Former Lynn News reporters celebrate 50 years since being taken on as trainees in 1974
Four former Lynn News reporters – all taken on as trainees in 1974 – marked 50 years since starting work together at a celebration weekend reunion.
Richard Parr, Sandra Barrowman, Trevor Haylett and Jan Turner met up in Lynn to remember the start of their careers in journalism on the paper. They were joined on Saturday night by more than 20 former colleagues at a reunion party at Bank House Hotel on the quayside.
Past news editors, sports reporters, sub-editors, photographers and compositors from that time were among the journalists and former staff reunited for the evening. They were also joined by former colleagues from the Eastern Daily Press.
Said Richard Parr, one of the four ‘juniors’ taken on by the editor at the time, John Cooper: “It’s incredible to think half a century has passed since we all started work together. Even in the mid-Seventies it was unusual for an editor to take on four trainees in one year and after going through our three-year indentures together we have always stayed in touch.
“The newspaper industry has changed enormously since we first started. We have spent the weekend fondly remembering some of the many stories we covered back in the mid-1970s, including the headless body found at Cockley Cley during our first week on the paper.
“At that time reporters would also routinely go out to cover funerals and golden wedding anniversary celebrations as well as collect the weekly shipping reports and the corn report from the Corn Hall.”
Richard later worked for the Eastern Daily Press, Sandra Barrowman (formerly Dane) became news editor at the Peterborough Evening Telegraph, Trevor forged a career in national sports reporting and Jan Turner (formerly Isherwood) went on to run her own PR business.
Said Sandra, who organised the event: “It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces on the night. Our 50-year anniversary get-together was also a great opportunity to hold a reunion and we were delighted so many people were able to come along. We’re also very grateful to Bank House for all their help in making it such a success.”
The ‘Lynn News Four’ and their partners also got together at Grants Restaurant on Norfolk Street on Friday night for a private anniversary celebration.
