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Veteran reporter dies at home

9:44am Monday 11th February 2008

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Veteran reporter Vernon Scott died at home on Saturday, aged 77.

Vernon was the Western Telegraph's Pembroke Dock reporter for many years and continued to write a column for the paper after his retirement.

He also contributed to other Pembrokeshire publications and published several books on local history including one on a wartime tank fire in Pembroke Dock and another on the effects of the war on Pembrokeshire.

Vernon was an acclaimed public speaker and a well known raconteur as well as an established amateur actor, known for his lifelike renditions of Winston Churchill and Field Marshall Montgomery.

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Peter John, Haverfordwest says...
11:25am Mon 11 Feb 08

Vernon was a legend in Pembrokeshire. I was lucky enough to meet him on several occasions in recent years after moving back to the area and I found him a charming man with a great store of amusing and enlightening stories about the people and places of Pembrokeshire. He was passionate about the county. He was also passionate about the Telegraph and local journalism. I had not seen Vernon for some months and am shocked this morning to hear of his passing. The condolences of everyone at the company go out to his family today. Peter John, Publisher, Western Telegraph

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Greg Lewis (former Western Telegraph), Cardiff says...
12:34pm Mon 11 Feb 08

I was very sad to hear of Vernon’s death. He was a great journalist. His understanding and knowledge of his “patch” was second to none.
He was also a very kind person with a wonderful sense of humour. Generations of young Pembrokeshire reporters will have fond memories of working with him.
My condolences to his family.

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Alison Gow (ex-Western Telegraph), Liverpool says...
1:08pm Mon 11 Feb 08

Working with Vernon in the Pembroke Dock office wasn't just a privilege, it was one of the most fun times of my journalistic life. Between Vernon, the two cats and Tess the dog who shared our little 'newsroom' there was never a dull moment - particularly when Mushy Boswell dropped by.
Deepest condolences to Joan and family.

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Nigel Watts, London says...
7:30pm Mon 11 Feb 08

I was lucky enough to work with Vernon in the Telegraph's Meyrick Street office from time to time in the early 90s. The word legend is easily put about, but for Pembrokeshire journalism Vernon well deserves that epitaph. He always said journalism was a young man's game, but over and over again he well and truly confounded that idea. Luckily for Pembrokeshire, Vernon wrote so much that the old papers have a marvellous record of what's been going on over the past half a century. My condolences to Joan and his family.

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louise taggart, cardiff, formerly pembroke dock says...
10:35pm Mon 11 Feb 08

Vernon was not only a charasmatic journalist but a great writer of local history and also one of the most interesting and friendly people I have met. His passion for the local area, people and history will be fondly remembered

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Steve, Birmingham says...
10:10am Tue 12 Feb 08

I was lucky enough to know Vernon and Joan as a young lad growing up in Pembroke Dock, indeed he used to look after me when my mum and dad were doing late shifts in South pembs and Firth Cleveland factory.

One of the very few people in Pembroke Dock who I, and I suspect many others would class as a cut above the rest.

Fond chidhood memories, my thoughts are with Joan and the family, a truly great loss.

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Andrew Pemberton, RAF High Wycombe says...
10:21am Tue 12 Feb 08

What sad news! Vernon was my mentor and friend when I trained under him at the Western Telegraph in the early 90s. I owe him a great deal. Like other former colleagues who he took under his wing, I have very fond memories of working with him; they were fun times indeed. Vernon was a true professional: an old school reporter in the finest traditions and he will be sorely missed, but fondly rememebered.

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Simon Spruce, London says...
10:38am Tue 12 Feb 08

I count myself as very fortunate to work with Vernon during the early part of my career. He was a wonderful teacher, a good friend and the epitome of a great local journalist and will be missed by all those who worked with him, as well as the community he served so well throughout his career. There are journalists throughout the UK who owe Vernon a debt of gratitude for the help, advice and friendship he gave us. My deepest condolences to Joan and his family.

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Amanda Cook (Gullam, Oxford (formerly pembroke dock) says...
6:09pm Tue 12 Feb 08

I was fortunate to have known Vernon since i was a baby, Vernon and his family were very close friends of our family,i have lots of lovely memories apart from when their dog Jason decided to to take a bite of my nose when we were at the caavan at Angle. I know Vernon will be sorely missed in our family but remembered fondly.

