Kenneth Whitson, chairman and managing director of D & J Croal Ltd, which publishes the East Lothian Courier, has died. He was 66.

He had spent 50 years in journalism, and was also managing director of Border Weeklies Ltd, which publishes the Border Telegraph, Peeblesshire News and Penicuik News.

He began his career as a junior reporter on the East Lothian Courier, which was then known as the Haddingtonshire Courier.

He later became the paper’s chief reporter – a role that was briefly interrupted by two years of National Service when he served in Cyprus.

Kenneth became editor of the Courier in 1966, and a seat on the board of directors soon followed before he was ultimately chairman and managing director.

In 1987 he also acquired the Border weeklies, and was a former president of the Scottish Newspaper Publishers’ Association.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret, and elder brother Jack.

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