The obituary notice of SIR JOHN MORTIMER

Having read Rumpole stories for many years I was delighted to meet him at a small gathering in Canterbury where he entertained us with a short witty presentation. Afterwards I asked him if he enjoyed Leo McKern's portayal of Rumpole. He said that he was so delighted with it that his later Rumpole novels were written with Leo in mind!

I thanked him for taking the time and trouble to come to speak to us, especially in view of his advancing years and infirmity.

He smiled roguishly as only he could and said "thank you for sitting so prettily in the front row" I leant towards him, eye to eye and replied "you need new glasses!"
He leant even closer and firmly stated, "no I don't"
Being a lady of somewhat advanced middle age I was amused, entertained and positively lighthearted! We shall never see his like again but at least we have the written word and his marvellous film and theatre work to remember his genius by. Thank you Sir John. God Bless!

During the late 70's & early 80's I was the manager of a pharmacy in Henley I think I can speak for all the staff by saying John Mortimer was our favourite customer. We had many famous people through the doors but none as gentle, caring and kind as John. He always had time for a chat, always remenbered if you had been on holiday or if you had been ill and treated you as a friend. A true gentlemen!

I have such wonderful memories of John,not as a writer or barrister or many of the great things that he was famous for but sat in his garden surrounded by children telling them stories.I work for Oxford social and health care and each year for the past seven years i have taken children from disadvantaged families or children in care to Turville for holidays that they would otherwise not have had.John and Penny have welcomed us all into their home every year and we have swam in their pool ,had b.b.q.s and roast dinners, John had so much empathy for our children and loved being in their company, even this year when he was so ill he came and sat with them for a while.The children loved John, he would make up rhymes about their names which they found so funny as they were often just a little bit rude.
Hopefully we will be back again this year but things will never be quite the same again without John sitting in his garden but so many thanks go to him for giving the children his time and making them feel so much better about themselves. God Bless you John.
Maggie.

John Mortimer RIP
Dramatist, Author and Barrister of the old school. None of those yuppie types that around today. Rumpole of the Bailey you just don’t get this quality of TV + Screenplays anymore, even interviews with him showed that hew was a well educated man I have all the Rumpoles on DVD the best money I have ever spent on such things Please pass on my sympathy to all his family

With thanks to the late Sir John Mortimer RIP for the pleasure and amusement he has given to so many (but especially to me) by his books with their legal cases (fictional and otherwise) and especially for Rumpole, the criminal's guardian angel. The late Sir John Mortimer may have passed on but his writing will be loved and enjoyed for many years to come.

John Mortimer was the embodiment of what is, sadly, a fast disappearing attitude to law - he was ever full of character & humanity. Like politics, the law has become the preserve of the antiseptic, the insipid and the banal. Law is, of course, very important & serious but it ceases to be, in the modern jargon, 'relevant' when it cannot make fun of itself without taking offence. The likes of 'the mad bull' - Judge Bullingham - sadly are no longer permitted to roam the courts but long may the writings of John Mortimer be read by those for whom the law is not simply the arid application of tedious minutiae. Law and life are the poorer for his passing.