James Armstrong (Briggs) Neville MBE (1936 - 2017)

Born 17 Oct 1936 in Willington Quay, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 6 Sep 2017 at age 80 in Whickham, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Wikidata: Item Q16104514, en:Wikipedia - North East UK news anchor Mike Neville

Mike was born as James Armstrong Briggs in 1936. He was the son of labourer James Armstrong Briggs and Mary S Savory. His birth was registered in the Oct-Nov-Dec quarter of 1936 in the Northumberland South district.^[1]

He briefly worked for the local Chamber of Commerce and as editorial assistant for a national newspaper before his national service in Cyprus, where he rose to the rank of Corporal with the Wiltshire Regiment. He then had a short stint as an insurance agent before joining the repertory company of Newcastle Playhouse in 1957, changing his name to Michael Neville.

In 1962 he married Pamela Edwards. They had a daughter.

Following some brief television acting roles, Mike joined local station Tyne Tees Television permanently in 1962 as a continuity announcer. By 1964 he was anchor of the nightly news programme, but was very quickly poached by BBC North to replace their own evening anchor, Frank Bough. He remained as anchor of Look North (news for the North East and Cumbria) for 32 years before returning to Tyne Tees in the 1990s and later retiring. He was occasionally seen by a national audience, as host of Come Dancing or as a fill-in for Bough on magazine programme Nationwide.

In 1980 he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting.

Mike died on 6 September 2017 and was buried in Whickham, Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England.^[2]

Find A Grave: Memorial #227895756

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration: "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008"
   citing Birth Registration, Northumberland South, Northumberland, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England
   FamilySearch Record: QVQ6-FH7B (accessed 29 August 2023)
   James A Briggs birth registered Oct-Nov-Dec 1936 in Northumberland South.
2. ↑ Burial: "Find A Grave Index"
   citing record ID 227895756, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com
   FamilySearch Record: 6ZR7-NXZT (accessed 29 August 2023)
   Michael Neville burial (died on 6 Sep 2017) in Whickham, Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England.

• Familysearch: James Armstrong Briggs