‘Cheerful’ journalist became ex-premier’s press secretary

Bill Bachop, known for his work in government communications and as Premier Bill Vander Zalm’s press secretary, has died at the age of 80.

The Edinburgh-born Bachop’s career also included stints as a Victoria Times city editor and a Vancouver Sun reporter and columnist. After leaving the Times, he moved in 1981 to the communications office at the Ministry of Highways and then to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

He became Vander Zalm’s press secretary in 1986, serving until 1988.

Jim Hume, a longtime Times Colonist columnist, said he has fond memories of Bachop as a journalistic rival in the days when Victoria had two newspapers, the Times and Daily Colonist.

“Bill was good natured, always seemed to be cheerful and never more so than when he’d beat you the day before on a story,” Hume said. “Even after he left the ranks of we warriors of light, truth and justice to join the army of government-information officers, he retained our professional respect.”

Bachop was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1937. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia, children Stephen and Lisa, four grandchildren, and his sisters, Cilla and Ruthie.

Stephen Bachop said his father told plenty of tales about his life before he came to Canada in the late 1950s. “He did a stint in the British Army, so he used to regale us with stories and anecdotes of his travels on a troop ship from Scotland all the way around the horn to Hong Kong.”

It helped that his commanding officer was a “soccer nut,” Stephen said.

“My dad was a very good soccer player. He was a goalie, and it seemed like the commanding officer had more of an interest in his particular regiment’s team doing well in the inter-army tournaments than having the soldiers do parade drills.”

Stephen said his father lived for Hibs — Scotland’s Hibernian soccer club — and looked upon the team’s Easter Road home field as a shrine.

“He played semi-pro soccer when he moved to Canada, a team sponsored by Carling Brewery in Vancouver for a number of years,” Stephen said. “They got to wear these nice green team jackets in the Carling Brewery colours and then, of course, free beer after the game.”

Manchester United was the other soccer team his father followed, and he showed the extent of his loyalty a few years ago when he fell and broke his hip.

“It was about five minutes before a game between Man City and Man U,” Stephen said.

“He actually got up — I don’t how he did this — but he dragged himself up and walked into living room when he was kind of in shock because he didn’t want to miss the kick-off.”

He said his mom soon realized what was happening and called an ambulance.

Stephen said his father was an excellent writer who had a gift with words.

“Even though he just had a high school education, he read voraciously,” he said. “He read widely and over a whole bunch of different topics.”

Stephen said his father wrote hundreds of columns for the Sun, and described them as “poignant observations on day-to-day life written in kind of a humourous, easy-to-follow manner.”

And he loved being a grandfather, Stephen said

“He just doted on and adored his four grandkids,” he said.

“He lived for Timbits soccer practices and games, and dance recitals. He was their biggest fan and was always following what they were doing.”

A celebration of life is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 at the Archie Browning Sports Centre. The family suggests a donation to the Times Colonist Literacy Fund in lieu of flowers.