Farewell to Robin Morgan, a seasoned hack of the old school

Robin, who was 74, was a seasoned hack of the old school. Growing up in Lytham St Anne’s, Lancashire, he was still at school when he started working for the Blackpool Gazette, submitting soccer and cricket reports.

After leaving school he briefly joined the staff at the Gazette, before moving over the Pennines to join the Barnsley Chronicle as a trainee reporter.

After leaving the Chronicle, Robin briefly freelanced for a national news agency in his native county before returning to Yorkshire to join the staff of the Yorkshire Post in 1963.

He became the paper’s industrial correspondent in 1968 and later the business correspondent, a position he held until his retirement in 1997.

Robin’s commitment to the profession went beyond his dedication to the Post. He joined the Chartered Institute of Journalists in 1979 and quickly took up a position in defending the rights and working practices of journalists.

When he became President in 1993, he prophetically wrote a piece about standards in the press, and the damage of sensationalism in order to win circulation wars.

His comments came in light of the Calcutt Report on the Press in 1990. Twenty years later he would repeat many of his arguments in the wake of the Leveson inquiry.

Robin’s generosity, kindness and humour endeared him to friends and colleagues alike.

He is survived by his wife, Raisa, and two sons.

The funeral will take place on Monday 17th November, 2.00pm, at the Ardsley Crematorium, then afterwards from 3.00pm onwards at the Holiday Inn, in Barnsley (Dodworth).