leather, partly finished projects, and completed items way at the back. His shop would be full to capacity with just two customers standing together just inside the front door.

‘A rare step into an olde worlde shop’

John started his own business originally on the site of Shoe Care, moving to 1, East Street, where he remained for over 25 years.  He made new – or repaired – leather goods, from your old worn out item, a pattern that you had roughly sketched, or from a photo of what you wanted. His shop was a wonderful yet rare step into an olde worlde shop environment with the glorious smell of tanned leather, dressing, glue, and polish. To visit John there, was a unique, rewarding, entertaining and pleasurable experience.

John the Stitcher made leather goods for classic car restorers, pilots of antique airplanes, film companies – notably for the film ‘Pan’ – horse riders, motorbike riders, and many more. Fittingly, being a motorbike rider himself in his youth (an accident prevented him from riding further), a group of six motorbikes assembled to accompany his family and John on his final journey from the funeral home in Cowley, Oxford to the Oxford Crematorium in Barton Oxford.

As well as being willing to rescue a broken belt buckle or handbag, or to sew a new zip in a pair of much-loved boots, there didn’t seem anything made of leather that John couldn’t do, or a problem he couldn’t solve with leather. He made for example a leather chute for grain bags in a grist mill, tonneau covers and seats for classic cars, as well as a seat for a Tiger Moth aeroplane.

A visit now to his still-visible Facebook page – John the Stitcher – has a treasure trove of photos displaying just some of his creative work. A fascinating book could be made of the photos from his personal photograph album. Perhaps some author will accept that project for John on behalf of his family and friends?

John’s Patience and humour

Ever mindful of some people’s poor memories, he would sometimes keep repaired items for six months or more, waiting patiently for the customer to collect and pay for his work; some never did. Yet his humour was ever present. One customer, upon bringing in her daughter’s handbag hoping to get a new zip, told John that she was afraid that it was purple (thinking that he might struggle to find a replacement purple zip), to which John replied that he couldn’t help it if the handbag was purple! 

Another customer had so many other motorbike riders asking where he got his leatherwork done, that he paid John to make him a belt with John’s name, phone number, and postcode stamped into it – and the belt became a travelling advertisement. In name and thoughts, John continues to ride everywhere with that biker today.

A private and modest man, most knew little of his family or his past. When coaxed, he would dig out an aging, well-thumbed photo album of many of his past projects. Each photo was cheerfully and enthusiastically explained with a fascinating story. Yet this was a man of many academic accomplishments, including a degree in politics and Socio-Economics with an extension in British Institution at Liverpool University

Clearly expressing John and his family’s enjoyment of a wide variety of music, the entrance song to the beginning of his memorial celebration was the soulful, bottle-neck slide guitar tune ‘Feelin’ Bad Blues’ by Ry Cooder, while the exit music was the tender, ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ by The Spaniels. The music for reflection was the melancholy classical Beethoven string quartet piece, ‘Cavatina.’

‘A huge hole’ in the life of Thame

It was also fitting that John’s memorial booklet ended with the poem, ‘Miss Me But Let Me Go’. Yet his sad departure has left a huge hole at the heart of Thame life. However, Thame is a far richer place now for all his contributions.

After the service, the family invited celebrants to join them in continuing to share memories of John at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel. His family also requested donations, in lieu of flowers, to be made to either Sobell House Hospice Oxford or Maggie’s Centre Oxford.

In the 1992, John married his wife Wendy, who still lives in Oxford. Together they had one child – Kiah – and John was step father to Wendy’s three children – Melissa, Carina and Daniel. John is also survived by his brother, David.

SOURCE: Contributed by Allen Shriver