Rev Ian Gregory, an ordained minister and former journalist, died at age 93. Born in Bolton to Gabriel Gregory, a Congregational minister, and Lilian Unsworth, a teacher, Gregory attended Silcoates boarding school in Wakefield and Peartree secondary school in Derby before pursuing theological studies at Lancashire Independent College in Manchester in 1953.
After leaving college, Gregory worked as a journalist rather than immediately entering the ministry, citing a temperamental mismatch between journalism’s demands and ministerial work. He began his journalism career at the Stockport Advertiser in 1954 and became one of the first journalists at BBC Radio Derby when it launched in 1971, where he conducted notably combative interviews with local officials. He retired from journalism in 2003.
Gregory was ordained as a minister in 1983 and served at King Street Congregational Church in Newcastle-under-Lyme. His ministerial approach emphasized questioning and critical thinking rather than doctrinal acceptance. He became known for practices considered unconventional at the time, including marrying divorced individuals, blessing babies in public houses, and holding Christmas services for pub licensees, which he viewed as meeting people in spaces where they felt comfortable.
In the 1980s, Gregory gained widespread media attention for launching the Polite Society, a campaign promoting courtesy and civil behavior during a period of significant social and industrial conflict. The campaign generated international press coverage, including quotes in the Los Angeles Times, and earned him appearances on breakfast television programs alongside entertainment personalities.
Gregory is survived by his wife Trisha, whom he married in 1965, three adult children—Russell, Rachel, and Jamie—four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
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