Marvellous Mirror memory

IT’S 57 years ago, but there will be people reading this who actually remember the heady days of 1964. And it was in June of that year that the Daily Mirror announced a record-breaking average daily circulation of five million copies.

Such vast numbers simply do not compute in these digital days, when so many readers get their news from the web, on their phones, and on Instagram and TikTok.

But the 5m milestone was magnificent, and was hugely celebrated.

We’re indebted to ROBIN PARKIN for unearthing his precious copy of STET – the Mirror’s then inhouse newspaper – from his archives in rural France. And here’s the front page of STET dated July 1964 (Vol. 6, No 6!)

The headline says it all, and the picture is of a youthful Gloria Sharp, who then had been at Mirror Group for only six months. Glo, of course, went on to become Joe Haines’s secretary.

Photographer Ian Harris took the picture outside the Mirror’s famous Holborn Circus building. The chap in the flat cap is named as Alf “Gilly” Gillingwater, from the engineers’ assistants’ department. He was 70 then, and had been a Mirror man for 42 years.

This is just a taster – because inside this and other copies of STET and its successor Mirror Group News, which Robin kindly sent across the Channel, is an abundance of Mirror Group memorabilia – and we’ll be dipping in from time to time to remember the way we were.

Last call – annual meetings

The AMP’s annual general meeting in London is on September 21 [2021], and the annual meeting in Glasgow is on September 28 [2021].

Full details of venue, timings, refreshments and celebrations were in your Spring Mirror Pensioner. If you’re planning to come along and haven’t let us know, please do so without delay via the Contact Us drop down page.

Members only of course. See you there!

Geoff’s memoirs

YET another scribe has beaten lockdown lethargy by writing his memoirs. And we have exclusive extracts.

In a career spanning 34 years, GEOFF LESTER, one of horseracing’s pressroom greats, rose from tea boy to chief correspondent on The Sporting Life. His book The Time of My Life covers everything from day one and even earlier, and explores the ecstasy and the agony that life on the Life brought him. Click on Members’ Noticeboard to read more.

Paul Callan memorial service

A memorial service for our old friend and colleague PAUL CALLAN is to be held in St Brides, Fleet Street, London EC4Y 8AU at 11.30 am on Tuesday, October 5 [2021]. There will be a reception afterwards –  venue to be decided.

New date/venue – Remembering Steve Bailey

A MEMORIAL service for former Sunday Mirror journalist STEVE BAILEY will be held on Friday, November 5 [2021] at The Punch Tavern, 99 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DE, from 11.45am. Please bring tales of Mr Bailey for an informal service and chance to remember your friend and colleague. All are invited.

Thursday, November 4 [2021] at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, London EC4Y 8AU at 11.30am.

Steve died in May 2020 in a Glasgow Hospice following a long battle with lung cancer. Covid-19 restrictions have prevented his memorial service from taking place until this year.

A highly respected reporter, Steve left the Sunday Mirror in 1995 to work for the BBC before joining Dispatches, Channel 4’s award-winning investigative current affairs programme. Later, he became an executive television producer for Lion Films in Glasgow.

 

Jacko’s jolly japes

If you haven’t caught up with John Jackson’s hilarious memoirs yet, you can enjoy a preview in Members’ Noticeboard.

Where’s my Mirror Pensioner?

SEVERAL members have been in touch to tell us their Spring Mirror Pensioner has never arrived. We’ve posted replacement copies, of course.

Strangely, it seems to be a particular problem for members in Scotland.

So – did you get yours? If you didn’t, please use the Contact Us form to let us know, and we’ll pop a copy in the post for you.

And while I’ve got your attention, our autumn Mirror Pensioner will soon be in production and should be with members in October. If you’ve got any stories, news, views, compliments or complaints, please get in touch via the Contact Us page.  Thanks. Ed.

Alan joins the AMP Committee

FORMER Daily Mirror sub-editor Alan Livermore has joined the AMP Committee. You can read all about him using the drop-down menu: About the AMP>Committee.

Congrats to centurion Donald

FAMILY and friends rolled out the red carpet for former Daily Record and Sunday Mail man DONALD MCMASTER when he celebrated his 100th birthday on May 27 [2021].

Donald’s son Ken, a former Record and Mail news sub-editor, sent words and pix to commemorate his Dad’s big day. Donald is pictured here with a model of a Spitfire,  presented to him by his daughter Lynn.

Please go to Members’ Noticeboard for the full story.