Fred Perry: BootsnAll Photojournalist

Fred Perry
BootsnAll Photojournalist

As Fred prepares for a day’s writing, his shirt provides him with reminders: mind the arthritis, pass the prunes, and don’t forget the reading glasses.

Fred Perry isn’t accustomed to talking or writing about himself (although his wife might disagree). When we asked this simple, ordinary, dashing, debonair and humble fellow to do so, at first he hesitated. Eventually, though, he came up with what follows.

Fred calls himself a “happy retired person”. He’s actually a former Canadian naval type, which probably accounts for his self-effacing nature. His articles and photos have appeared periodically in BootsnAll since early 2001, but that wasn’t the first time he tried his hand at something new. Let’s start at the beginning.

Armed only with a humble farming background and a simple camera, but eager to achieve fame and fortune, by age 12 he was already Canada’s first published teat – er, udder – photographer. His photos of wholesome Holstein udders filled near to bursting soon became the standard way for farmers to advertise their cattle in trade journals. And what about young Fred: did he find fame? Not really. How about fortune? Alas, not at all. But did he have fun! But all good things come to an end, and so he moved on to greener pastures.

Fred, in the Navy 30 years earlier.

A few years later, upon completion of university Fred joined the Navy, and became an Education Officer. That was, he likes to recall, in days of yore when parking meters only took pennies and bus tickets were three for a quarter – but he insists that he neither sailed in the Ark nor met Noah. After a varied and interesting 40-year career in Canada and the USA, he retired in 1992.

While in the Service he wrote various textbooks and for several years published a monthly newspaper with Forces-wide circulation. He found writing so much fun that he vowed to continue after retirement, one way or another.

By the turn of the century he had authored a well-received book on the joys of retirement, had been a contributing editor for a Canadian financial magazine, and had achieved modest international recognition for his photos (no longer of udders). Wanting to share the joys of travelling with others, he decided once more to try something different, so turned to BootsnAll.

Fred and his wife Myrtle have three adult children and eight grand-children who, like travelling and writing, are never-ending sources of joy.

Click on his name below for links to all of Fred’s BootsnAll articles. Also feel free to email him at mandf@capitalnet.com.

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