A farewell to Bernard, the Bugle bard
WE were saddened to learn recently of the death of Bernard Hackett, whose poetry was a highlight of the Bugle for many years.
Throughout the 1980s, ’90s and early 2000s, Bernard kept readers laughing with his verses – usually telling the tale of a hapless Black Country character, born of his own lively imagination, and a few keen observations.
Back in the days when the Bugle office was on Cradley Heath High Street, Bernard’s visits were always eagerly anticipated. Every few weeks he would appear with his latest handwritten poem, and would usually be persuaded to read them out to the assembled office staff.
Bernard’s son Ian informed us of the sad news, and told us:
“The Bugle was really important to him and his identity as a man of the Black Country.
“Dad was brought up in Halesowen and went on to play several sports at county level when he was at school. He was PT Instructor in the army and then became a full time professional footballer, playing with Aston Villa and Chester City.
“A serious knee injury meant he needed to find another living and he trained as a plasterer and builder. For many years he ran his own business in Halesowen doing general building work and plastering. There are few streets in Halesowen that don’t bear his mark in one way or another!
“In his later years he fulfilled a lifelong skill in waiting by becoming a Black Country poet. His poems were based (he always claimed) on real people in his life and events that really happened – this is probably why they strike such a chord with everyone who reads them – but especially those from the Black Country who remember those different times many years ago.
“Waiting for his next poem to appear in the Bugle was a family pastime for many years, and now they are a worthy way to remember a lovely and loving man, with a great sense of humour, who befriended and helped so many people in his life without ever wanting any recognition or thanks.
“We are lucky to have had Bernard in our lives, and know that he will be sadly missed by many people, family, friends, clients and readers, especially in the Halesowen area.
“Dad passed away on Saturday 21st May and his funeral was at Stourbridge Crematorium on Tuesday 28th June.”
On the right, from the Bugle archives, is one of Bernard’s finest, The Black Country Highwaymon.