Editors of the Journal

IN its 133-year history, the Lowestoft Journal has had just seven editors - a tribute to their staying power and the standing of the role in the local community.

The first was Arthur Stebbings, a local printer, who published The Journal from his office in High Street from 1873 - and was all things to the paper - editor, publisher, printer, manager and reporter. At the time, Lowestoft was a fishing village of just 2332 inhabitants.

When he finally retired in 1910 after 37 years, Mr A E Murton took over, having moved to Lowestoft eight years earlier. He also served for more than 30 years, taking in the post till his sudden death in 1941.

He was succeeded by Arthur Strangeward, who had been chief reporter for 22 years. He saw The Journal through the difficult years of the second world war, but ill-health forced him to retired in 1948 after seven years.

Cecil Arger took over from him, and went on to be another long serving editor, seeing it from its 75th anniversary in 1948 to its centenary in 1973 and beyond.
Eventually, in 1978, he passed the mantle on to George Smallman, who served for seven years and saw it through its change to tabloid format in April, 1981.

Barry Hartley succeeded him in 1985, and saw it take on a number of campaigns on behalf of the town, notably raising £450,000 for a new lifeboat for the port in less than two years - a campaign co-ordinated by the late Trevor Westgate.

When Mr Hartley retired in March, 2002, the present editor, Russell Cook, took over, and has led the evolvement of The Journal since then to meet the new needs of the readership, with more competitions, more campaigning, and full colour on every page. Today is serves a circulation area of 80,000 people.