Tribute to a one off.

A tribute to James Mann 13th March 1946 to 8th April 2019

I wrote this for the funeral of my friend and ex partner James Mann, 9th May 2019

James Arthur Pass was born on the 13^th March 1946 into a difficult situation; his Mothers husband was in the army fighting in Italy. His birth Father name unknown was an American pilot who was stationed nearby. No one knows what happened but when he arrived in this world his Mother already had two sons. When she wrote to her Husband to tell him she was expecting and that the baby wasn’t his he made it clear he would only return to her if she gave up the baby.

It seems she didn’t do this immediately as papers from Barnardo’s show that when James was eventually taken into care he was under weight and apparently not cared for. The staff at the care home noted he was a cheerful baby and became a favourite, anyone who knew James will know this was something he was very good at, making friends and being popular.

He was eventually put up for adoption and was taken by Fred and Dorothy Mann who finally adopted him in 1949 when he was three years old. I remember his Mother telling me they wanted a girl but ended up with this strange boy. James told me he never felt at home with Fred and Dorothy he had a strict upbringing and wasn’t ever allowed to be free and open.  James loved to be able to on his own and to meditate in nature he was a free spirit but a restless one.

He always thought his depression was caused by the actions of his adoptive parents but when he finally made contact with Liz his half-sister after his birth Mother died it turned out that his Mother also suffered with poor mental health.

He left his adoptive parents when he was accepted into the Royal Ballet School in London 1964, James always said he thought he’d been born to do what he loved. Ballet and music were his passion and he loved the discipline and control of ballet. He adored being on stage and he mixed with all the stars of London arts scene in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He loved to ride his motor bike and unfortunately, he had a very bad accident when he was a the pinnacle of his career, he never danced again.

Using his contacts he moved in to the theatre and worked as a dresser to the stars, he told me Terrance Stamp used to send him a case of champagne on an opening night, and I’ve found letters, cards and notes addressed to him from all sorts of theatrical royalty, he seems to have been friends with everyone on the scene.

Unfortunately, his mental health deteriorated, and he stopped work for several years, during this time he met Philippa who was a close friend for many years until her early death. Together they worked for a jewellery company and the two of them used to ‘borrow materials’ and make and sell their own designs at Camden Market. They both had a passion for cats and James and his cats won many competitions.

I met James in the summer of 1990 at his spiritual home Lauriston Hall in Scotland. He and I where attending a maintenance week, though James’s idea of this involved spending a lot of time sitting in the walled garden getting stoned.

There was an instant link between us, and we stayed together for over twelve years. 

We bought a camper van in late 1990 and intended to travel around the UK picking up casual work where we could and spend a couple of years looking for a community to live in. I had a friend living in Sheffield and it seemed a good idea to over winter in the North, we arrived on Boxing Day 1990 and never left.

In the early days we ran a café in the Banners building in Attercliffe. It was a pretty rough area, but James loved mixing with people and just adored nothing better than a cigarette and a gossip with the locals. Especially the girls from the next-door massage parlour, as you all know he could get on with anyone and loved to chat.

We then took over a failing sandwich shop on Sharrowvale Road and turned it into a Deli and then opened Cafe Ceres. James’s health started to deteriorate, and he worked in the café and then the shop less and less.

He started to meet up with his friends he had met via the Edward Carpenter Community, he loved to go away with them to or three times a year to a retreat, he was particularly fond of his visits to the Laurieston community. It was around this time that he became Albion Fairy and adopted the spiritual name Clytemnestra, I’ve had lovely letters from members of this group who all remembered him fondly.

I remember a trip he and a disabled friend of his took to Australia, neither of them were in good health but when James set his mind to something, he wouldn’t let anything get in his way.

James and I like any couple we had our ups and downs, but James was the most loving, caring, warm hearted generous and adorable person I’ve ever known. I know from the messages I’ve received that his passing is mourned by many people whose lives he touched. James was a one off, he was someone you never forget.

I will miss him very much and I am so grateful for the chance I had to spend time in his life.

Goodbye James, I will always love you.