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Ex-journalist and spoof 'lord' dies aged 64

A journalist and PR man who was once awarded a ‘peerage’ as a novelty gift has died aged 64.

Roger Ramage, left, began his career on the Evesham Gazette and more recently spent five years as business editor of the Woking News and Mail.

Described as a “larger-than-life” character with “boundless enthusiasm,” he was presented with the novelty title Lord Ramage of Sealand as a gift in 2006.

Sealand is an uninhabited island fortress in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk which declared its ‘independence’ from Britain in 1968.

After training as a journalist, Roger established his own PR agency and worked in a variety of communications roles for British Gas, British Steel, Plessy and Ciba Geigy.

In 1994 he joined Brooklands Museum in Surrey as its marketing manager before venturing back into journalism with the News and Mail in 2001.

However he returned to Brooklands in 2006 and was still working there at the time of his death.

Staff at the News and Mail and Surrey Advertiser who worked with Roger have recounted some fond memories of their former colleague.

Group production editor Debby Thompson said: “He was a great raconteur and his stories often involved dealings with famous people.

“My particular favourite was how he inadvertently became the fourth Beatle — at least in Scandinavia — after a photographer took a picture of three members of the band with Roger in the background and it was published in the Norwegian press.”

Rob Brown, former News and Mail reporter, added: “Always first in the office, and first out to lunch, Roger seemed to be able to laugh at life’s ups and downs and take the best out of any situation.

“His journalism and packed contacts book were an inspiration, as was his ability to turn doing lunch into an art form and his devotion to his beloved dog Ben.”

Roger leaves behind his wife, Tricia and his children, Claire and James and granddaughter, Amy Rose.

His daughter said: “To say my father was a character would be a somewhat understating fact. He cherished his lively reputation, did not suffer cant and was always principled and clear in that.”

Comments

geoff browne (16/12/2009 16:00:46)
Roger’s death is a sad loss to us all. I enjoyed many a laugh with him when he was at Brooklands and at Ciba-Geigy.
Geoff Browne