TRIBUTE TO WINCHESTER – BASED PRESS SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN

In the 1970’s when the Royal Family decided it wanted an image makeover, they turned to Ron Allison who cut his journalistic teeth on the Winchester’s Hampshire Chronicle.

Mr Allison, who died at Winchester aged 90, was the Queen’s press secretary from 1973 to 1977 – the seventh to be appointed by the monarchy.

His first task was to organise the fairy-tale wedding of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips and his last before leaving the Palace was the Queen’s silver jubilee celebrations – during which she toured every one of her 16 realms deploying the innovation of walkabouts to greet the crowds.

Educated at Southampton’s Taunton Grammar School, Mr Allison began his journalistic career on the Hampshire Chronicle in the 1950s and spent 16 years with the BBC, including radio commentary for the 1966 World Cup Final. He is also covered the Munich Olympic Games.

Tributes, including from the Old Tauntonians, have been paid to the veteran journalist who maintained his 70-year association with the Hampshire Chronicle by continuing to write for them weekly until October 2021.