Double blow

The sad passing last month of both Frank Fitter and Dennis Savage must herald the end of an era for a score or so UK provincial hacks (like myself) who were recruited in the 1970s when Reuters was expanding its specialist economic news services.

For most of us Frank and Dennis were the leading seniors on the evening shift for the London production desks on Fleet Street’s second floor. With their deaths their Reuters generation is virtually extinct along with other newsroom accessories such as typewriters, pencil-subbing, telegraphists, copy belts and copytakers. They will be warmly remembered for:

• passing on their considerable market expertise and experience to newcomers
• maintaining a healthily sceptical stance to all in editorial authority. But, to be fair, it wasn’t just the bosses who were ribbed - fun was poked at themselves and anyone else in the newsroom when a suitable occasion arose. Contemporaries will recall hilarious discussions on prospects for the Kansas City manure futures market
• employing a pleasingly non-judgemental attitude towards staffers who had overstayed their welcome at nearby hostelries such as The Cogers, The Bell and Mrs Moon’s.

Most recruits like me found a week of evening shifts hard going. The only thing worse was the overnight shift. But stalwarts such as Frank and Dennis enjoyed their evenings and upheld the quality of output without sacrificing any of their above principles. ■