AN ex-Watford Observer photographer has died.

Mr Ralph Jones died in Hemel Hempstead Hospital on Saturday, aged 69.

Mr Jones was born in the Liverpool area but moved to Watford when he was 14. During the 1950's, he worked for The Watford Observer for nine years as a photographer.

After he left the newspaper, he worked on oil rigs for several years as a diver photographer, diving off rigs in the North Sea taking pictures.

His son, Gareth, said: "He loved working on the rigs. He was one of the first divers to take pictures of the Mary Rose when she was recovered."

Mr Jones then moved back to Flaunden and opened two shops, one in Hemel Hempstead and the other in Garston, both called Camera Craft.

A keen gardener and avid Watford FC fan, Mr Jones always remained passionate about taking photographs but eventually moved away from a professional involvement and became a pub landlord, running The Red Lion public house in Water End in Hemel Hempstead for 18 years until he retired 12 years ago.

He had a son and three daughters and five grand- children.

Gareth Jones said: "Alth- ough he could be quite reserved sometimes, he adored his grandchildren. He was a very good pub landlord. He had a very different way about him. A lot of pubs nowadays are chain pubs and are all the same but The Red Lion was a proper pub.

"Over the years, as landlord he held many fundraising events and, during that time, raised enough money to buy ten guide dogs.

"He sometimes could appear rude but could be quite charming in the same sentence.

"Someone once described him as a cross between Dirty Den and Basil Fawlty."

Mr Jones' funeral will be held at 11am on Wednesday at West Herts Crematorium in High Elms Lane, Garston. The family has requested no flowers but for donations to be made to the Leukaemia Research Fund.

June 13, 2002 17:00