Tony Miles

Posted: April 18th, 2018

Former Daily Mirror editor and chairman of Mirror Group Newspapers TONY MILES died in Highgate Nursing Home this morning (April 14, 2018). He had been very unwell suffering from cancer but he died quietly and peacefully with his wife Anne by his side.  Tony would have been 88 in July.

Tony Miles grew up in High Wycombe. After attending the Royal Grammar School there, he worked on the Middlesex Advertiser, Nottingham Guardian and Evening Argus, before joining the Daily Mirror in 1954, as a feature writer.

In 1966, he was appointed as an assistant editor, then the following year associate editor, before becoming overall editor of the newspaper in 1971.

Affectionately known as “Milo”, he held the editorship for three years, following which he was appointed as editorial director of Mirror Group, and for a few years also serving as its chairman. He also sat on the Press Council and served as a director of Reuters.

In 1984, he stood down from his remaining British posts, unhappy with Robert Maxwell’s control of the Mirror, and moved to the United States where he became an executive publisher with the Globe Communications Corporation, publisher of the National Examiner, until the early 1990s when he and Anne returned to the UK.

There will be a combined Funeral and Memorial Service for Tony Miles at 2pm on May 1 at St Joseph’s Church, Highgate Hill, London N19 5NE, followed by a reception at Lauderdale House, which is nearby. The nearest tube is Archway, Northern Line, which is down the Hill. No flowers but donations to St. Joseph’s Restoration Fund in Tony’s memory.

Ray Weaver, former Mirror deputy picture editor: He was a lovely man and a great journalist.

Brian Bass, former Murror featues editor: He was my friend as well as a brilliant journalist, and a lovely man.

Fergus Shanahan, chair of the Fleet Street Codgers lunch club, writes:
Members of our club were very sad to hear of Tony’s death. He was a magnificent and much-loved Codger who had been one of the stalwarts of our gatherings from the day two decades ago that the Codgers were established by the Times/Sunday Times executive Brian MacArthur.

Tony was a kind, wise and quick-witted companion. He had been there and done it all at the very highest level, but remained a comrade in arms and a friend to all. We will miss his merry smile at our Garrick lunches, his loyal friendship, his brilliant mind and his warmth of heart.

The Codgers would like to pass on their love and sympathy to Anne and all Tony’s friends and family. May he rest in peace.