ACTOR and founder of a musical trust, Raymond James, has died at the age of 93.

Born in Bristol, Raymond was one of five children who went on to become a soloist and headboy at Bristol Cathedral.

He had hopes of becoming an artist, but the war interrupted his career plans and he joined the fire service in which he served in Bristol, while entertaining the troops in his spare time and getting his first taste of life on stage.

One of his passions was to paint scenery and an acting career in the theatre followed, from acting in Brian Rix farces to becoming a producer and director.

He spent 30 years directing Tom Arnold’s Ice Shows at Wembley and worked as a lecturer at several colleges in London including Morley College.

Raymond helped to get Anglia Television established where he taught TV techniques and he was asked to help with the speech and diction of young barristers who were training at the Middle Temple. When he retired he was Professor at the famous Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Raymond moved with his wife, Margaret, to Wimborne in 1988 and Raymond became director of the Wimborne Arts Festival in the 1990s.

He and wife Margaret later founded the Michael James Music Trust in memory of their only son who died at the age of 30 in 1981, which aimed to discover, promote, educate and support gifted young musicians in Wimborne. At the time, Michael had been assistant director of music at Canford School and assistant organist at Wimborne Minster.

Raymond and Margaret, the last surviving cast member of the film Brief Encounter, celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary just before Christmas.

He died on January 12 and since he and Margaret had been involved with the Minster church since they moved to Wimborne, this was where his funeral took place on January 27 followed by his burial in Wimborne Cemetery. Donations in Raymond’s memory were made to the Michael James Music Trust.