Frank Johnson (journalist)
Frank Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date London, England |
| Died | December 15, 2006 (aged 63) |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, editor |
| Years active | 1960–2006 |
| Known for | Originating the term "chattering classes" |
Frank Robert Johnson (20 January 1943 – 15 December 2006) was a prominent English journalist and editor.
Education
Johnson, born into a working-class London family, grew up in Stoke Newington and remained at his family residence well into his thirties. He did not pass the 11-plus examination and subsequently attended a state secondary school located in Shoreditch, leaving formal education at the age of 16. Unlike many of his contemporaries in senior journalism roles, he did not pursue further or higher education but began his career working as a newspaper messenger.
Career
Starting in 1960, Johnson worked at the Walthamstow Post and later held a junior reporting position at the North-West Evening Mail between 1965 and 1966. His initial assignments included covering sports, a beat he soon abandoned following an erroneous rugby league report. Over time, he contributed to several publications including the Nottingham Evening Post, Liverpool Echo, The Sun, NOW!, and The Daily Telegraph, where he served as both parliamentary sketch writer and leader writer from 1972 to 1979. Renowned for his sharp wit and unique writing style, he is often credited with originating the term "chattering classes."
Between 1981 and 1988, Johnson was affiliated with The Times, working as a parliamentary sketch writer and foreign correspondent based in Paris and Bonn. He then moved to The Sunday Telegraph where he held roles as columnist and editor from 1988 until 1995. From 1995 to 1999, he took on the editorship of the conservative Spectator magazine before returning to The Daily Telegraph.
Personal life
An Anglican by faith, Johnson married Virginia Fraser in 1998; she was the widow of Simon Fraser, Master of Lovat. He passed away due to cancer at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on 15 December 2006 at age 63. Although deteriorating health forced him to relinquish his position as sketch writer at the Telegraph, he maintained his role as a columnist up until the week of his passing. Following cremation, his ashes were dispersed in the south of France, where he and his wife owned a residence.