On Wednesday 28th November, 2012, at 11:30am a service of thanksgiving for the life of Derek Jameson, journalist and editor, was held at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street.
Welcome to St Bride’s this morning. It is ironic and oddly appropriate that on the day before the report of the Leveson enquiry is published we gather here in the parish church of Fleet Street to honour a Fleet Street veteran who edited three tabloid newspapers; in his own words “the last of the hot metal men”, who had a long and distinguished career both in newspapers and then in television and radio, but who always saw himself as just an ordinary bloke. Proud of his origins in Hackney he connected instinctively with his audience in print and on the airwaves, and his programme on Radio Two grew to 10 million listeners.
Derek Jameson was a man of the people, but also a citizen of Fleet Street asking in his autobiography for his ashes to be scattered in Fleet Street, “the most exciting place on earth.”
We celebrate his life and honour his memory, here in the street he loved, and pray that he may rest in peace after a rich and full life.
Amen.
Addresses
Tim Blackmore MBE, Editorial Director, UBC Media Group
Daniel Jameson, Derek's youngest son
Reading
Peter Jameson, Derek’s eldest son,read Romans 8, 38-39
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
BillHagerty, Chairman of The Journalists’ Charity read John 14, 1-6
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Sir David Frost, read from Touched By Angels by Derek Jameson
MUSIC
The choir & organist of St Bride’s performed the following anthems and songs:
God be in my head – Walford Davies
Jesus Christ the apple tree – Elizabeth Poston
You raise me up – Rolf Lovland / Brendan Graham
I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls from The Bohemian Girl – Michael Balfe
