CHARLES Petry, one of Bolton's best-loved journalists, has died at the age of 81.

He was music, theatre and art critic on the Bolton Evening News for 21 years, and became renowned locally for his knowledge of the arts and his stylish writing.

Born in London during a Zeppelin raid, Charles later lived in Sussex, as one of an artistic and musical family.

When he left school, Charles became an actor and was one of the original London touring cast of "Murder in the Cathedral."

He stayed on stage for about five years until war broke out. Unfit for active service, he was based at Chatham Dock and put in charge of ropes and flags, which he always wryly insisted was "vital to the war effort."

After the war, it was back to the boards, and he came to the North-west as director of Wigan Little Theatre. But Charles did not see eye to eye with the committee there, and left after a year.

He then changed careers and became a market gardener in Appley Bridge, and as a sideline kept pigs and geese.

Charles' problem, however, was that he became too friendly with the animals, and found slaughtering them too harrowing.

So, he looked around again for a change of career and, having noticed the photographs in the window of the Wigan Examiner, suddenly decided he wanted to be a journalist.

Surprisingly, the requested job there materialised, and within three years he was editor.

A short period on the Guardian followed, before he arrived at the Bolton Evening News.

During his years at this newspaper, Charles' quiet nature, deep knowledge of his subject and sharp wit made him one of its most popular personalities and writers.

He wrote about - and for - the Octagon Theatre. When he retired in 1981, the theatre's then director Wilfred Harrison stated: "The esteem in which the Octagon is held, locally and nationally, owes not a little to the encouragement so generously given by Charles Petry."

With his distinguished manner and walking cane, Charles was a flamboyant-looking character. He regularly took snuff, and at a well-known Bolton town centre shop for many years stood a jar of "Mr Petry's Snuff."

He was a journalist of the old school, a product of non hi-tech newspapers when writing was a more leisurely profession. Charles had a life-long love affair with the English language, and his weekly columns were required reading for many Boltonians.

Self-deprecating, modest, funny and talented, Charles Petry was a real gentleman. We really will not see his like again.

He was nursed through a long illness by his devoted wife, Miriam, and a service will be held for him at Christ Church, Harwood on Thursday at 11am, followed by committal at Overdale crematorium. Angela Kelly

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