A scouting columnist who created a world record after filing copy for 71 years has died.
Jack Ingham, whose weekly scouting notes appeared in the Heywood Advertiser under the name of White Eagle, made it into the Guinness Book of Records , which recognised him as the longest-serving newspaper columnist in the world.
When he decided to call it a day in February because of failing health, he had filed more than 7,000 pieces to the Greater Manchester-based weekly.
His first column appeared on 29 December 1933.
Editor Margaret Cheesbrough doubted that anyone could match Ingham’s achievement, so submitted a claim to the Guinness Book of Records .
After scouring records from all over the world, they awarded him the title.
Cheesbrough said: “We were proud to be associated with Jack. His contribution to the scouting movement was immeasurable and his links with the Advertiser remarkable over such an amazing number of years.
“We had nothing but respect for his loyalty and devotion to duty.”
Jack only missed sending his 500 word weekly piece while fighting in the Second World War. He fought in Egypt and Italy but was wounded and invalided out of the army. He continued his column, writing his pieces as he recovered at home in Heywood.
His wife Jessie said: “He kept cuttings of every article he ever wrote and put them neatly into scrapbooks, which I am now hoping to pass on to the scouting movement.”
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