BARRIE Cowling, a former journalist at the Cornish and Devon Post, recently died at the age of 87.

He took on an indentureship at the Post when he was around 16-years-old where he learnt his trade for five years.

He stayed on at the Post until around 1981, for many years under the editorship of the late Arthur Venning. Barrie would also sub for the Sunday Independent on Saturday nights — where his son Philip has worked for more than 20 years.

Barrie once appeared on Westward Television for a ‘Know Your Town’ segment, but unfortunately wasn’t part of the winning team that knew most about Launceston.

He covered all manner of news for the Post, including Prince Charles’ visit to Launceston Castle for a centuries-old ceremony to secure his seigneurial rights — which meant the Prince was presented with, among other things, two greyhounds.

He once even saved a man’s life. His daughter, Alison, when eight or nine-years-old, saw a man waving while at Strangles beach. She thought it was in a friendly manner and mentioned it to her father. Mr Cowling rescued the man from the water and went up a tall cliff to raise the alarm.

Barrie was from Camelford originally. He was a charter member of Launceston Lions Club. In his later life he lived in Plymouth.

Barrie and his ex-wife, Doreen, had five children — Angela, Philip, Alison, Paul, and Diane, who passed away in 1998.

Mr Cowling passed away on August 14.

Colin Gregory, who worked with Mr Cowling at the Cornish and Devon Post, said: “Barrie Cowling was the chief reporter at the Cornish and Devon Post when I walked into the smoke filled office (virtually everyone smoked in those days) 55 years ago.

“There was the editor, Arthur Venning, who had offered me the job as trainee reporter, Douglas Allen, who had retired from the Daily Express, sports editor Bill Haste, Barrie, another new reporter, John Hambly, from Bude, and a variety of readers who used to check the copy.

“Barrie had originally come from Camelford, which was also my family’s home area, and he had attended the old Camelford Grammar School with my cousin. We hit it off right away.

“As I finished my first day of work Barrie asked me if I wanted to go with him to see the speedway at Plymouth. Off we went and that was the start of a long friendship which continued long after I left the dear old ‘C and D’ and moved away from Launceston. When I got home from covering the Interceltique Festival at Lorient in Brittany on August 14, there was a message from Barrie on my telephone, telling me he would ring me later. I was not to know he had died that day.

“All the men I worked with, and they were all male reporters in those days, were keen to help young lads like me and Barrie was no exception. Generally we all went on jobs on our own, but there were many events when I would ride in Barrie’s car, I distinctly remember his pastel green and cream Hillman Minx. We always did the Royal Cornwall Show together, sitting in the office typing out results until the early hours of the morning.

“Barrie and his wife Doreen had a very young family in those days, who he loved immensely. I remember him buying his first house in the new development at St John’s Road — £2,000 I think — which seemed a fortune when I was on £6 and 5 shillings a week.

“He was a keen snooker player and both he and Arthur Venning used to go to the British Legion Club in Tavistock Road on Thursday nights to play in the local league. They would spend just as long talking about it the following day. Barrie used to take on most of the big court cases, council meetings and meetings of the old Cornwall River Authority, a forerunner of South West Water, which was based in Launceston in those days.

“Like many of us Barrie had his problems but in the past couple of years he told me he had got his life in order and was pleased to have lived to a good age. He was a good man who had many friends in North Cornwall and who deserves to rest in peace.”