Former city editor of The Herald

Born: October 7, 1938

Died: February 2, 2019

CHRIS Stone, who has died aged 80, was a leading financial journalist for over 40 years, latterly as city editor for the Glasgow Herald and then The Herald.

A well known and personable figure, he developed considerable expertise and experience in business finance which together with a wide range of contacts in the business world enabled him build an excellent reputation in his field.

In the mid 1950s, after returning from a sojourn in New Zealand, he began his career in the markets room of the Financial Times in Fleet Street, monitoring financial markets, where his abilities were soon noted leading to promotion to section head.

After more than ten years with the FT, he moved to a similar post in Thomson Newspapers for several years before joining the then Glasgow Herald’s London office as deputy city editor in the early 1970s. In 1990 after the death of city editor Robert Martin, Mr Stone was promoted to replace him and continued in that capacity till taking early retirement in about 1998.

During his time with The Herald he worked from offices in Fleet Street, Jerome Street near Liverpool Street station, Marco Polo House in Battersea and latterly at Clerkenwell Road. Much of his work involved covering economic affairs, company news and attendance at FTSE companies’ press conferences when annual financial results would be announced and later astutely interpreted by him in well reasoned articles.

He was ‘old school’ in the sense that modern technology was alien to him while his sense of humour kept spirits high in the office, one of his catchphrases being “And so the long day wears on…!”

Essentially his was a London-based post, although he did attend Herald headquarters in Glasgow a few times per year for meetings. By way of diversion, this did lead to an involvement in the setting up of a Thai restaurant in the city but that was of short duration.

Christopher Lionel Tempest Stone was born in Andover, Hampshire to parents Geoffrey and Zoe nee Thompson, an actress. He had an older sister Penelope but their father died when he was young. His mother later married Peter Costello, an army major, as a result of which he acquired a half brother Shawn and two half sisters Karan and Julia.

Growing up in Andover he could recall the far-off glow of London burning during the Blitz and also remembered American soldiers stationed nearby giving him and his friends sweets.

After local primary schooling, from 1949 to 1955 he was a boarder at Christ’s Hospital School at Horsham, West Sussex, one of England’s oldest boarding schools, founded in 1552 by King Edward VI originally for ‘fatherless and poor children.’ When he attended the majority of pupils benefitted from charitable assistance with fees which is still the case today. A very traditional establishment, the uniform consisted of a Tudor style long blue coat with matching knee breeches and yellow socks.

Although a bright pupil Chris was not particularly academic but largely enjoyed his time there which he spent mostly in Barnes ‘A’ House named in honour of a famous pupil, Barnes Wallis of Dambuster fame. Over the years he maintained contact with a number of contemporaries with whom he was popular and always known by his school nickname of ‘Charlie’. These ‘Old Blues’ [former pupils] enjoyed meeting for regular reunion lunches usually on the south coast.

One friend David Hill remembered ‘Charlie’ as “ a lovely guy at school who was great company, a nice bouncy fellow who enjoyed an illicit smoke and drink.”

When he left school in 1955 he travelled via the Assisted Passage Scheme to New Zealand for an early version of a ‘gap year’ but found himself enlisted for national service in the country’s army, an unforeseen consequence. He succeeded in having his service commuted early on the understanding that if he returned there he would have to complete the period outstanding. Once home, he needed a job and found employment with the Financial Times to begin his journalistic career.

On 18th September 1965 in Bayswater he married Jennifer [Jenny] Peian from London who then was an office worker in Selfridge’s. The couple had met through their families and had three children, Arabella, Jessica and Jonathan.

Apart from work and family, his main interests were classical music and opera. He was a regular supporter for many years of English National Opera at the London Coliseum and was an occasional opera critic for The Herald. He also enjoyed following rugby and cricket.

Former colleague Helen Pridham, who was engaged by him as a freelance to write for The Herald for many years on personal finance, considered him a kind and very sociable man. She appreciated his giving her free rein to write and the confidence this instilled in her and others such as Diana Wright, later editor of the Sunday Times personal finance section. They recalled how he treated everyone the same irrespective of position, his healthy scepticism of politicians and the positive attitude he had to life. Reunions in the ‘Bottlescrue’ wine bar near St Pauls were much enjoyed particularly for his 80th birthday.

He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren, Lola, Ruby, Alex and Mathilda.

JACK DAVIDSON