Newsman makes the news

The collection of a veteran newspaper man comes to auction, as do a Constable sketch and a newly attributed Palma Vecchio

- Huon Mallalieu

MY first paid journalism (other than a short book review for a children's page in the Evening Standard in 1960, for $1.10s) was a piece in the Surrey Advertiser that brought me 2gns in 1966. This gives me a near familial interest in the silver sale held by Ewbank's of Woking back in December last year. By far the largest component of 600-plus lots was the collection of Sir Ray Tindle, who died in 2022 aged 95.

Collecting was not only his hobby, but his career. After war service in the Far East with the Devonshire Regiment, Tindle eventually spent $250 of his £300 demob money on acquiring the Tooting & Balham Gazette and, by the time he finally retired as president of Tindle Newspapers at the age of 90, he had built up a network of local papers that covered the southern counties of England and extended to Wales, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. As he said: 'If I could have my way, I'd have a new newspaper for every street.' He gave his editors considerable freedom, but, ultimately, he was the boss. As sole shareholder, he could see 'nothing wrong with the principle of one man, one vote'.