W. G. Fish
Walter George Fish CBE (3 June 1874 – 21 December 1947), known as W. G. Fish, was an English newspaper editor. He and his wife established a much-visited Somerset garden.
Early life
Born in Accrington, Lancashire, Fish studied at Westminster City School before entering journalism.
Journalism and governance
Fish joined the Daily Mail in 1904, and was promoted to news editor in 1906. There he quickly gained notice by providing the first reports of the murderer Dr Crippen's arrest in Canada.
During World War I, he worked for the Board of Trade, organising publicity for coal mining. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1919 New Year Honours.[1]
Fish was promoted to the post of editor of the Mail in 1919. In 1922, he planned to sue the newspaper's owner, Lord Northcliffe, for libel, but was dissuaded and ultimately served until 1930. He spent his retirement as a director of the Mail, and during World War II he advised the Ministry of Information and the Press and Censorship Bureau.[2]
Gardening
In the late 1930s, Fish and his second wife Margery bought East Lambrook Manor in Somerset, initially as a response to the threat of a second world war. There they established an innovative cottage garden that is still much visited.[2]
References
- "No. 31114". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 January 1919. p. 449.
- "Fish, Margery", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
| Media offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Marlowe |
Editor of the Daily Mail 1922–1930 |
Succeeded by Oscar Pulvermacher |