Administrator
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This report on Alan's funeral was written by Peter Hill, former Parliamentary Correspondent:
Alan Perry Funeral Service, Salisbury Cathedral, 15th March 2022
Alan loved Salisbury Cathedral, and from the window of his flat in the Close, he could look out on its magnificent spire. The Cathedral Quire was full for his funeral, with many tributes read out by his son, Martin, who bears a strong resemblance to his father. The consensus of them was that Alan, who lived to the age of 95, and retired from the BBC before he was 60, was a kind, honest and decent man.
He had always wanted to be a journalist and went to the Times at 16, leaving a year later to join the Merchant Navy for two years. He then put in some experience on local papers in Tiverton and Salisbury before going back to the Times. In 1958 he joined the relatively new ITN, and learned the skills of editing TV news programmes. At the age of 36 he crossed over to the BBC , where he rose through the ranks of editors, making key decisions on many world events for the bulletins. When he was 54 he was made head of Journalist Training, where he inspired many young aspirants who were to become famous names. The former Head of Five Live, Adrian van Klaveren, sent an appreciation, saying Alan had chaired the panel which selected the nervous young Adrian to join the BBC. Adrian said he had high standards, because he cared.
The most common word used in tributes to Alan, said Martin, was that he was ‘a gentleman’. Some said that the success of BBC TV News owed much to him. A message was read from Stephen Claypole, who recalled the Assistant Editors’ lunches which persisted long after the retirement of those involved (I recall that Mike Payne and Tony Crabb were among their number). Robin Walsh said in his tribute that ‘we have lost an exceptionally fine man’. Michael Buerk said ‘he was the nicest of men and the best of bosses’. Angela Rippon phoned Alan’s widow, Pam, to recall that when she joined the training course, Alan warned her that she might hear some bad language!
After his retirement , said Martin, Alan was active in help to raise money for his local church: he made a video and wrote the script, and it resulted in raising a quarter of a million pounds. Alan also wrote his autobiography, which when bound proved a bulky volume!
The Service contained some fine singing and organ solos, and ended with the reading of one of Alan’s poems, reflecting on his own life and future death, of which one verse is:
“Enough to know that I have heard Music to please and comfort me And read great books And gazed at finest art These are my treasury As I depart”.
Peter Hill
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