Founded 1980
Chair:        
Secretary: 
Treasurer: 

Graham Smith
Jan Thompson
Graham Mumby-Croft


Jim Blakey 1938 - 2024
Eulogy: Presented by Brendan O'Friel

James (Jim) Blakey, Prison Governor and Area Manager
From the end of the Second World War, the Prison Service in England and Wales faced exceptional challenges and pressures. The prison population rose from some 15,000 in 1945 to around 50,000 in thirty years causing serious overcrowding of cells and deplorable conditions for both prisoners and staff.  

During the 1960s, high profile escapes, especially that of the spy George Blake from Wormwood Scrubs Prison, forced the Government to set up an inquiry – the resulting highly critical Mountbatten Report recommended fundamental changes to the Service. 

From 1969, destructive riots by prisoners and industrial action by the Prison Officers Association added to the misery within prisons.

This was the very difficult background against which Jim Blakey set out to forge a significant career in the Service. From being selected as a very young officer in 1959, he rose through the ranks to become a Governor and then to Area Manager responsible for supervising a group of challenging establishments. He served with young offenders for his first 12 years and then worked with both adults and young offenders for the rest of his Service.

Jim was a hardworking, reliable Governor and was much respected by colleagues. He radiated common sense and had an ability to help staff reach workable conclusions by injecting a dose of reality into discussions. He was sympathetic towards prisoners and staff but also expected good standards of behaviour and positive responses – especially when improved opportunities were provided. Committed to treating people with fairness, he was above all a man of integrity. He had a deep commitment to the Service, although one that did not blind him to the many flaws and weaknesses he had to confront.
A firm believer in the importance of representative organisations, he was a strong supporter - and a Committee Member - of the Prison Governors representative organisations – including the one for Retired Governors. It was especially fitting that he was appointed a Distinguished Life Member of the Prison Governors Association when he retired in 1998.

Jim Blakey was born in 1938 in Seaham, County Durham to James and Mary Blakey. He was the second of three brothers; the oldest John survives him. His early years were impacted by the six years of the Second World War. Educated at Ryhope Grammar School, he went on to serve with the RAF for his two years National Service. 

Unsuccessful attempts to join the police service – there were no vacancies at the time he applied - led him to consider joining the Prison Service as soon as he met the entry age requirement of 21 for prison officers. He was ambitious: while being assessed for the Service at Durham Prison, he told the interviewing Governor that he hoped to occupy the Governor’s Chair one day! He was accepted and joined the Service on 13th May 1959. Initial training took place at the Prison Officers Training School at Wakefield. From there he was posted to the open Borstal at Hatfield, near Doncaster.

Perhaps the most important part of Jim’s life began when, walking to Secondary School, he met Sheila Fulton who was also at school in the area. Their relationship developed and surviving the separation caused by Jim’s National Service, they married on 19th December 1959. In 1959, the Service provided quarters to house many of its staff. Jim and Sheila benefited from having a home but standards of accommodation were very variable in size, location and amenities. Sheila became expert in making homes out of quarters and in arranging – frequently - to move the family around the country as Jim’s career developed involving many transfers.

Following his ambition to build a career in the Service, Jim applied to become an Assistant Governor and was selected to attend the 23rd Staff Course at Wakefield Staff College in September 1966. On successful 


RPGA Chairman