James George Owen
Sir James George Owen (c1870-1939) of the Western Times Co
1914-19 Mayor of Exeter
1939 Obituary. Lived at Birks Grange, Exeter.[1]
1939 Obituary.[2]
The death occurred on Saturday at his home Birks Grange Exeter of Sir James George Owen a prominent figure in public life of city and Devon and all his life closely connected with Devon newspapers.
Sir James was editor and managing director of the Western Times Co Ltd until he was taken ill was actively concerned in the production of the newspapers. He was Justice of the Peace for Exeter and the county of Devon and was Mayor Exeter during the whole the war to 1919.
He joined the Western Morning News in 1889 became joint proprietor of the Bideford Gazette in 1894 and editor manging director the Daily Western Times. When he was editor of this in 1901 he purchased the daily and weekly and although the daily dropped in 1921, the weekly has continued under the nominal editorship of Sir James. He had just completed 38 years editor the paper.
In 1904 he founded and was editor of the Exeter Echo and Star which a months later he amalgamated with the Devon Evening Express under the title of Express and Echo and he had been editor of that paper ever since. Sir James took a deep interest the welfare of Exeter and Devon generally and was active in forms of public work. Only recently he was made Chairman of the Governors of Heles School. He was extremely interested in education. During his long public career other offices he held included the governorship of the Royal Albert Memorial College and Library, the chairmanship of the Exeter Chamber of Commerce and Exeter Chamber of Trade. He was High Sheriff of Exeter in 1910/11.
In the world of newspaper production and advertising he had been President of the United Billposters’ Association, President of Newspaper Society, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Press Association and Deputy Chairman of Reuters Ltd President of the British Poster Advertising Association and Managing Director of the North Devon Billposting Co Ltd. The City of Exeter conferred the freedom of the city upon both Sir James and Lady Owen Lady Owen who survives her husband was the first distinguished roll. Lady Owen is an Exeter magistrate. Their only child a daughter is Mrs M. Kirk Gatey; her husband who published the Devon and Exeter Gazette died last year.