Frank Fitter

Shortly after Frank Fitter, evening editor in charge of the second floor RES newsroom in Fleet Street who died last month, and I had both retired from Reuters we met by chance in the early 1990s. On his way home he had spotted me in the busy and noisy pedestrian tunnel at the Science Museum in Kensington. Frank, cheerful as ever, told me he was now working at the Royal College of Music near the Royal Albert Hall.

When I informed the College of Frank’s death, I received the following kind and spontaneous tribute from Sarah Batchelor, Assistant Librarian at the RCM:

“Your email was forwarded to me as I have worked here for many years and was a good friend of Frank’s whilst he was here at the RCM (between 1990 and 1995 as the college’s first Personnel Officer).

“Frank was such good fun, and very sociable - a group of us would meet in the staff [smoking] common room every lunchtime, and sit and have a chat over our sandwiches (and often a glass of wine!). It was Frank who christened our meetings ‘The Luncheon Club’ - and a couple of us former ‘members’ have been reminiscing about that today. He and I got on particularly well as we shared a love of all sport, and despite the fact that Frank was Spurs and I am Arsenal, we spent many a happy hour discussing football, horse racing, athletics or whatever else was on at the time!

“His wealth of experience was also invaluable when it came to union/management meetings - I was one of the NALGO (subsequently Unison) representatives so attended many meetings where Frank was in attendance, giving us the benefit of his knowledge and helping smooth over any difficulties in our negotiations.

“I am so glad you contacted us, as several of us have talked about Frank from time to time and wondered how he was getting on.”

Subsequently Sarah learned that Frank’s wife Shirley died in 2007. ■