Photographer dies aged 78
Mr Peter Milroy, the Advertiser’s chief photographer for more than 30 years, died in Red Rose Nursing Home, Farndon, on Friday aged 78.
A funeral service will be held at All Saints’ Church, Winthorpe, on January 6 at 1pm with a private cremation at Grantham later in the day.
Mr Milroy was born in Portsmouth in 1930 and spent his early years in Wadhurst, East Sussex, where he met his wife, Rita.
He started his career as a Press photographer for the Kent Messenger and Kent and Sussex Courier. He was originally employed as a messenger boy but spent so long in the photographic department he was taken on as a photographer.
He moved to Newark in 1962 to become the Advertiser’s chief photographer and lived on Winchilsea Avenue, Newark, before moving to Winthorpe in 1963 with his family.
Mr Milroy was production manager in the Advertiser’s print room for a short time in the 1970s but photography was always his main interest and he returned to his role as chief photographer.
His daughter, Mrs Joanne Vaughan, said her father had thoroughly enjoyed his job and photographed most members of the Royal family and many famous faces.
She said people often telephoned him at home to let him know if there was a notable figure in the area. One telephone call led to The Old England Hotel, Sutton-on-Trent, in 1964 where the Beatles had turned up for a meal.
He also photographed major news stories. A particular memory was the disaster at the Cromwell Lock in 1975 in which ten Royal Engineers died.
He was very involved in village life. He served on Winthorpe Primary School PTA, was the joint leader of the village youth club for a number of years and was a founder member and the first chairman of the Winthorpe Garden Club.
He was also the editor of Focal Point, the village magazine, for seven years and a member of Southwell Wine Club.
His youngest daughter, Claire, died in 1990 of leukaemia aged 23. His wife died in 2003.
He leaves his daughter, Mrs Joanne Vaughan, and son-in-law Mr Steve Vaughan, who live in Surrey, and a sister, Mrs Maureen Webber of Devon.
