The Royston Crow
The Royston Crow
THE Crow takes pride in being the community newspaper of Royston and the surrounding area.
As editor Les Baker says: "We do not just report on the community, but we are part of the community. We have always been involved in our community."
The Crow in now more than 150-years-old - but it has remained true to the spirit of John Warren, the man who originally started The Crow in 1855.
He wanted to create a local newspaper and in spite of the every changing world of newspapers The Crow is still seen as "the people's local".
"I believe wholeheartedly in local journalism and local newspapers, and despite all the changes that we have gone through there is still a place for a local newspaper such as The Crow," said Les.
A recent independent survey showed The Crow is the leading local newspaper.
"In this day and age The Crow is still evolving and will continue to do so as its meets the demands of new technology and people's thirst for news," he said
The Crow has its own website site at www.roystoncrow.co.uk which is updated with local news each day and carried a range of photo galleries from events around the area.
"The paper and the website work together - and that's how it should be," said Les. "We have to embrace a new way of covering our area, but it doesn't mean a lowering of our journalistic standards.
"We will always strive to remain a paper of integrity and one in which our readers can trust," he added.
The Crow Editor
Les Baker began his career in journalism more than 40 year ago when he joined the staff of a weekly local newspaper in North London.
His career has seen him work as a crime reporter, local government reporter and a sports writer, as well as being a sub-editor.
He has worked, too, on two evening newspapers and for a news reporting agency in London when much of his reporting appeared in the national press.
He became editor of The Crow in January 2000.
Crow History Milestones
January 1 1855: First edition of the Royston Crow published as a monthly newspaper.
September 1876: The Crow became a weekly newspaper and announced that it would now cost ONE PENNY after previously being a free newspaper.
1878: The title Herts & Cambs Reporter was added to The Crow masthead to show the extended area the newspaper was covering.
1884: John Warren, the man who had first published The Crow, died and his son, Robert Warren, took over as co-editor along with Alfred Kingston, the author of The History of Royston.
1903: Ebenezer Henderson became chief report and remained with The Crow for the next 35 years.
1909: Frank Willmott joined The Crow as a compositor in the print works and in 1949 became editor until his retirement in October 1967.
1926: During the General Strike, The Crow produced a number of special editions. Items for the strike special editions came from "wireless reports and other sources".
1930: Joseph Cooke purchased The Crow and remain chairman of the company - Warren Brothers and Cooke - until his death in August, 1972.
1967: Frank Willmott retired as editor after 58 years with The Crow. Fred Sillence, who had spent the previous two years as co-editor, took over as editor and remained at The Crow until his retirement in October, 1981.
1969: The Crow moved to new premises in King Street, Royston.
1972: Joseph Cooke died.
1974: Warren Brothers and Cooke set up a new company, the Herts & Cambs Reporter and Royston Crow with Joseph Cooke's son, Michael Cooke as managing director and his wife, Dorothy, as a director.
January 1978: Bill Beets acquired controlling interest in The Crow. The Crow expanded by going into the typesetting business.
January 1979: Terry Grote became assistant editor of The Crow.
Jan 1980: The Crow celebrated its 125th anniversary.
October 1981: Fred Sillence retired as editor and was succeeded by Terry Grote.
1986: Terry Grote became managing director of the Capital Newspaper group and was succeeded as editor by Robin Davidson-Lungley, who remained with The Crow until April 1989.
May 1989: At the age of 25 Elaine Bishop became group editor. She was the first woman to be editor of The Crow and the youngest. She remained until March 1991.
1990: The Crow - which was then part of Mid-Anglia Newspapers and included the Saffron Walden Reporter and the Dunmow Broadcast - was purchased by the East Anglian Daily Times.
November 1993: Mike Almond became managing editor of Mid-Anglia newspapers.
1995: The Crow and other titles of Mid-Anglia Newspapers became part of Eastern Counties Newspapers which subsequently became the present Archant group.
January 1 2000: Les Baker appointed editor of The Crow after being chief sub-editor for the Archant Anglia (West) group of newspapers.
