Goodbye Percy

It says much about someone that he reached the age of 96, and was so well thought of in life that his funeral was packed out, with so many people wanting to attend that it was standing room only at the back.

That was what happened today when we said goodbye to a an old colleague and boss. Percy Trumble was my first news editor in Fleet Street, a legend of fairness, professionalism and good judgement at the now long-defunct London Evening News. He used to spend much of his working day standing up behind the Newsdesk, sleeves rolled up, cool and decisive, handling the incoming news stories and sending reporters out to cover them.

The Evening News closed 34 years ago, so it is pretty amazing that a dozen of his old colleagues from way back then turned up at the funeral today to say goodbye to a man we all held in great respect and affectionate memory. How the anecdotes flowed, and how he would have loved them!

This photo naturally caught my eye amongst the many that his family displayed to celebrate his long life. It showed Percy as a baby in his parents' car. RIP to a great news editor, a considerate boss and a very nice man.