Chichester mourns a true gentleman and a genuine giant of journalism
West Sussex is mourning a true gentleman and giant of journalism with the passing of long-serving Chichester Observer editor Graham Brooks at the age of 95.
Fairness and decency were the absolute foundations of Mr Brooks’ journalism – and they were the reason for the huge respect which he enjoyed across the Observer’s key areas of Chichester, Bognor Regis, Midhurst and Petworth – and far, far beyond.
Mr Brooks passed away at 8.20 on Saturday morning, surrounded by family. He died “incredibly peacefully”, said his son Nigel
Mr Brooks also enjoyed a full, varied and busy community life across many societies and organisations. Among his proudest achievements was as co-founder of Chichester Area Talking News, a service for the blind and partially-sighted which is enjoying its 50th anniversary this year.
Mr Brooks’ commitment was not just to reporting the news but also to making the wider community a better place – and it was probably this that made him one of the best known and best loved people in the city and considerably further afield. His standing in the newspaper world was second to none. For many years, Mr Brooks’ equally-respected lieutenant was Chichester Observer series chief reporter Peter Homer. With Graham as his editor, Peter made the newspapers bywords for balance, accuracy and objectivity, but also kindness and community involvement.
Chichester City Councillor and former Chichester Mayor Anne Scicluna described Mr Brooks as a “man of total integrity, hard work for others, good humour, kindness, and a really nice man.
“We first met when I was first Mayor in 1983, and I officially attended the News Centre at Portsmouth, where Graham was editor. He immediately struck me as a really nice, kind and gentle man. Over the many years since, I haven’t changed that opinion. His many marathons for charity and his keen and strong support of the Chichester Area Talking News for the Blind, among many other causes, reinforced the view of his community work – always for others. For some years he was chairman of the Talking News, and right to the last he was vice-president. I often used to meet Graham and Kay in town, and it was always a great pleasure to chat with them both.”
Mr Brooks’ death comes just a few weeks after he and Kay, aged 93, celebrated a remarkable 74 years of marriage.
“It sounds a long time,” Mrs Brooks said, “but I must say that it has been perfect. We have had such a happy marriage, and we have got two lovely children (Nigel and Lynn) and lovely in-laws, and life really could not have been better.”
The couple met at school. Graham was at Churchers and Kay was at the County High School in Petersfield. She was 15 and Graham was 17. They got married St Mary's Church at Liss 74 years ago this summer.
Graham’s initial plan was to go into teaching but he couldn't get into teaching that particular year: “Someone said that they were looking for someone at the Evening News in Portsmouth and so he started in journalism,” Kay recalled.
Graham was appointed editor of the Observer series in 1961 and later group editor of the weekly papers – the Observers, West Sussex Gazette, Petersfield Post, Hampshire Telegraph and Post – from 1972-1992. He was made an MBE for services to journalism in 1993 and received a Chichester City Council Civic Award for services to the community in 1992.
On Graham’s appointment to the editorship of the Observer series, the couple moved to the East Broyle estate in Chichester where they have lived ever since.
As well as his prominent role in city life through his work, Graham has also found time to become involved in a number of organisations, including Chichester Area Talking News, of which he was a founder member and twice chairman. David Bathurst, head of production for Chichester Area Talking News, said: “Graham had a huge part to play in making Talking News productions polished and professional. I owe him a great debt of thanks for his kindness, encouragement and commitment to producing the very best programmes we could. His legacy will live on.”
Among his other community achievements, Mr Brooks was also founder member and chairman of Bognor Regis Swimming Club, from 1965-1978, and chairman of Bognor Regis Round Table from 1967-68.
He was chairman of Chichester Lawn Tennis and Squash Club from 1981-83, founder member of Chichester Jazz Club and founder member of Chichester Keats Luncheon Club in 1991 and secretary for 20 years.