November 21, 2007

Trevor York

Syndication doyen Trevor York died after a short illness on 26 October.

York was a director of Solo Syndication – the company responsible for the syndication of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and the Evening Standard. He had previously worked in the syndication department of Associated Newspapers, having started as a messenger boy at the age of 15. He became syndication manager for the now defunct London Evening News at the age of 26.

It was when Associated Newspapers outsourced its syndication programme in 1984 that he transferred to Solo, bringing with him other members of the Associated Newspapers staff.

Twelve months ago, while retaining his directorship of Solo in a consultancy capacity, he took semi-retirement to play more golf and to travel the world with his wife Linda.

They had married 37 years earlier, having met at the Daily Mail where Linda worked as secretary to the legendary journalist Noel Barber.

When Solo merged in 1998 with an American newspaper group, the Evening Post Publishing Company of South Carolina, York moved up from manager to director and he stayed on to work with the company’s newly appointed managing director, William Gardiner, who replaced the departing founder, Don Short.

York leaves a widow, three sons and four grandchildren. One of his sons, Nick York, has followed in his father’ footsteps, having enlisted with Solo’s sales team 14 years ago. He is now a key member of the operation.

Don Short said: ‘Trevor York was a truly brilliant operator and he knew the world markets for pictures and copy like the back of his hand. His contribution to Solo’s success through the years was pivotal.

‘He handled countless worldwide scoops and he was admired and respected by editors at home and abroad for the fair-handed way he dealt with negotiations. He will be remembered as one of Fleet Street’s top syndication experts.”