THEY are the great and good of 1960s British life and Oxford Mail photo- grapher Jim Griffiths was there to snap them all.

Mr Griffiths, who died last week aged 78, was a familiar sight on the news frontline for four decades, bringing Oxford Mail readers images of visiting celebrities and everyday events.

Mourners will pay tribute to Mr Griffiths at Oxford Crematorium today.

The former Temple Cowley School pupil started his career behind the lens in the photographic department of Cowley’s Morris Motors’ car factory before joining the Mail in 1962.

He advanced to chief photographer in 1973 and took pictures of Princess Anne, actors Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Maggie Smith, and music stars Gerry and the Pacemakers and Tom Jones.

Mr Burton even asked him to become his personal photographer.

Widow Maureen said: “He was a very good man. Everybody took to him straight away and he had a lot of friends.

“He just loved doing his job. He always had a camera in his hands.”

Daughter Lynne Smith said her father was dedicated to bringing readers the right pictures.

She said: “He loved his job and he loved Oxford. I remember him going out one night to take pictures of a flood when it was pouring with rain and thundering.”

She said of the celebrity pictures: “He wasn’t a proud man, he wouldn’t go on about it.

“We all had to model for him from time to time. My mother even went with him to hold the flash when he photographed Engelbert Humperdinck.”

“He was never submerged by his work and he took everything in his stride. We had some really lovely holidays playing cricket on the beach.”

Mr Griffiths, of Flexney Place, Oxford, died on June 14 following a battle with Parkinson’s disease. He leaves four daughters, one son, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.