Tributes to Worcester News journalist Mike Grundy

Acclaimed Midlands Journalist of the Year in 1980, a political writer who was there when the IRA bombed Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s Brighton hotel in 1984, the paper’s specialist local government reporter for more than 30 years, a chronicler of local history like no other and the author of numerous books, including the best selling Memory Lane series, he was, simply put, a Worcester legend.

Phil Douce, chairman of Worcester Civic Society, said: “Mike Grundy was the authority on anything to do with Worcester.

"He was our first point of call for any enquiries because his knowledge of the city was second to none. He was a giant, but so unassuming and Worcester is very much the poorer for his passing.”

While former top regional journalist Alec Mackie added: “Mike was a great friend and work colleague of mine for over six decades.

"He was the most dedicated and assiduous journalist I have had the privilege of knowing and working with throughout my own career, first as a local reporter for the Birmingham Post and Mail for 13 years and latterly for 20 years as the Press Officer for Hereford and Worcester County Council.

AWARD: Mike Grundy (left) wins Midland Journalist of the Year 1980 (Image: File image) “Michael, always quietly spoken, never expressed any political opinion, despite being a confidant of many. But he had a dry wit, which I will always remember.

“Apart from council meetings, Mike and I cooperated at three General Elections together with council elections each year. Despite the late hour when all the results had been declared, Michael would walk back to his office and work until the early hours typing out his report so that it was ready for the first editions.

"The same dedication to duty and his responsibility to the readers always applied to the long and late finish to council meetings; and while others left, including councillors, Mike was always there until the bitter end."

INTERVIEW: Mike Grundy (right) reported on the Brighton Bombing (Image: Newsquest) Mike’s other main interest was cricket. He was a lifelong member of Worcestershire CCC following in the footsteps of his mother and father.

"At home matches, Mike could mostly be found watching from the ladies pavilion in the seat that he had given in memory of his mother and more recently, when I last had the opportunity to sit with him near the last remaining chestnut tree and reminisce, in July last year. 

“I and so many others will always remember him. Particularly at the County Ground and on so many press tables over his long and distinguished career.  Rest peacefully my friend. You will never be forgotten,” Mr Mackie added.

Mike Grundy was born in Malvern in 1938 but lived virtually all his life in Worcester. At the age of 15 he joined the staff of the Worcester Evening News and Times as a trainee reporter with the first 12 months spent in the readers’ room as a copy boy before moving into editorial.

MEMORIES: Former mayor Cliff Lord, Bill Gwillam and Mike Grundy (Image: Newsquest) In July 1954 he covered his first meeting of Worcester City Council as a junior reporter and went on to cover Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council meetings for another 40 years.

In July 1958 he became the first junior reporter of Berrow’s Newspapers to pass the National Proficiency Test for journalists at the first attempt.

In 1962 he was promoted to chief reporter and deputy news editor of what had become Worcester Evening News, a post he held for the next ten years. In February 1964 he began his weekly by-lined column City and County Commentary, which was to continue for more than 30 years. In 1973 Mike became group political editor.

Accolades began to follow. In 1980 he was runner-up in the provincial journalist of the year category of the British Press Awards and in the same year won the Midland’s Journalist of the Year award.

TRIBUTES: Tributes have been paid to former Worcester News reporter Mike Grundy (Image: Newsquest)

In 1980 Mike and his wife Edith were presented to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at a reception in Worcester Guildhall after the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral and in 1988 he was awarded the Mayor of Worcester’s Commendation for Outstanding Services to the City of Worcester in the field of Journalism.

In 1984 Worcester Evening News began carrying his weekly Memory Lane page, which went on to spawn a series of books of the same name which sold in their many thousands. Mike also wrote several other books, notably on famous local names such as Sir Edward Elgar and the Rev Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, aka Woodbine Willie, who became a First World War hero.

Aside from politics,  local history and the arts, Mike Grundy was a top news reporter too. He was one of the first on the scene of Worcester’s notorious Gillam Street murders in 1973 when three toddlers were slain in the most brutal fashion and he was covering the Tory party conference in Brighton in 1984 when the IRA struck.

Mike had been in the Grand Hotel the same evening but fortuitously left before the bomb went off.

He dashed back to the scene to cover the story and find Worcester people who had also been there. Filing his story by working into the early hours.

“Mike’s dedication to his work was unique,” added Alec Mackie. “There will never be another with his qualities.”

Mike Grundy, who died at home in Laugherne Road, Worcester, leaves wife Edith, three sons, Mark, Paul and Simon and their families.

Details of his funeral service will be announced later.