CHARLES STENTIFORD - 1892-1917

The first editor, Charles Stentiford, was also the company manager. It was he who nurtured the infant four-page title first printed in Baneswell to bigger premises on High Street, bigger presses which could print a bigger paper. When the Argus celebrated its 50th birthday, his widow sent the paper a letter of congratulations from her home in Cornwall.

MORE ON THE 130TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARGUS:

• South Wales Argus 130th anniversary: We want to base our newsroom in your community for a day
• 130 years of news in Newport: The South Wales Argus through the years
• 'A watchful guardian': Key figures on the Argus' role in the community
• In pictures: The Argus at work through the years 
• Argus 130th anniversary: More messages of support

WJ TOWNSEND COLLINS - 1917-1939

He was succeeded by W J Townsend Collins, one of the original staff, who gained renown for his sports writing under the name ‘Dromio’.

He was highly thought of in Newport and a plaque was erected to his memory in the public library.

He had been recruited as a special article writer only a week before the launch of the Argus, and moved through the ranks via chief reporter and assistant editor.

He belonged to the ‘old school’ of journalists and complete with a bow tie and monocle he was said to be a romantic figure.

GEORGE HOARE - 1939-1951

Editor number three was George Hoare. He joined the Argus straight from school and was later awarded the OBE. He presented an organ casing to St John’s Church, in Risca Road in Newport, in memory of his schoolboy son who died suddenly.

KENNETH LOVELAND - 1951-1970

Following Mr Hoare’s death in 1951, the fourth Argus editor took the chair.

Kenneth Loveland began his journalistic career in his native Kent.

He was editor of the Herefordshire Pictorial at Letchworth before he moved to Wales. A broadcaster, music critic and travel writer, he was president of the Guild of British Newspaper Editors.

He was also a chairman of the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

A renowned critic and music writer, Kenneth Loveland’s life has been celebrated through an international award which supports up-and-coming young musicians and singers.

The Kenneth Loveland Gift, now worth £2,000, was founded in 2000, two years after his death, with the first competition held in 2002.

KEN GRIFFIN - 1970-1987

His successor Ken Griffin was born and educated in Cardiff and spent his early newspaper years in the Welsh Valleys before joining the Argus as reporter to start an association spanning 30 years.

He left the paper to work in industrial public relations but rejoined the Argus after three years away.

After becoming editor and a director, Mr Griffin was involved in the restyling of the paper, the introduction of photocomposition and polymer plate printing which, in the late 70s replaced the old hot metal system of producing newspapers.

He has been president of the South Wales region of the Guild of British Newspaper Editors and for several years was a member of the Guild’s national Parliamentary and Legal Committee.

STEVE HOSELITZ - 1987-1994

Ken Griffin was replaced by Steve Hoselitz, who became editor in 1987. He had joined the paper in 1977 as assistant editor, from the West Lancashire Evening Gazette in Blackpool where he was chief sub-editor for five years.

Before that he had worked in India and had been employed by agencies in Fleet Street.

A Yorkshireman by birth, he was brought up in suburban London. He was central to a number of major developments including a redesign and the introduction of a direct input computer system.

He was made editor on the paper’s 95th birthday in 1987 and a director of the company in 1988.

In 1990 he was elected president of the South Wales region of the Guild of British Newspaper Editors.

GERRY KEIGHLEY - 1994-2012

Steve Hoselitz stepped down in 1994 to be replaced by Gerry Keighley.

During his time as editor, the Argus won a number of awards, including Welsh Daily Newspaper of the Year and the Newspaper Society Campaigning Newspaper of the Year.

It was also the fastest growing daily newspaper in Britain for three successive years.

Among the campaigns fought during his time was our successful Justice for Miners campaign to speed up compensation to ailing pitmen which helped release £2 billion to victims and their families, along with the campaign to keep jobs at Newport’s Passport Office and the successful Sparkle Appeal for the £10 million treatment centre for disabled children at High Cross.

The Argus also campaigned strongly for Newport’s city status under his leadership, something awarded in 2002.

He was also a governor at the University of Wales, Newport, and a director of the South Wales Chamber of Commerce and the Centre for Business.

He was editor for 18 years.

KEVIN WARD - 2012-2016

Gerry’s successor was his former deputy editor, Kevin Ward, who was then publisher for Newsquest’s East Wales and Gloucestershire region.

He took up his post on March 1, 2012.

Mr Ward joined the Argus in 1989 as a sub-editor and held a number of roles at parent company Newsquest.

He was the deputy editor of the Argus for seven years, before becoming publisher of Newsquest’s weekly newspapers in South Wales in 2005.

From 2007 to 2011 he was editor of the daily Worcester News.

Under Mr Ward’s editorship, the Argus achieved its highest over all (print and digital) audience for more than a decade and was the best-performing daily newspaper in Wales in terms of print sales during the first six months of 2016.

NICOLE GARNON - 2016-2020

Nicole Garnon joined the Argus in 1987 as a trainee reporter, where she started her long career with the South Wales Argus covering the Blaenau Gwent patch.

After a very short stint at the Western Mail, she rejoined the Argus to work as health reporter, a post she held for many years.

She then took on the role of news editor before becoming assistant editor.

She has worked with the three of the most recent editors, having been originally employed by Steve Hoselitz, served as deputy editor alongside Gerry Keighley and Kevin Ward.

She was the first woman to take the helm of the good ship Argus.

• The current editor is Gavin Thompson, who took over the helm in 2020.