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Ted Goddard, Haverfordwest says...
10:13pm Tue 12 Feb 08

Vernon and I were rival reporters at Pembroke Dock - he at the West Wales Guardian, myself at the Western Telegraph - before we became colleagues on this newspaper in 1965.
But from the outset, we quickly became firm friends, and his advice and help, so readily given to me as a fledging journalist, was invaluable. He had a tremendous sense of fun - life was never dull in Vernon’s company - and our time together at the Pembroke Dock office was among the happiest of my career.
He excelled in all aspects of journalism, but his first love was feature writing. His descriptive powers were superb and he had the knack of seeking out the unusual - who will ever forget his story about the cycling crow!
His contribution to local history is immense, not only through his books, his work for the Western Telegraph, West Wales Guardian and Pembrokeshire Life, but also through his talks to societies and organisations the length and breadth of the county.
Vernon seemed indestructible. He will be so sorely missed. Farewell old friend, we will never forget you.


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Doris Goddard, Merlins Bridge says...
10:20pm Tue 12 Feb 08

Vernon and I joined the Western Telegraph editorial staff in the same year, 1965 - Vernon, a gifted writer and seasoned journalist, and myself a raw recruit, who was new to Pembrokeshire.
Although we were based in different offices, Vernon was always at the other end of the telephone, ready to share his fantastic knowledge of local people and places, and to offer advice and support. For this I will be always grateful.
He had a great sense of humour and was a wonderful writer and raconteur. A ‘true’ local reporter, with the interests of the county very much at heart, Vernon will be sadly missed. He was an inspirational colleague and friend.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife Joan, children Helen and Paul and grandchildren. - Doris Goddard

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Chris Morgan, Herefordshire says...
10:37pm Tue 12 Feb 08

I knew Vernon way back in the late 1950's and early 1960's when I was a young student at Pembroke Grammar School and he was an enthisuiastic reporter buzzing round on his Vespa motor scooter. I always enjoyed my conversations with him and found him to be a fund of local knowledge. Since that time, as I have lived away from PD, I have read Vernon's contributions avidly. He was a social historian and commentator par excellence. His passing will be missed by us all and his contributions to our community life will be irreplaceable. Vernon was a one off & now the mould has been broken. Perhaps the Western Telegraph can arrange a suitable epitaphh in the form of something tangible like a Pemrokeshire social history bursary. It is a sad time for us all

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Len Mullins, Haverfordwest says...
9:36am Wed 13 Feb 08

My friend, Vernon Scott, was a legend in local journalism. His career spanned 50 years and this remarkable fact didn’t go unnoticed when he was presented to The Queen during a Royal Visit to Pembroke Dock in his retirement year.

“That’s amazing Mr Scott” was her response which made for a cracking headline at the time.

I knew Vernon both as an adversary and a colleague.

When I joined the old broadsheet West Wales Guardian, he’d been the Western Telegraph’s ‘Man in Pembroke Dock’ for several years.

I soon discovered that everybody seemed to know Vernon Scott and if they didn’t know him personally, they knew the name.

During my early rookie years our paths often crossed whether it was collecting obituaries from the house (a daily occurrence in those days) covering Pembroke Boro’ AFC for our respective papers, attending council meetings or reporting the AGMs of local sports clubs.

I’m not afraid to admit that he ‘scooped’ me for than once, sniffing out stories that were right under my nose but it never affected our friendship and I learnt so much from him.

Later, when I joined the Telegraph, I had the privilege of working alongside Vernon and fully appreciating how good an operator he really was.

I remember one story in particular. It was Christmastime and Vernon was attending a function in the Lion Hotel, Pembroke. But down the street tragedy was unfolding when fire swept through a building, claiming the life of a young girl.

Vernon’s first hand account of a terrible night was a stunning piece of writing.

He described how groups of young people, who only a few hours earlier had been celebrating the season of goodwill, gathered in silence outside the fire ravaged building as firemen recovered the body of the young victim.

They were, he said, witnessing death for the first time.

I have never forgotten that powerful article. It was as good a piece of writing I’ve seen by anyone, anywhere and I know I am not alone in thinking that.

Although he is always associated with the Western Telegraph, Vernon cut his teeth in journalism on the West Wales Guardian in Pembroke Dock where – like me – he learnt the ropes alongside the great Llewellyn Thomas.

You were never bored when Vernon Scott was around. He was a brilliant mimic and story-teller which made him ideal for amateur dramatics.

