Former Chronicle Editor Gordon dies, aged 93

Gordon Maxwell

Former Oldham Evening Chronicle Editor Gordon Maxwell died peacefully in his sleep last Wednesday (January 11), aged 93.

Gordon managed independently at home until the middle of December when, following a week in hospital, he was moved to a residential home in Northumberland to be closer to family members.

Gordon had a distinguished career in journalism that spanned 54 years at the Chronicle.

He joined the paper aged 16 in 1946 as a junior reporter; followed by a period with the Northern Echo and the Huddersfield Examiner, before returning to the Chronicle in 1954.

He became chief sub-editor in 1959, deputy editor in 1962, appointed to the board of Hirst, Kidd and Rennie Ltd in 1970 and became the paper’s editor in 1982.

He had an exciting career having the opportunity to write about local and national major events and developments, new cars, new books and records, restaurants and pubs, day car drives, new plays and shows.

Whilst Gordon retired as editor in 1991, he continued to write features for the paper and when he finally finished his writings in 2007, it was revealed that he was the mysterious and popular author John Wilkes – who wrote the humourous “As I was saying” column which began in 1966.

Gordon was passionate and dedicated to Oldham and used his expertise and knowledge by serving as a non-executive Board on the Oldham NHS Trust and becoming a founder member of the Hospice Steering Group set up in 1983, whose vision to open a hospice in Oldham was realised when the doors opened in September, 1989.

Gordon continued to serve Dr Kershaw’s hospice as a Trustee/Board member until 2000.

Above all, Gordon was a proud family man, being a loving and caring husband and father/stepfather to Nicholas, Diana, Jenny and Lorna; and he was devoted to his 11 grandchildren/stepchildren and 16 great grandchildren/step grandchildren.

Gordon’s funeral will be at 1.30pm at Hollinwood Crematorium, Oldham, on Thursday February 2.

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