Ian Handford: Reportage in Fleet Street to property in Paignton

Ronald Walter Sims was born in Cantonbury Street in Islington, East London, on October 7, 1927 and though little is known of his earliest years we do know that like many London youngsters he was evacuated to Northamptonshire where while at school he met his future wife Lenor Straub.  

Later Ron (as known) would often return to his old town when residing in the West. 

Being an early scholar of spoken and written English, shorthand became a real bonus when reporting at the ‘woolsack’ in the House of Lords. 

In fact, Ron was one of the fastest shorthand writers ever, of huge help when being a casual sports reporter for Fleet Street. 

Loving all sport, he would sprint after a game to find the nearest red telephone box to file his report before other reporters.

It was the era when Fleet Street casuals were paid by little brown envelopes and Ron later, like me, forever preferred cash payment.

Sports reporting to newspapers was supplemented by more formal earnings from the House of Lords when at the "woolsack," Ron made notes for a maximum of 10 to15 minutes of their Lordship's comments, before his notes formed the official Hansard record. 

It was pressure work which in my view suited Ron as he was always fit, quick and smart. Chasing a Lord down corridors to achieve corrections was par for the course. 

Having married Lenor and produced two boys, in the late 1960's they moved from London to Brean Sands Holiday Park in Somerset. 

Here they ran the food side jointly with Ron’s family (brother I believe). Ron opted to be cook and later related hilarious stories of the pressure of cooking in a tiny kitchen producing dozens of mixed meals daily.  

The family then moved to Orchard Park Camp in Paignton at which time Ron's entrepreneurial skills emerged. 

Now self-employed this led him to the Torbay Branch of the National Federation of Small Businesses NFSE (later the FSB). 

Now his wordsmith skills became invaluable to Branch and Regional Committees of Devon and in 1991 the region even launched its own magazine creating a new career, when Devon Voice monthly magazine was sent to thousands of Devon members. 

The publication was then adopted by the National FSB Office who employed him in 1993. 

Now, he not only edited and produced thirty three regional magazines every other month (national membership then upwards of 90,000). He did this for another 11 years. 

Being a paid post, again it was a pressure job for Ron who had to cope with hundreds of volunteers around the country to achieve local news updates. 

How he coped remains a mystery yet our friendship grew close as being a National Policy man at the FSB, I ensured a live Policy topic featured on the front page of all National Voices. 

As also a developer, Ron involved me in three conversion properties. Being visionary and persuasive, he ensured Voice was successful, and meanwhile we became inseparable, travelling thousands of miles attending meetings, functions, exhibitions, and trade conferences. 

Ron leased one of my offices at St Marychurch before later having his own office at Morgan Avenue in Torquay. Sadly it was to be there that one afternoon while sleeping at his desk he quietly slipped from us - having informed his staff to NOT disturb him behind his locked door on February 18, 2004.  

Ron's extraordinary talents included ballroom dancing and being an excellent Chairman and Public Speaker and of course an amazing writer. 

In spite of the immense pressure to produce Voices over the years he also left us converted homes in villas and at house terraces plus new homes on Elmsleigh Road and Southfield Avenue in Paignton which I believe were his final projects. He was survived by Lenor and their two boys and my final comment is - it was a privilege to have known him.