Glanvill Benn dies at 94

Glanvill Benn, former Master of the Stationers' Company and chairman of Benn Brothers for more than 30 years, has died aged 94. In recent years he had been plagued with ill health and poor sight, but before then had retained an active interest in the print and publishing industry through the Stationers' Company and the Commonwealth Press Union.He became chairman of the family company in 1965 and was in charge when Printing World joined Benn Brothers in 1966 with the acquisition of Stonhill & Gillis. Glanvill Benn remained a keen reader of the magazine until his failing eyesight forced him reluctantly to give up. He also remained passionate about Cabinet Maker, the magazine on which the family publishing business had been founded.His stepped down as chairman at the end of 1975, becoming life president and was then elected Master of the Stationers' Company serving in 1977-78.Benn Brothers was the first trade magazine group to join the Audit Bureau of Circulations under his stewardship and he also drove through improvements in editorial quality. Like many a press baron, he felt a strong affinity with journalists and enjoyed the associated intrigue and bonhomie.When in the mid-1980s the sale of Benn Brothers to a larger group became inevitable, he was instrumental in information service company Extel (where he had been director between 1960-72 and chairman from 1969- 72), buying the company rather than United Newspapers, under its chairman David Stevens. At Extel, the publishing company became a sister operation to the Burrups print group, later sold to St Ives.It was not enough however to prevent the magazines falling into Mr Stevens' hands, as after Extel failed to win the contract to supply televised racecourse information to betting shops, United Newspapers returned to buy the whole of Extel.Glanvill Benn was also instrumental in the push to publish yearbooks, which have grown to become the Miller Freeman Information Services division, including Benn's Media Directory.He had joined the family book publisher Ernest Benn in 1927 to run the production side and became managing director when Victor Gollancz left to start his own business. Glanvill Benn left the book business, though he retained his interest in it, in 1933 to become editor of The Newspaper World, sparking the interest in journalists and publishing which he retained until his death.He was also chairman of the Independent Television Authority from 1956- 64 and president of the Periodical Publishers' Association, 1976-78. He leaves a wife, Catherine, to whom he was married for more than 50 years, daughter Elizabeth and son James.