John Robertson Crawford, who led George Outram and Co., publishers of the Glasgow Herald and Evening Times through decades of massive change and ownership, has died age 92.
Crawford, who was brought up in Tollcross, rose from office boy to hold several senior executive roles, managing director throughout the 1970s, and Outram’s director on the board of SUITS (Scottish and Universal Investments) in the 1980s.
After the Lonrho acquisition of SUITS Crawford also had an office in London and was a director on the board of The Observer.
In the mid-1970s Crawford developed plans to modernise the Herald and Times recruiting experienced newspaper executives from rival titles in Scotland and Fleet Street.
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In 1980, he oversaw the move of The Herald and Times from their iconic Mackintosh inspired home in Mitchell Street to the former Scottish Daily Express building in Albion Street, Glasgow. Crawford successfully secured £13 million of investment in new computer systems and printing presses.
Crawford died peacefully on Sunday, December 10 at his home in Thorntonhall, near Glasgow with Nan, his wife of 56 years, and daughters Alison and Lynsay by his side. His family said he had enjoyed a long and happy life and was determined to be at home when the end came.
A keen walker he had in recent years, as his health deteriorated, become increasingly dependent on support and finally a wheel chair. Despite this he still enjoyed a trip out, enjoying a lunch with a friend in a restaurant near Fenwick a week before his death.
George McKechnie, a former editor of The Herald and Evening Times, said: “John Crawford was one of the giants of the newspaper business in Scotland during those years when the industry struggled to embrace technology changes and new working practices and, for some, difficult tensions surrounding ownership and control.
“John played perhaps the leading role in protecting the interests of the then Outram newspapers. Not the least of these was maintaining the editorial independence of the titles”.
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