A RETIRED Press photographer who snapped an array of people and scenes across West Fife for over 30 years has died at the age of 78.
Those captured on camera by Ted (Eddie) Milton include the Queen, Prince Charles, Princess Diana and the Delai Lama as well as countless Christmas babies, schoolchildren, business people and community representatives.
Much-loved Ted joined the Dunfermline Press back in 1968. He was appointed to the post of chief photographer in the late 1980s and was recognised for 30 years of service with the paper in 1999 before taking retirement around five years later.
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Born in Colinton Village in Edinburgh, Ted was one of nine children and the the family moved to Fife when his dad took up a post as a shipwright at Rosyth Dockyard.
At the age of 16, Ted started an apprenticeship as a photographer at Norvals in Kirkcaldy then he went to work for Morris Allan in Dunfermline before moving to the Dunfermline Press where he stayed until he retired.
A loving dad to John and Mark, stepdad to Claire and Laura and a much-loved grandad and great-grandad, Ted was rarely far away from a camera even when not at work.
Mark recalled: "We were photographed our whole lives. He got everything. First everything. He had photos of all the things we got up to.
"He must have taken thousands and thousands of photographs over the years. It was not just a career, it was a definite passion.
"We have got a photo of him at the top of the Forth Road Bridge, he photographed the Queen, Diana, Prince Charles, the Delai Lama."
Away from taking photos, Ted had many interests which ranged from antiques to golf and animals.
"He was into everything," said eldest son John. "Model aircrafts, he got us into them, anything we got, our Atari, snooker table, he would be playing on it.
"He would rescue animals and also kept chickens and ducks. Part of the garden was a hen pen. He would whistle them in at night and they would come in."
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Sharing a love of antiques with his late partner Ave, the couple would enjoy visiting antiques shops, collecting old cameras as well as furniture which Ted was a dab hand at restoring.
After retirement, he helped with a family dog walking business and still did some freelance photography work – including taking photos for the Press – until recent years when his health began to struggle.
Mark added: "He had a very big character. Everybody seemed to gravitate towards him. He would be walking the dog and people would be stopping to talk to him.
"He was well liked and well respected. He loved banter and the craic."
Paying tribute, Bill Livingstone, retired editorial director of the Dunfermline Press Group, said: "Ted developed his photographic skills with award-winning photographer Morris Allan and, during his long professional career, he became a familiar face behind the camera lens at many epoch-making events in Dunfermline and West Fife.
"His back catalogue of work in many Press publications and calendars will form a lasting legacy of images illustrating local life and times during the recent chapters in Dunfermline’s story.”
Mike Gilbert, who worked alongside Ted at the Press for 24 years, added: "I always remember him as easy going and an understanding boss of our department. He always managed to keep me on the right track over the years.
"I know his family meant everything to him and will miss him very much."
A funeral service for Ted will take place at Dunfermline Crematorium on Friday, March 1 at 10.45am.
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