Kmflett's Blog

The Ambridge Socialist

26^th October

Bert Fry (1936-2021). A proletarian hero

Bert Fry, the Bard of Borsetshire, is dead. He was found in his seat at The Bull.

It came a day after the Bard of Borsetshire had read some of his Borsetshire Lad poems at the Brookfield Harvest Supper. Bert’s poems about rural life were not however his most noteworthy achievement.

Although never reported by the BBC he was the long time Secretary of Borsetshire Trades Council. He never lost a negotiation with his employer David Archer. He was also a member of the Borsetshire Communist Party before it wound up in 1990.

Bert Fry was a determinedly rural character and the last in the Archers after the sad demise of Joe Grundy to be born beforeWorld War Two. With his death an era ends.

Meanwhile Eric Allan the actor who has played Bert Fry for 25 years, is fortunately far from dead. Rather he has decided to retire at 81, according to the BBC at least in part to collect conkers.

Perhaps there should be an annual Ambridge conkers tournament in memory of Bert

BBC Tribute

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/21QBp5NJ1XzQMCsKRYKQ8Bw/farewell-to-bert-fry