John Cunliffe, the creator of Rosie & Jim and Postman Pat has passed away at 85.
According to the Mirror, Cuncliffe wrote the original scripts for Postman Pat back in 1981 for the BBC. Postman Pat was animated by Ivor Word who animated The Wombles, Paddington Bear and The Magic Roundabout.
Cunliffe, a librarian and teacher, was inspired to create Pat by his rural life in Kendal, Cumbria. His other famous creation was Rosie & Jim, the ’90s iconic children’s television programme that focused on the lives of ragdolls Rosie and Jim, who live on a narrowboat.
Cunliffe starred in the first 50 episodes of the show, turning some of the storylines into books. After his death, the Ikley Gazette, Cunliffe’s local paper, released this obituary:
Even the skies wept for John the gifted creator of Postman Pat and Rosie and Jim and author of many earlier published collections of poetry story books for children.
Thank you for the memories, John:
