Veteran Shropshire journalist and teacher dies, aged 81
A veteran Shropshire journalist, author, and teacher, Derrick Anderton, has died at the age of 81.
Mr Anderton was head of English at Telford College of Arts and Technology and also a prolific freelance journalist well known for his work in the Shropshire Magazine and Bridgnorth Journal.
He lived in retirement at Benthall, near Broseley. The funeral is on January 11 at noon at Broseley CofE Church, followed by burial at Benthall. Afterwards there will be a remembrance at the Lion Hotel in Broseley.
Friend and colleague Dave Wallace, of Broseley, said: "He was a most inspiring teacher of English and English Literature at TCAT for years. He went there in 1968 from Wulfrun College and was head of English.
"He was a prolific freelance journalist and started off as 'Pilgrim' in the Bridgnorth Journal, writing a little column of local interest.
"In 1989 Derrick and I started up the First Person Singular series in the Shropshire Magazine, with my caricatures and his interviews, which ran under editor Pam Green for about 10 years.
"He was interested in vintage cars and fronted and introduced a series of videos called The Great Marques. He was a personal friend of Adrian Henri, the Liverpool poet, who frequently used to visit Derrick at his then home at Ashfield Hall in Much Wenlock. Adrian's then girlfriend was the poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. Adrian and Carol Ann Duffy were guests at Derrick's second wedding later on."
He leaves two daughters, Jayni and Kerrie."
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