A former Birmingham Post and Western Mail journalist who went on to be editorial director of Mid Somerset Newspapers has died.

Geof Humphrey also worked for the South Wales Argus and was editor of the Abergavenny Chronicle and then Mid Somerset Newspapers.

Born in Sheffield, Geof worked on newspapers in the Midlands before joining the RAF in 1942.

He returned to newspapers in 1946, and joined the Hereford Times in 1953.

He moved to the Birmingham Post in 1956, where he became assistant news editor, and in 1964 moved to Newport, Gwent, where he and his wife Elwyn set up their own marketing business.

In 1970 Geof returned to journalism once again, first with the Western Mail and then with Billboard Publications and Pensord Press, in charge of editorial production of the Record Mirror and also the South Wales Argus.

From 1973 he was editor of the Abergavenny Chronicle, before joining Mid Somerset Newspapers as editor in 1977.

On his retirement from Mid Somerset Newspapers Geof was awarded the MBE for services to journalism.

After his “official” retirement, Geof continued to undertake freelance assignments, with a two-year spell as senior sub-editor on the Bournemouth Evening Echo.

Away from work Geof was a keen fisherman and gardener and very much a family man.

Geof leaves his wife, Elwyn, three children, Melanie, Ian and David, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Do you have a story about the regional press?
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