Tributes paid after legendary Highland journalist Jim Lawson dies
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A former national newspaper staffman and one of Scotland's most experienced freelance journalists has died at the age of 79.
Jim Lawson, who was born and brought up in Glenurquhart but lived in Nairn in later years, had been ill for a number of years, but continued to work.
He beat throat cancer but the residual effects took its toll and he died in his sleep last Tuesday night.
Survived by wife Betty, a son, daughter and grandchildren, Jim had many exclusives in his six decades in newspapers, including breaking news of Madonna's wedding in Dornoch and the Queen's anti- independence comment in 2014.
He was honoured in 2017 by his colleagues by receiving a Lifetime Achievement at the Scottish Press Awards.
Jim worked for the People's Journal, People, News of the World before leaving journalism briefly for three years before setting up the Highlander freelance agency at his home in Nairn.
Friend and colleague David Love said: "It is an oft-used hackneyed word but Jim was a true legend in our profession.
"He was always smart, respectful, tenacious, chasing a story for days or weeks and was even offering stories to national newspapers up to the end.
"His contacts book could have been mistaken for a telephone directory such were the volume of numbers.
"Jim also upheld the best of newspapermen traditions and was once fined by a Sheriff for upholding one of the golden rules - never reveal your source by refusing to name who gave him a letter from a waitress sent to a married police officer guarding the Queen at Balmoral."
Nairn journalist Donald Wilson said: "Jim was old school. He was fearless and would go where many journalists wouldn't dare to tread and was held in the highest regard by newsdesks throughout the country. He also had an eye for a story which would raise a chuckle. One of his favourites was Charlie the Charolais bull scratching himself on a power pylon at Househill which played havoc with the electricity supply and cut off the entire village of Auldearn."
Brian Steel, former news editor of the Sunday Mail added: "Jim was a news editor's dream, bursting with ideas and fearless in his determination to run a story to earth. Serious or quirky, every job was met with the same enthusiasm and dedication.
"If you had a skeleton in your cupboard Jim was the last person you wanted to come calling but he had a persuasive doorstep manner for all occasions.
"A great loss to journalism and to his supportive wife, Betty."
