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City editor and 'brilliant economist' dies aged 86

  • Ian Richardson
    Pic: Birmingham Post
  • A “brilliant economist” who was the first journalist to win the prestigious Wincott Award twice has died aged 86.

    Ian Richardson was the Birmingham Post’s city editor for more than 30 years and was renowned for his expert knowledge of finance.

    He joined the paper in 1946, after studying economics at Oxford University, and was made city editor in 1955.

    Apart from a short spell with the then Manchester Guardian, Ian spent his entire career with West Midlands title, retiring in 1986.

    During his career, Ian reported extensively on the big financial stories affecting the second city such as the ravaging of West Midlands industry in the early 80s.

    In 1981 he won the Wincott Award, named after the late Harold Wincott of the Financial Times, for a second time and the following year was crowned Heart of England Journalist of the Year for his campaigning coverage of the recession-hit West Midlands.

    Following his retirement he was appointed to a Royal Commission on the Press. Former colleagues have lined up to pay tribute to Ian.

    Jack Reedy, editor of The Birmingham Post from 1974 to 1982, said: “I worked closely with Ian at what was a very difficult time for industry, and I had a huge admiration for a combination of things he had.

    “He was a brilliant economist, having studied it at Oxford, and he was a very good news man too, and could bring those two aspects together.

    “He was a delightful chap to work with, and was tremendously popular among his colleagues.”

    Peter Saunders, editor of The Post from 1984 to 1989, said Ian’s double Wincott Award success made him special among city editors.

    He said: “Everyone had the most enormous respect for Ian. He was knowledgeable, he wrote brilliantly, he was informative and people used to clamour to meet him on the occasions he came out of London.

    “He was incredibly highly respected, not just in the Birmingham business community but throughout the country.”

    Keith Gascoigne, who became the newspaper’s first business editor in 1963, added: “Ian was a legendary figure whose workload was prodigious.

    “Singlehandedly or with help, he would prove The Post City coverage which was the envy of national newspapers with enormous City staffs.

    “He trained many people who went on to distinguished careers in financial journalism.”

    A funeral service will be held at 3.15 pm on 2 January at Honor Oak Crematorium, Brenchley Gardens, London.

  • Nevill Boyd Maunsell succeeded Ian as the Post’s city editor. Click through to read his own tribute to his former boss.