Retired Guild member John Blackbeard, a former Arable Farming editor, died late August aged 81 years.
With his distinctive “Walrus moustache”, he is recalled by former colleagues and fellow journalists as one of the great characters of the agricultural press corps from the late 1970s, always up for a bit of fun and ready with a wry and witty comment, but also serious about his work communicating information and opinions on arable matters.
Dom Kilburn, who worked as a journalist on Arable Farming, has fond memories: “John gave me my first role in agricultural journalism back in the mid-‘90s for which I will always be grateful. He was a wonderful editor to work for and with; very much providing encouragement and support during the difficult days, while also giving me the freedom to go out and do the job without restraint. Constructive criticism was given out when required, and praise when assignments were successfully completed.”
Former Farmers Weekly machinery editor Graham Fuller first met John in the aftermath of then FW publisher IPC’s move from Fleet Street to Sutton.
“He was an extremely knowledgeable librarian, always willing to retrieve a sought-after publication, source a picture or unearth some farm-related statistics, and he was unfailingly courteous and as reliable a contact as one could ever wish for,” he recalls.
“Maybe, just maybe, our many chats in the pub encouraged John to make the great leap into a writing career. Suffice to say, once he made the transition to Farming Press, he never looked back. From my perspective, his articles took an in-depth look at many aspects of the farm machinery industry and provided valuable insights into how equipment should be utilised to best effect.”
John Blackbeard was born in Devizes, Wiltshire, the eldest of four children with three sisters, and is said to have chosen writing as his vocation quite early on.
After his librarian role with Farmers Weekly, he joined Arable Farming in the late 1970s based at the Farming Press offices in Ipswich, initially as machinery correspondent but later also writing about crop varieties, crop protection strategies and products under the late Geoff Rumsey, who he later succeeded as editor.
Arable Farming colleague and Guild member Julian Cooksley said: “I spent many years working with John and enjoyed his company as a colleague and friend. He was very welcoming, was a good mentor and we had a lot of fun.”
Anecdotes abound; Peter Hill recalls meeting him on his first overseas press trip when John learned the hard way that it pays to be “measured” when enjoying the host’s first night hospitality: “The following morning, we were all aboard the coach ready to leave when John finally appeared in a somewhat dishevelled state clutching clothes and other overnight gear in his arms as he scrambled up the steps with a broad grin on his face – to the applause and cheers of all on board!”
Dom Kilburn recalls the impromptu cricket match John organised – late in the evening in a hotel bar during the Royal Smithfield Show: “Two teams were quickly assembled, and somehow a bat and ball were found, and with the bar still open we all played long into the early hours, with John umpiring, batting and bowling!
“I’ll always have great memories of John, and cherish the time I spent with him.”
Like Dom, fellow Guild member Alli Lea became a journalist thanks to John giving her a first opportunity in the role: “I loved working for him; always fair, kind, and VERY witty,” she remembers. “The majority of his career had been through a very different era for agriculture and very different ownership of the Farming Press titles.
“The last few years, when Arable Farming was becoming more and more squeezed, I think must have been difficult for him, although he always remained his chipper self. But I will never forget the day the henchmen from publisher United Business Media turned up at the office without notice and I guessed from John’s shocked face what they were there for; it was a heartless way to end his media career.”
With the business removed from Ipswich to Preston, John took early retirement – and a very happy one it turned out to be, living in the Galicia region of Spain with his wife Ida (who died a year ago), working with “Toby” the tractor on the family smallholding and enjoying time with the locals, especially during fiestas.
“It was a completely new way of life for John in Ida’s home village in hilly rural northern Spain,” says Alli. “John cleared the terraced land around their house, where they grew many fine crops of veggies and produced bottles of (pretty robust!) red wine.”
The Guild sends sincere condolences to John’s family and close friends.
Harvest Lunch 2026
Our annual harvest celebration is the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends, colleagues and network with other agricultural communicators.
