Leonard Parkin
Encyclopedia
Leonard Parkin,
Leonard Parkin, (2 June 1929 - 20 September 1993 in Thurnscoe
, Yorkshire
, England
, was a British
TV journalist
and newscaster who worked for both the BBC
and ITN.
He was educated at Hemsworth
Grammar School, Yorkshire. He worked as a reporter on the BBC's Panorama
for many years before joining ITN, initially as a reporter but later as a newscaster for ITV
's main early evening bulletins in the 1970. In November 1963, he was deputy correspondent for the BBC in Washington and his Radio Newsreel report on the assassination of John F. Kennedy is a historic recording. Between 1976 and 1987 he was, along with Peter Sissons
, one of the main presenters for ITN's News at One, and often hosted the News at 5:45 between 1979 and 1987. He occasionally presented News at Ten.
Parkin was one of the most popular newsreaders ever to work for ITN, and, like his former co-host of the News at 5:45 Michael Nicholson
, he became renowned for his cheerful and friendly disposition. He always began the News at One by saying "Hello, Good Afternoon." then reading the headlines. When he presented News at 5:45 on 24 October 1979, he was the first ITN newscaster, after the ITV strike of 1979 from August-October of that year concluded, to be seen on ITV.
During the Falklands War of 1982, Parkin temporarily replaced Michael Nicholson
as main presenter of the News at 5:45, and broke to the UK the news that the ARA General Belgrano
had been sunk in a controversial incident during the Falklands War
. He and Michael Nicholson
provided a detailed report of this incident. He left ITN in 1987, returning to his native Yorkshire to make a series of documentaries about the county for Yorkshire Television
, entitled Pieces of Parkin.
A Freemason
, Parkin was a member of a Lodge which met at The Cloisters
in Letchworth Garden City.
Leonard Parkin, (2 June 1929 - 20 September 1993 in Thurnscoe
Thurnscoe
Thurnscoe is a village in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. The village is approximately half way between Barnsley and Doncaster, but sufficiently far enough from both to be out of their urban sprawl...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
TV journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and newscaster who worked for both the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and ITN.
He was educated at Hemsworth
Hemsworth
Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311....
Grammar School, Yorkshire. He worked as a reporter on the BBC's Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
for many years before joining ITN, initially as a reporter but later as a newscaster for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's main early evening bulletins in the 1970. In November 1963, he was deputy correspondent for the BBC in Washington and his Radio Newsreel report on the assassination of John F. Kennedy is a historic recording. Between 1976 and 1987 he was, along with Peter Sissons
Peter Sissons
Peter George Sissons is a broadcast journalist in the United Kingdom. He was the presenter of the BBC Nine O'Clock News and the BBC News at Ten between 1993 and 2003, as earlier a newscaster for ITN, providing bulletins on ITV and Channel 4. He is also a former presenter of the BBC's Question Time...
, one of the main presenters for ITN's News at One, and often hosted the News at 5:45 between 1979 and 1987. He occasionally presented News at Ten.
Parkin was one of the most popular newsreaders ever to work for ITN, and, like his former co-host of the News at 5:45 Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson OBE is an English journalist and former ITN Senior Foreign Correspondent.- Journalistic career :Born in Romford, Essex, Nicholson attended the University of Leicester. Nicholson was a war reporter for ITN, who reported from wars in Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, Cambodia,...
, he became renowned for his cheerful and friendly disposition. He always began the News at One by saying "Hello, Good Afternoon." then reading the headlines. When he presented News at 5:45 on 24 October 1979, he was the first ITN newscaster, after the ITV strike of 1979 from August-October of that year concluded, to be seen on ITV.
During the Falklands War of 1982, Parkin temporarily replaced Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson OBE is an English journalist and former ITN Senior Foreign Correspondent.- Journalistic career :Born in Romford, Essex, Nicholson attended the University of Leicester. Nicholson was a war reporter for ITN, who reported from wars in Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, Cambodia,...
as main presenter of the News at 5:45, and broke to the UK the news that the ARA General Belgrano
ARA General Belgrano
The ARA General Belgrano was an Argentine Navy light cruiser in service from 1951 until 1982. Formerly the , she saw action in the Pacific theater of World War II before being sold to Argentina. After almost 31 years of service, she was sunk during the Falklands War by the Royal Navy submarine ...
had been sunk in a controversial incident during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. He and Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson OBE is an English journalist and former ITN Senior Foreign Correspondent.- Journalistic career :Born in Romford, Essex, Nicholson attended the University of Leicester. Nicholson was a war reporter for ITN, who reported from wars in Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, Cambodia,...
provided a detailed report of this incident. He left ITN in 1987, returning to his native Yorkshire to make a series of documentaries about the county for Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
, entitled Pieces of Parkin.
A Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, Parkin was a member of a Lodge which met at The Cloisters
The Cloisters (Letchworth)
The Cloisters in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire in the UK, was built by Quaker Miss Annie Jane Lawrence , the daughter of Alfred Lawrence , who, with his brother Frederick, owned 'Lawrence Brothers, Smiths and Founders', and his wife Mary Elizabeth...
in Letchworth Garden City.