obituaries John H Morgan


A veteran South Wales journalist and union leader, who was the youngest reporter to cover the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, has passed away peacefully but unexpectedly aged 87. John H Morgan was the NUJ’s


regional organiser for Wales and the West of England from 1978 to 1991. He joined the NUJ in 1955 as a teenager and was later awarded life


membership. He was father of the chapel at the NUJ HQ in London and served as a member of the national executive council for many years. He always enjoyed travelling and meeting people from all walks of life. He had a real interest in people, spending most of his life helping and supporting others in various ways to secure the best outcomes for them. As a result, he was passionate about his work and represented the NUJ in a professional manner at all times. Aged just 15 years and working on the South Wales Voice, he was the youngest reporter in London at the late Queen Elizabeth’s coronation on June 2 1953. Over the years and in addition to


his role at the NUJ, John H held many positions as a journalist as well as serving on various committees and councils. In his early days, he was chief reporter and sports editor of the South Wales Voice in Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley, going on to become news reporter, chief court reporter and later sub-editor of the South


Wales Evening Post in Swansea. He then worked as a sub-editor at the Western Mail in Cardiff. Apart from his writing and sub-editing roles, John H was chairman and assessor of the Wales and west regional committee of the National Council for the Training of Journalists and the TUC representative on the West Wales committee of the Sports Council for Wales. He also took on many community roles and was county councillor for West Glamorgan County Council. He had a great sense of public duty as well as professional pride. Former journalist Mike


Watkinson said his 46-year newspaper career would never have been possible but for John H. “I first met him when I was an


18-year-old trainee journalist in the Swansea Valley,” he said. “A couple of weeks later, during the national strike, I was threatened with the sack for committing the heinous crime of joining the NUJ. Suffice to say, John H intervened and I kept my job.


“I saw a lot of him over the next


few years, usually on picket lines, which always seemed to be organised when snow lay thick on the ground. “I remember he and I often commenting on the extreme reactions the sight of a picket line evoked in passing motorists. “They were either totally for us or


totally against us – no one ever seemed to sit on the fence. “John H was committed to the union and his tireless campaigning and sheer tenacity left us in no doubt who was fighting our corner. Put quite simply, John H always had our backs. “He was a man of his times, when the unions held sway, and I often wonder what his thoughts were on the modern era, when journalists are not afforded the kind of protection we could count on.” Should any NUJ members wish to send condolences to John’s wife Bethan and his two daughters, please email e.w.morgan@btinternet.com.


Eleri Wyn Morgan


in America on the Hollywood Tattler.


Mike Stares


One of the best-known West Country journalists died on January 13 at the age of 86. Mike Stares was born in Chalford, Gloucestershire, and became a Life Member of the NUJ after a career spanning 60 years. He first became a rookie


journalist on the Leamington Spa Courier, progressing to the Buckingham Post, then on to the Doncaster Evening Post and the Blackpool Evening Gazette. He then went on to spend a year


26 | theJournalist


He returned to the UK to marry his journalist wife Judith, and together they set up what was to become the longest-established news agency in the West Country. First named the Cotswold News Service, launched in Tetbury, followed by a move to Swindon where the Cotswold and Swindon News Service held sway for 25 years. It covered not only crown courts in Swindon but also what became known as the ‘Royal Triangle’ in the Cotswolds, home to the future King Charles, Princess Anne, and then the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Mike became known as a royal scoop specialist, and with his network of contacts was able to provide information on all the various royal activities. In those days good money was paid for a royal exclusive! He was among the first to use the famous ‘Tandy’ for electronic story submission, and became intimately acquainted with every red telephone box in his area! Nevertheless he maintained a deep


affection for his typewriter, and had to be forcibly prised away from it by Judith, who threw it through the window on one desperate day! Mike was a proud member of the


NUJ throughout his life and an enthusiastic chair of his local branch. He was also a founder member of the National Association of Press Agencies, who negotiated rates for freelance journalists in newspapers, TV and radio. He fought for journalists’ rights


everywhere and refused to be defeated. Towards the end of his career


Mike took up lecturing in journalism, and was very popular with various colleges and institutions around the country, in addition to the ladies of the WI, where he was a regular speaker. He was patient and generous in passing on his expertise and modest about his own achievements. His students admired him greatly. His greatest satisfaction was being able to give advice and encouragement to his two sons, who both followed him into the


media world. His contacts were invaluable when they were starting out, and neither of them minded being nepo babies. Justin is now news editor of the Brussels Signal in Belgium, and Elliott runs a thriving PR Agency in Miami.


By the time of his retirement


Mike had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, and moved to live in Ross-on-Wye where he continued to give the occasional lecture, and act as press officer for the local Probus Club.


Judith Stares


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