Peregrine Worsthorne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peregrine Worsthorne
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On the TV programme After Dark in 1989
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| Born |
Peregrine Gerard Koch de Gooreynd
22 December 1923 Chelsea, London, England
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| Died | 4 October 2020 (aged 96) Buckinghamshire, England
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| Education | Stowe School |
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| Children | 1 |
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 British Army |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank | Second lieutenant |
| Service number | 278628 |
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Sir Peregrine Gerard Worsthorne (born Koch de Gooreynd; 22 December 1923 – 4 October 2020) was a British journalist and writer. He was also a broadcaster, meaning he appeared on TV and radio. He spent most of his career working for the Telegraph newspapers. He even became the editor of The Sunday Telegraph for several years. He stopped working for the newspaper in 1997.
Worsthorne was a political journalist who often wrote about conservative ideas. He shared his opinions in columns and articles for many years.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Peregrine Worsthorne was born in Chelsea, England. His father, General Alexander Louis Koch de Gooreynd, was a Belgian banker. His mother, Priscilla Reyntiens, was English. She was also the granddaughter of a nobleman, the 12th Earl of Abingdon.
Peregrine's family name was changed to Worsthorne. This happened after his older brother, Simon Towneley, was born. Both brothers were raised as Roman Catholics. However, they did not go to Catholic schools.
When Peregrine was five, his parents divorced. His mother then married Sir Montagu Norman. Sir Montagu was the head of the Bank of England at the time. Because of the family changes, the family butler helped raise the two boys for several years.
Worsthorne later said that his early life, even with some challenges, helped him prepare for a public career. He grew up in a family that valued public service.
School and University
Worsthorne went to Stowe School. After school, he went to Peterhouse, Cambridge in 1942. He studied history there. He was called to serve in the army after three terms, which was common during wartime.
While training with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, he hurt his shoulder. He then studied for a term at Magdalen College, Oxford. He later returned to Cambridge and finished his degree early.
Military Service in World War II
Peregrine Worsthorne joined the army in 1943. He served in a special unit called Phantom. This unit was part of the Italian campaign. He also helped as part of the army occupying Hamburg in Germany in 1945.
Starting His Journalism Career
After the war, Worsthorne began working in newspapers. In 1946, he started as a sub-editor at The Glasgow Herald. This was part of a training program for university graduates.
From 1948, he worked for The Times newspaper. He was on the Foreign Desk, helping to prepare international news. The editor of The Times once told him he was too talented to stay there.
Moving to Washington and The Daily Telegraph
Worsthorne became a reporter in Washington, D.C., from 1950 to 1952. He supported Senator Joe McCarthy's efforts to find communists in the U.S. government. This view was different from The Times, so he left.
In 1953, he joined The Daily Telegraph. This newspaper was a better fit for his political views. He also wrote articles for a magazine called Encounter.
In 1954, he wrote about America. He said that even though America had problems, Britain needed to accept them for its own good. He believed that America, after the war, trusted smart people, while Britain focused on the general public.
Working at The Sunday Telegraph
Deputy Editor (1961–1976)
In 1961, Worsthorne became the first deputy editor of The Sunday Telegraph. He later became a main writer for the newspaper. He often wrote about very traditional Conservative ideas.
In 1976, he was promoted to associate editor.
Associate Editor (1976–1986)
Worsthorne believed that if "socialism" became too strong in Britain, the government would need to take back control. He thought that a strong government was important for a healthy society.
He also wrote about Margaret Thatcher, who later became Prime Minister. Before she was elected, he thought her plans would not change much. He said her ideas were about making small improvements to how society worked.
In 1979, he wrote an article called "When Treason Can Be Right." In it, he discussed working with foreign intelligence if a radical government came to power in Britain.
Editor and Later Roles (1986–1991)
In 1986, Worsthorne finally became the editor of The Sunday Telegraph. He held this role for three years. Later, his responsibilities changed. He was put in charge of only the three comment pages of the newspaper. These pages were known for their high-level discussions.
In 1991, Peregrine Worsthorne was given a special honor. He was made a knight for his work in journalism. This meant he could use the title "Sir."
Later Life and Career (1993–2020)
In 1993, Sir Peregrine criticized the changes made by Margaret Thatcher's government. He felt that her focus on business and money had changed Britain too much. He believed it made Conservatism less appealing to many people.
His weekly article in The Sunday Telegraph stopped in 1997. The editor at the time felt the column had run its course. After this, Worsthorne sometimes criticized the newspaper's owner, Conrad Black. He felt the newspapers supported certain foreign policies too much.
In 1997, he said that Britain was changing in ways he no longer recognized or liked. He felt there were "great and irreversible changes in society."
In 1999, Worsthorne suggested that a united Europe could help stop Britain from losing its identity. He thought European leaders were not afraid to use government power to control things like free speech or trade.
In the early 2000s, he thought about the Cold War and nuclear weapons. He wondered if using nuclear weapons would ever be morally right. He questioned how people could have believed such a terrible idea.
In 2004, he published a book called In Defence of Aristocracy. This book explored his ideas about the importance of traditional social classes.
In 2006, he gave a speech where he criticized some aspects of modern liberalism. He also spoke about meritocracy, which is a system where people get ahead based on their abilities. He believed that traditional English aristocracy was excellent and had deep roots in England.
He saw David Cameron, who later became Prime Minister, as a positive sign. He thought Cameron represented the "return of the English gentleman." However, by 2013, he was more unsure, feeling Cameron was a bit uncomfortable with this image.
Private Life and Passing
Sir Peregrine Worsthorne married Claudie Bertrande Baynham in 1950. They had a daughter named Dominique and a stepson named David. Claudie passed away in 1990.
In 1991, he married Lucinda Lambton, who is a writer about architecture. A painting of the couple is kept in the National Portrait Gallery in London. They lived in Buckinghamshire.
Sir Peregrine Worsthorne passed away on 4 October 2020. He was 96 years old.
