A former Scotsman business editor and author who began his journalism career in Africa has died following a short illness.

Jim Dow, left, spent 23 years with the Edinburgh-based daily where he worked as a reporter, night news editor, supplements editor and then business editor for eight years.

During a career spanning over half a century, he also worked for the Galloway Gazette, Fifeshire Advertiser and Cambridge News.

He later moved into PR and freelance work, specialising in business journalism.

The 71-year-old had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumour before Christmas but continued to file his commercial property column to The Scotsman until just two weeks ago.

Jim died on Thursday at the Marie Curie Hospice in Edinburgh.

His journalism career began in Africa on papers in Tanzania and Kenya at the time the independence movements against British rule were gathering steam.

Jim’s contacts book included some of the biggest names in African politics of the time including Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere, Milton Obote and Kenneth Kaunda, all of whom went on to rule their respective countries.

He worked as a trainee reporter with the Tanganyika Standard in Dar es Salaam and later moved to the East African Standard in Nairobi.

Last year he published a book entitled ‘African Dow’ which recalled some of his tales from growing up and working on the continent.

He said at the time: “One of my last jobs in Kenya was to accompany the Gordon Highlanders as they went in, guns blazing, to quell mutineers seeking to take over the country.

“My next job was at the Eaton Socon school sports in Huntingdonshire where I was chasing a schoolboy to get his name and address because he had won the egg and spoon race. That’s journalism for you.”

He also wrote a book about the Scottish islands and was made a lifetime member of the National Union of Journalists in 2007.

In recent months, Jim had been working on relaunching compropscotland.com, an online newspaper about commercial property.

Jim is survived by his wife Lorna, daughter Karen and two granddaughters. His family has requested that his funeral, which takes place this week, remains private a affair.

Comments

Wycliffe (17/03/2010 11:35:18)
Fare thee well.
Wycliffe,
Nairobi.