Kentish Express Ashford & District
Every little detail mattered to editor who loved Kent life
Brian Austin, who has died aged 80, was a journalist and editor with a passionate concern for the county of Kent.
This was notably apparent in the detailed round-ups of village life which he published in provincial newspapers over a career of 44 years.
“Those readers are the people who really care about our way of life round here,” he would say, in defending this policy.
Nevertheless, he was also a man who could handle a breaking news story.
One Friday in 1970, shortly after he had been appointed editor of the Herne Bay Press, the Pier Pavilion caught fire.
That week’s paper had already been sent to print, so Austin ordered production of a special souvenir edition, priced in those pre-decimal days at threepence.
Further, he commissioned 10,000 copies – a courageous move for a newly installed editor.
He then led the distribution, delivering many of the souvenir bundles to newsagents in his own car. All 10,000 were sold.
His closeness with country lore was nurtured right from the start. Brian William Austin was born on August 9, 1939, in Bushey Fields, a hamlet seven miles from Canterbury – the third, and youngest, son of
James and Louisa Austin.
His birth certificate listed James’s occupation as “farm cowman”, a skilled agricultural worker responsible for herd welfare.
The young Austin was educated at village schools before going to Simon Langton Grammar School in Canterbury.
He excelled at English and at sport – so much so that, when he announced he was leaving, the headmaster exclaimed: “But what are we going to do for a leftwinger, Austin?”
Instead, he took that silky left foot to Broomfield United FC, playing a prominent role in winning the Canterbury & District League Division 1 title in 1961.
Off-field, he had been hired in 1957 as a trainee reporter by his local newspaper, the Herne Bay Press.
Those were the days when journalists were expected to record in detail the proceeds of public meetings and dinners, attend fundraising fetes (securing for the newspaper columns even the names of stallholders), and report all infractions to come before the magistrates’ court.
Austin was called up for national service in 1960, serving in the Intelligence Corps.
He had hopes of an overseas posting but, because of his football ability, was kept in England for inter-unit encounters, appointed a regimental policeman, and given a lance-corporal’s stripe.
He returned to the Herne Bay Press after his army service, and made it clear he wanted to stay in rural journalism.
This loyalty saw him advance to the editor’s chair early in 1970.
Never overly concerned with exerting command, however, he moved three years later to Associated Kent Newspapers at Sittingbourne as a sub-editor.
There, he could focus on his skills at polishing reporters’ raw material and extracting contributions from regional correspondents. In turn, he next shifted his sub-editing acumen to the Kentish Gazette’s Canterbury office in 1988.
He married, in 1969, Christine Wood, of Herne Bay. They had three sons – Neil, Paul, and Tony.
He devoted much of his time after retirement in 2001 to restoring membership numbers of the Herne Bay Constitutional Club.
He served as its president for 12 years and was a frequent winner of its snooker and billiards championships.
Austin, who died on March 18 of complications from prostate cancer, is survived by his sons and by six grandchildren.
A funeral for close family members only - owing to the government’s coronavirus measures - will be held next week.
Donations can be sent to Cancer Research UK, c/o Welch and Sons, 94 Station Road, Herne Bay
‘Those readers are the people who really care about our way of life round here’