Bert Foord
Encyclopedia
Herbert Vernon Foord (22 December, 1930, Appleby
, Westmorland
– 31 July, 2001, Stoke Mandeville
, Buckinghamshire
) was an English
meteorologist
and popular BBC
weather forecaster during the 1960s and early 1970s.
The son of a Royal Navy
serviceman, Foord attended grammar school
and joined the UK Meteorological Office as a trainee forecaster in 1947. His first posting was to the Eskdalemuir Observatory
in the Scottish borders, where he worked between 1950 and 1953, followed by three years' service on the Atlantic weather ship
s. He became the principal BBC weather forecaster in 1963, where his low-key presentation style made him a national institution.
One of the highlights of his career came in 1969 during the BBC coverage of the Apollo 12
mission, when he predicted that the spacecraft could face some turbulence on take-off and might be struck by lightning. Within half an hour, lightning struck the spacecraft.
Foord left the BBC in 1973, by which time his celebrity had led to the distinction of being a guest on Roy Plomley's
Desert Island Discs
. He became principal forecaster for the Royal Air Force
Strike Command. In 1980, he became the subject of a "Bring Back Bert Foord" campaign started by presenter Terry Wogan
, who complained the British weather had become worse since Foord stopped presenting the forecasts.
Foord's off-screen persona was quite different from his media image, being relaxed, jovial and outgoing (he ran the London Marathon
in 1987). He retired from the Met Office in 1990, and died 11 years later.
Appleby-in-Westmorland
Appleby-in-Westmorland is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, in North West England. It is situated within a loop of the River Eden and has a population of approximately 2,500. It is in the historic county of Westmorland, of which it was the county town. The town's name was simply Appleby, until...
, Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
– 31 July, 2001, Stoke Mandeville
Stoke Mandeville
Stoke Mandeville is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district to the south-east of Aylesbury in the county of Buckinghamshire, England. Although a separate civil parish, the village falls within the Aylesbury Urban Area...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
) was an English
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
meteorologist
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
and popular BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
weather forecaster during the 1960s and early 1970s.
The son of a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
serviceman, Foord attended grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
and joined the UK Meteorological Office as a trainee forecaster in 1947. His first posting was to the Eskdalemuir Observatory
Eskdalemuir Observatory
The Eskdalemuir Observatory is located near Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Built in 1904, its remote location was chosen to minimise electrical interference with geomagnetic instruments, which were relocated there from Kew Observatory in 1908 after the advent of electrification in...
in the Scottish borders, where he worked between 1950 and 1953, followed by three years' service on the Atlantic weather ship
Weather ship
A weather ship was a ship stationed in the ocean as a platform for surface and upper air meteorological observations for use in weather forecasting. They were primarily located in the north Atlantic and north Pacific oceans, reporting via radio...
s. He became the principal BBC weather forecaster in 1963, where his low-key presentation style made him a national institution.
One of the highlights of his career came in 1969 during the BBC coverage of the Apollo 12
Apollo 12
Apollo 12 was the sixth manned flight in the American Apollo program and the second to land on the Moon . It was launched on November 14, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, four months after Apollo 11. Mission commander Charles "Pete" Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan L...
mission, when he predicted that the spacecraft could face some turbulence on take-off and might be struck by lightning. Within half an hour, lightning struck the spacecraft.
Foord left the BBC in 1973, by which time his celebrity had led to the distinction of being a guest on Roy Plomley's
Roy Plomley
Francis Roy Plomley , OBE was an English radio broadcaster, producer, playwright and novelist.-Early life:Plomley was the son of a pharmacist and was educated at King's College School, Wimbledon...
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
. He became principal forecaster for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Strike Command. In 1980, he became the subject of a "Bring Back Bert Foord" campaign started by presenter Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
, who complained the British weather had become worse since Foord stopped presenting the forecasts.
Foord's off-screen persona was quite different from his media image, being relaxed, jovial and outgoing (he ran the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
in 1987). He retired from the Met Office in 1990, and died 11 years later.