Ron Sly

I was saddened to hear of Ron Sly's death. I was alerted by Vicky Hartzman, who 'phoned me, recalling my telling her some time back that my late wife, Eileen, many moons ago had worked with Ron at Ron's father's Court Reporting Agency in London.

The agency, a small but very active business, operated out of a shop in Gray’s Inn Road, not far from the then Kemsley Building (later The Sunday Times). They covered all the courts in the area, serving all the nationals and a good number of locals and provincials. 

I met Eileen through her frequent calls to the Kemsley and Sunday Times newsrooms with copy for the Kemsley group. Ron's father was a Quaker and something of an eccentric. I can recall passing the time of day with Ron on occasions all those years ago (the early 1950s) when I went to meet Eileen after work. We met again, certainly to my surprise, on the desk at 85 Fleet Street when I returned to the fold after a number of Middle Eastern postings and other diversions. ■