‘Fearless’ editor Sir Peregrine Worsthorne dies at 96
TRIBUTES were paid last night to Sir Peregrine Worsthorne, the “fearless” former editor of The Sunday Telegraph, after his death at the age of 96.
Sir Peregrine edited The Sunday Telegraph from 1986 to 1989, but was perhaps best known for his outspoken views in a weekly column that ran from 1961 to 1997.
Lord Moore, one of his successors in the editor’s chair and a close friend, described Sir Peregrine last night as “the outstanding conservative controversialist of his day”.
After serving in the Army during the Second World War, Sir Peregrine began his journalistic career at The Glasgow Herald. He had a brief spell at The Times, and joined The Daily Telegraph in 1953.
In 1961 he helped launch The Sunday Telegraph as its first deputy editor, where his column quickly became essential reading.
Lord Moore said: “He was a fearless contrarian and an entirely original thinker. He was the brightest star of The Sunday Telegraph both as a columnist and editor for the first 30 years of its existence. His column was from the start a must for readers [of the paper]. Perry was one of the most dashing figures of post-war Fleet Street, he was a great companion and a dear friend and will be greatly missed.”
Sir Peregrine took the helm of The Sunday Telegraph in 1986, staying in the job until 1989 before an editorial shakeup saw him become editor of the Comment pages. He left the title in 1997.
In 1991 Sir Peregrine was knighted for services to journalism.
Sir Peregrine had a daughter and a stepson with his first wife, Claudie, who died in 1990 after 40 years of marriage. He married his second wife, the architectural writer Lucinda Lambton, in 1991.
Chris Evans, Editor in Chief of The Telegraph, said: “He was a much admired editor and columnist who will be remembered as brilliant and controversial. His passing will be mourned by his former colleagues and we send our condolences to his family.”