Tag Archives: Psychological Pressure

A Hidden Side to Jim Perrin

It is one of the finer traits of human-kind to trust and to place confidence in those whom we love or admire and mentors for example, ideally, should have the utmost integrity, their position of ‘power’ never exploited or abused. Cynicism is not naturally a predominant human characteristic and those of a trusting nature may readily, yet unwittingly, fall under the flattering ‘charming’ spell of a subtle and experienced practitioner; one whose flaws of character could lead to a betrayal of their trust.

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Jim Perrin, we know, has led people to trust him and to believe in him. But we wonder whether the fact that his writing is in some quarters well-regarded (although, by contrast, the phrase: ‘he’s a purple-prose merchant of a high order’ has been used… ) should override the many grave failings in the character of the man? — character failings which for years (and decades) have been by some only too well known but which are at last now coming to more public attention. Continue reading

Guardian Country Diarist Jim Perrin’s plan fails to materialise

Jac’s children were not convinced (ref. the preceding post) and knowing their mother had wanted only their security they felt unwilling to accept Jim Perrin’s story of her ‘last wish’;  they were well aware their landlord had given Jac his assurance that they would be able to take over the tenancy should the need arise…

They told their ‘Welsh’ aunt about the conversation and she drove over to their house to discuss this  latest development.  She had spoken with Jac at great length in the recent days — as had each of her sisters — and she was able to say with certainty that there could have been no such ‘last wish’. Indeed Jac’s last thoughts had been quite otherwise: they were concerned with how Jim Perrin would treat her children if he did have control over them, and knowing how badly he had treated them she was deeply anxious. Her ‘Welsh’ sister had reassured her as best she could and had faithfully promised her that she would protect them should it become necessary.

For the record:  Jim Perrin lied when he wrote that he was with Jac when she died, nor had he been, for many hours, at her bedside whilst she was alive.  He had left her quite alone, early on the previous evening,  yet afterwards he spoke with two of her sisters in phone calls, telling them that she ‘was much better’, ref. our post Our account of Jac’s illness — part three and, in the period between taking her into hospital in Chester on Wednesday,  gravely ill with her cancer,  he had made time to leave her and to drive to Derbyshire where, he wrote, he stayed with friends. ref. our post Our account of Jac’s illness — part four — before he ‘hurried back to her side’! Continue reading

Jim Perrin plans a régime change

Within hours of our sister’s death — still disbelieving, although in shocked but certain knowledge — we were gathering in a family room at the ‘Countess of Chester’ hospital.  We had not left her, but — as we felt the need — were moving to and fro; reluctant to accept the finality that she had gone from us… it was then, several hours after Jac had died, that Jim Perrin finally reached the hospital and joined us.

Our ‘Welsh’ sister, after she arrived at the hospital at 07.00 that morning, had contacted as many of us as she could, to tell us of Jac’s worsening condition. Jim Perrin was the first she had tried to telephone — Jac was at this point still alive — although it was not possible to reach him, ref. our post Our Account of Jac’s Illness … part 4. But as soon as he responded to his mobile he was informed.

He had left Jac early the previous day (and he was not with her at the moment of her death, as he so lyingly described in his book — nor had he been during those long, drifting hours before she died.) Yet he came to the hospital many hours later than all those who had made their long journeys to Chester: from Cumbria; from Yorkshire; and from as far away as Suffolk — as well as from various places in Wales. Continue reading