A PHOTOGRAPHER and his wife have passed away within three days of each other.

Michael John Morgan, better known as ‘Mick’, died on Tuesday, February 12, aged 79, after an illness.

His wife Barbara died, aged 64, at their home in Bicester three days later and arrangements are being made for a joint funeral next month.

Mick Morgan, who was born on November 8, 1933, worked as a freelance for the Oxford Mail and its sister weeklies The Oxford Times and the Bicester Advertiser.

He also took photographs for national newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, various magazines and firms in Bicester and elsewhere.

With a studio and darkroom at the back of his shop and home in Market Square he worked long hours to meet newspaper deadlines.

Mr Morgan was an enthusiastic motorcyclist, owning several vintage bikes, and he would often arrive at assignments on his latest favourite.

Born and bred in Bicester, he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the town and its residents, which was useful to new reporters in the town.

His father William Harris Morgan was also a photographer, who founded the business Michael J Morgan in 1922.

A Bicester Grammar School pupil, Mr Morgan carried out his National Service with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. He spent most of his time at the Army barracks at Arncott, which allowed him to visit home most days.

Mr Morgan began his professional photographic career in the publicity department of Morris Motors at Cowley, working with Jim Griffiths, who later became chief photographer for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times.

Eventually he joined his father and succeeded him in the business.

Mr Morgan carried on adding to his father’s archive of old photographs of Bicester and neighbouring villages and the volumes of photos were often loaned to schools wanting to learn about the town’s past.

The photographs were also a source of material for local history books, including The Changing Faces of Bicester series.

For many years Mr Morgan was a part-time, retained fireman with Oxfordshire Fire Service, based at Bicester fire station in Queen’s Avenue.

As the owner of old motorcycles he often took part in rallies and rides organised by Banbury Vintage Motorcycle Club. He also had a collection of ancient cameras.

In 1997 he and his second wife Barbara, his first wife Carmel having died some years previously, moved from Market Square to a new home in Meteor Close, Glory Farm, Bicester.

He and Mrs Morgan were photographed on a Sunbeam motorbike and at their feet was a strip of the last cobbled stones in Market Square. Mr Morgan had persuaded workmen not to cover them in tarmac when work was carried out on the pavement.

Mr Morgan is survived by five daughters from his first marriage, two stepsons, 15 grandchildren and five great-chandchildren.

  • The couple’s joint funeral is being held on Tuesday, March 5, at 11.30am in St Edburg’s Church, Bicester.