When I heard of his death on Sunday morning, I could hardly believe it. He was truly amazing.

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Pauline Boswell, Pembroke Dock says...
1:48pm Wed 13 Feb 08

what a loss to his family & friends ..a much liked character of the town & county . we will all miss his informative jounalism

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Sybil Edwards, one time Westerrn Telegraph Chief Reporter, Trefin says...
4:25pm Wed 13 Feb 08

Vernon and I first met when we were both attending the meetings of Neyland Town Council - he for the West WAles Guardian and I for the Western Telegraph. This was in the days of the other greats in the newspaper world - Billy Jacks, Bill Richards, Lloyd Phillips,all fine newspapermen. Vernon carried on in their tradition and continued to make a valuable contribution to the recorded history of the county. The world of journalism is the poorer for his passing.

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Greg Ralph, Perth Western Australia says...
6:45am Thu 14 Feb 08

There have been many glowing tributes to Vernon Scott, albeit deservedly so, but most of them have come from present or former colleagues. Whilst I am bound to say I do not know many of them, for various reasons, journalists and newspaper photographers do not rank near the top of my list of favourites.
Vernon was ten years my senior and in the fifties, when I was a teenager, I was a little in awe of his apparent endless knowledge of everyone. When I met him forty years later, at some business function, I related this recollection of him and with typical humility and confounding the views I held about his vocation he simply assured me that you only get to know people well, if you like them enough. It appears he held similar views to my own and had reservations about some of his counterparts on National papers.
Whilst many of the others who have made comment knew Vernon as a work colleague, I simply knew him as a reader of his work. I knew him to be passionate about Pembrokeshire and PD in particular. He has left a legacy in his writings but we have lost not only a 'good bloke' but a mine of local information. From way 'down-under' condolences to his family.

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David Ball, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan says...
2:49pm Thu 14 Feb 08

I was always welcomed with a friendly greeting by "Helen's Dad" when I had any news or reports to give in. He knew our family, and even did a feature on my maternal grandfather who was shot down by the Red Baron.
Such a sad loss to Pembrokeshire. My condolences to the family

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Morgan Allen, Hundleton, Pembroke says...
4:38pm Fri 15 Feb 08

Vernon was a popular and much respected member of the Pembroke Probus Club for many years. As our Speakers Secretary and Committee member he brought enjoyment and professionalism to all our meetings and activities. He will be sadly missed, we have all lost a friend. We extend our deepest sympthany to Joan and all of his family.
Morgan Allen - Past President

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andrew edwards, Asst Editor, Liverpool ECHO, Liverpool ECHO says...
6:11pm Fri 15 Feb 08

Vernon was a journalist who was honest, tenacious, constantly enthusastic .. and incredibly funny.
I joined the Telegraph (my first paper) in 1978 and Vernon always had time to help and encourage me. It was great, traditional journalists like Vernon who set the values which I still work to today. Vernon and I shared one love - Manchester United - and we had long conversations debating what was wrong (and right with the team.) Every now and then we travelled with the Pembrokeshire branch of the supporters club to watch them at Old Trafford - a round trip of some 16 hours! Great memories. Great loss.

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Janice Bannon, Newport Gwent says...
4:00pm Sat 16 Feb 08

i was very sorry to learn of the loss of vernon scott .he was a lovely man .i recall mr scott doing the report on my sister marlene's wedding as she was the first pembroke dock girl to marry a german man.
Janice Bannon (Dewsnap)
formely of Pembroke Dock now of Newport Gwent.

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Stephen Evans, London says...
9:02pm Sat 16 Feb 08

When I was a trainee reporter on the Telegraph, Vernon was the model of how to do the job. Nothing moved in Pembroke Dock without Vernon knowing about it. He knew a good story when he saw it and he knew how to write it with affection. He also told us stories about the Pembroke Dock office, often involving sacks of potatoes, which kept everybody else in stitches! He was utterley likeable and a great adornment to journalism and the Dock.

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Brian Davies, Seaford East Sussex, says...
4:09am Tue 4 Mar 08

When I was stationed in Hong Kong in the Army, circa 1970's, Vernon accompanied by Len Mullins visited to do a rather large feature on the "Pembrokeshire Connection" in Hong Kong of the armed forces and expats living there. I remember lifting a jar or two in the NAAFI bar at Victoria Barracks and listening to Vernon fascinating discourse on his job as a journalist. A love man to have known.

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