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Bill Reynolds, the journalist who loved subbing - and subs Bill Reynolds, the journalist who loved subbing - and subs
(about 4 hours later)
On my first day as a journalist I was introduced to a colleague who was genuinely delighted to see me. With a beaming smile, he said: “I was the junior. Now you are.”On my first day as a journalist I was introduced to a colleague who was genuinely delighted to see me. With a beaming smile, he said: “I was the junior. Now you are.”
It meant that he could hand over the dogsbody jobs at last and spend all his time doing what he loved best - subbing sports copy and writing headlines.It meant that he could hand over the dogsbody jobs at last and spend all his time doing what he loved best - subbing sports copy and writing headlines.
I doubt that I’ve ever met any journalist who exhibited such life-long optimistic enthusiasm for the art of sub-editing as my friend Bill Reynolds. He revelled in it.I doubt that I’ve ever met any journalist who exhibited such life-long optimistic enthusiasm for the art of sub-editing as my friend Bill Reynolds. He revelled in it.
He endlessly wrote and rewrote intros. He laboured over choosing just the right descriptive phrase in each paragraph, continually revisiting every sentence. He had picked up a saying from a veteran that he loved to repeat: “Every line a gem, every paragraph a pearl.” As for the headlines, he was never content until they sparkled too.He endlessly wrote and rewrote intros. He laboured over choosing just the right descriptive phrase in each paragraph, continually revisiting every sentence. He had picked up a saying from a veteran that he loved to repeat: “Every line a gem, every paragraph a pearl.” As for the headlines, he was never content until they sparkled too.
Mornings at the scruffy office that housed the Barking & Dagenham Advertiser were enlivened by his reading out, and then repeating throughout the day, headlines he regarded as perfect from his favourite newspaper, the Daily Express (we are talking 1964 here, when Fleet Street’s Black Lubyanka was staffed by subbing craftsmen).Mornings at the scruffy office that housed the Barking & Dagenham Advertiser were enlivened by his reading out, and then repeating throughout the day, headlines he regarded as perfect from his favourite newspaper, the Daily Express (we are talking 1964 here, when Fleet Street’s Black Lubyanka was staffed by subbing craftsmen).
Bill, who has died aged 73, was - in company with the lovely Lesley Brown (now Thompson) - a major influence on my first faltering steps in journalism.Bill, who has died aged 73, was - in company with the lovely Lesley Brown (now Thompson) - a major influence on my first faltering steps in journalism.
I learned from him that articles always benefit from second, third and fourth looks. And a fifth and sixth if he could get away with it.I learned from him that articles always benefit from second, third and fourth looks. And a fifth and sixth if he could get away with it.
He liked to write his copy in long hand, but I also recall looking over his shoulder as he pounded the keys of the Underwood in order to discover how to construct stories.He liked to write his copy in long hand, but I also recall looking over his shoulder as he pounded the keys of the Underwood in order to discover how to construct stories.
For a good while we lived a couple of streets apart in Forest Gate, east London, so we spent a lot of leisure time together, long distance running or playing tennis. He was better than me, by a considerable margin, at both. He was a fitness fanatic and, unlike the majority of subs, hardly drank.For a good while we lived a couple of streets apart in Forest Gate, east London, so we spent a lot of leisure time together, long distance running or playing tennis. He was better than me, by a considerable margin, at both. He was a fitness fanatic and, unlike the majority of subs, hardly drank.
He left the Advertiser before me to join the Birmingham Mail but we met up again in Manchester in 1968, him having achieved his ambition to join the Express sub’s desk while I was on the Daily Mail.He left the Advertiser before me to join the Birmingham Mail but we met up again in Manchester in 1968, him having achieved his ambition to join the Express sub’s desk while I was on the Daily Mail.
Again, we found ourselves living close by and, in days when subbing shifts generally began at 5pm, were able to spend many hours on the tennis court. Again, we found ourselves living close by and, in days when subbing shifts generally began at 5pm, we were able to spend many hours on the tennis court.
Fleet Street beckoned at different times for each of us, and we lost touch for a good while. But I was certain, as proved the case, that his subbing skills would always be highly regarded. He appeared to have no ambition to move up the ladder and became a stalwart member of the downtable subs’ desk.Fleet Street beckoned at different times for each of us, and we lost touch for a good while. But I was certain, as proved the case, that his subbing skills would always be highly regarded. He appeared to have no ambition to move up the ladder and became a stalwart member of the downtable subs’ desk.
Slow to anger, quick to smile, with a seeming ability never to panic, and ever helpful to younger colleagues, he built a wide network of friendships among the subbing fraternity.Slow to anger, quick to smile, with a seeming ability never to panic, and ever helpful to younger colleagues, he built a wide network of friendships among the subbing fraternity.
A lover of sunshine, he discovered what he considered to be the perfect life - spending summers in England on the Express and winters in Australia, working on the Perth Daily News.A lover of sunshine, he discovered what he considered to be the perfect life - spending summers in England on the Express and winters in Australia, working on the Perth Daily News.
His love for Australia earned him a nickname on the Express, Didge, as one of his colleagues, Alastair Mcintyre, recalled in a Daily Drone tribute that also referred to the ever-smiling Bill’s sense of humour.His love for Australia earned him a nickname on the Express, Didge, as one of his colleagues, Alastair Mcintyre, recalled in a Daily Drone tribute that also referred to the ever-smiling Bill’s sense of humour.
On the same site, another former colleague, Robin McGibbon, touched on another of Bill’s enduring qualities: his generosity of spirit.On the same site, another former colleague, Robin McGibbon, touched on another of Bill’s enduring qualities: his generosity of spirit.
When I was assistant editor of the Sun, Bill turned up briefly as a casual and, after a couple of shifts, he told me how admiring he was of his fellow Sun subs. There were, inevitably, mentions of gems and pearls.When I was assistant editor of the Sun, Bill turned up briefly as a casual and, after a couple of shifts, he told me how admiring he was of his fellow Sun subs. There were, inevitably, mentions of gems and pearls.
I last saw Bill at an Advertiser reunion in 2011 during my old school’s annual cricket match in Dagenham. He was, as ever, full of questions.I last saw Bill at an Advertiser reunion in 2011 during my old school’s annual cricket match in Dagenham. He was, as ever, full of questions.
When I heard he was ill, suffering from cancer, we exchanged letters in which we recalled those years in Barking with great affection. We did not know it then, of course, but those were, if not the best of times in our journalistic careers, then damned close to it.When I heard he was ill, suffering from cancer, we exchanged letters in which we recalled those years in Barking with great affection. We did not know it then, of course, but those were, if not the best of times in our journalistic careers, then damned close to it.
*William Arthur Reynolds, journalist, born 8 May 1942; died 30 August 2015*William Arthur Reynolds, journalist, born 8 May 1942; died 30 August 2015
NB: Bill’s funeral will take place at 12.45pm on Tuesday, 15 September, at Hainault Forest Park cemetery. His widow, Margaret, will be pleased to see his old friendsNB: Bill’s funeral will take place at 12.45pm on Tuesday, 15 September, at Hainault Forest Park cemetery. His widow, Margaret, will be pleased to see his old friends