Lensman's adieu after 44 years

FOND farewell . . . Vincent (centre, right) with colleagues on his last day at the Chronicle

LONG-SERVING Chronicle photographer Vincent Brown closed the lens cap on a fascinating career this week as he retired from the paper after almost 44 years.

Before starting work at the Chronicle in January, 1973, Vincent was a medical photographer at Oldham and District General Hospital.

He worked alongside Dr Patrick Steptoe and Professor Robert Edwards, who put Oldham in the world spotlight with the world's first test-tube baby. He took a photograph of the first egg that had been fertilised outside of the human body.

His first job at the Chronicle was to take a picture at Woodhouses Farm where there had been an outbreak of pig flu ­- and he's been snouting around for winning shots ever since in a career that's spanned five decades and half a million photographs and seen him rub shoulders with the great and the good.

Vincent was named regional photographer of the year at the print awards in 1974. Last year, Vincent, who saw out his career at the Chronicle as picture editor, showcased his work in an exhibition at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.