Noel Shaw will leave a giant hole in many people's hearts with his passing last Thursday. He has been remembered by many as a kind and cheeky soul, central to the running of The Examiner and to bringing recognition to the literary world in the North.
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Shaw was one of the newspaper's longest-serving staff members. He had a regular gardening column and was the book editor at one point for The Saturday Examiner.
He joined the paper as a sub-editor in 1955 and collected his first pay packet from a wooden window on the ground floor of the former home of The Examiner in Paterson Street. It contained 15 pounds.
Shaw's role was pivotal in putting together the newspaper. In the time of no computers, reporters would type their stories on small squares of copy paper.
He would draw up the first five news pages ready for the staff on night shift. He would also design the back feature pages so early stories could be allocated. He was the design layout and style guide king.
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Previous staff members at The Examiner shared their fondest memories of the man.
Mary Machen, a former journalist with the paper, said Shaw always wore a suit and polished shoes. He would never be seen in comfortable clothes.
He was known for his Thursday routine of buying fish and chips and a can of coke and he would keep Minties in his draw for whenever someone was having a hard day.
Machen said Shaw was a stickler for style. He used to teach the cadets exactly how their work should be styled, but though he was firm, it was in a way that showed he had a kind heart.
"He just made the work place a happy place," she said.
Another former The Examiner colleague Alison Andrews said Shaw was one of the best layout editors in the business.
"He taught several generations of young journalists how to be accurate, fair minded and independent thinkers," she said.
"He also had a wicked sense of humour and was highly articulate and well read."
Former The Examiner editor Rod Scott said Shaw was a mentor for so many young people during his time there.
"He was a treasure," he said.
Scott said the beloved man never lost his sense of humour and was always calm in a crisis.
A man who had his fair share of roles at the newspaper including chief of staff and general manager, Lloyd Whish-Wilson said Shaw was the man who made sure the best possible newspaper was presented every day with the editor.
"He cared deeply about getting it right," he said.
Whish-Wilson said Shaw would seek out books with his literary editor role and share the knowledge and history of Tasmania with the community.
The former chief of staff said he remembered the 150th anniversary celebrations for the paper and that Shaw was a central part of those celebrations by organising exhibitions and pages for presentation in the paper.
"Through it all he was a lovely fellow. He never lost his cool and he was really good with the young staff. He would give them lots of lectures and lots of bits of advice but it was always good."
Whish-Wilson said he and all others who worked at the paper had a deep respect for the man.
Emily Baker, a former journalist at the newspaper, originally found her way into the newsroom undertaking book reviews. She worked closely with Shaw during that time.
"He was just a really lovely man, kind and respectful."
"I'm very grateful for him opening up my career in journalism, and helping me build the confidence and the knowledge to pursue it."
Former associate editor for The Examiner, Julian Burgess, reiterated the sentiments that Shaw was always very well dressed, wearing a suit and tie, and had a pivotal job in getting the paper out.
"He was almost the centre of the operation in the newsroom, doing the layouts," he said.
Burgess also fondly remembered Shaw's wicked sense of humour.
"He was a good man," Burgess said.
Shaw was not just a crucial person at the newspaper but also in his work starting the National Book Council of Tasmania.
President of the council Dr Frank Madill said Shaw was made a life member a few years ago in recognition of his contribution.
Dr Madill said the literary lover and critic always highlighted, encouraged and helped local and amateur writers through his council and newspaper roles.
"He was a great encourager and a mentor of mine really. He reviewed all my books," Dr Madill said.
"He was instrumental in encouraging me to write and said very kind things of my writing."
"Noel Shaw made an enormous contribution to literature in this part of the world."
Former secretary for the National Book Council Tasmania Nella Pickup said Shaw was an incredibly private person but was genuinely interested in the people around him.
She said his work with the council was crucial as he was always trying to find people for events and continuously promoted the organisation and those whose work had literary merit.