Rev Ian Gregory, who combined careers in journalism and Christian ministry, passed away at age 93. The clergyman gained widespread media attention in the 1980s when he founded the Polite Society, a campaign group focused on promoting courtesy and civility in British society. His initiative attracted international press coverage, including features in major publications, and he became a frequent guest on breakfast television programs, sometimes appearing alongside entertainment figures.
Ordained in 1983, Gregory served as minister at King Street Congregational Church in Newcastle-under-Lyme, where he became known for an approach to ministry that emphasized questioning and critical thinking rather than unexamined acceptance. He departed from some traditional ecclesiastical practices, including performing marriages for divorced individuals and conducting blessings for infants in informal settings such as public houses, which he believed allowed him to connect with people in environments where they felt at ease. His emphasis on courtesy and accessibility extended to his work with the hospitality industry, and a pub in his hometown was named after him.
Gregory initially pursued journalism rather than immediate ordination, working as a reporter at the Stockport Advertiser beginning in 1954 and later becoming one of the first journalists employed at BBC Radio Derby following its launch in 1971. He was noted for conducting direct interviews with local government officials during his broadcasting career. He retired from journalism in 2003 and continued his intellectual pursuits through reading, theological study, and writing until his death.
Gregory was born in Bolton to Gabriel Gregory, a Congregational minister, and Lilian Unsworth, a teacher. He is survived by his wife Trisha, whom he married in 1965, three children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
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