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Tributes for the photographer who shot the Queen |
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Monday, 13 October 2008 |
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"Gentleman of the press", Neville Willasey, has died peacefully in his sleep at Woulton’s Marie Curie Hospice. He was 84.
He joined the Post and Echo as a junior photographer after the war and retired as picture editor in 1989.
In 1961 he was taking pictures of the Queen and Prince Philip attending a Royal Gala at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.
"Even back then in 1961 we were using colour and needed big bulbs,” Neville recalled for the Daily Post in 2005. "It wasn’t electric flashes like nowadays."
"As I exposed the shot the thing exploded. It was a loud bang and the Royal couple looked very shaken. It got a lot of national press coverage."
According to legend, the crowd gasped and the Queen said: "Goodness, I have just been shot."
While that may have been the most famous moment of his career, he photographed the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Danny Kaye and The Beatles. He covered 27 Grand Nationals and more than 1000 football matches.
His influence remains at the Echo as their current picture editor, Richard Williams was employed by him in 1972. Something to add? Then leave a comment below or email us now.
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