Dedicated reporter who loved his patch

Mr Daulman spent 40 years with the Gazette and Herald before he retired in 1992.

The dedicated hack, who lived at Greenway Gardens, Chippenham, died of cancer of the pancreas on Saturday with his family at his bedside. He had only been diagnosed with cancer the day before.

He leaves his wife, Pauline, children Barbara and Bernal, and four grandchildren Kim, Nicholas, George and William.

They said he would be remembered as a placid, trustworthy man who never complained.

"He loved his job and he loved Chippenham," said Mrs Daulman.

Mr Daulman grew up in Swindon, and went to Clyde House School, before he joined Wiltshire Newspapers as a trainee journalist at the age of 16.

After two years National Service at RAF Hullavington, he returned to the Gazette, and was initially based at the Malmesbury office.

But it wasn't long before he moved to the Chippenham office, which was then on The Bridge.

He stayed with the paper through moves to the current Strakers office in Market Place and on to the present office a few doors down.

Mr Daulman was well known for his weekly feature, Chippenham Chat, which included gossip and comical titbits from around the town.

Mrs Daulman said: "He covered lots of royal visits, general elections and motor racing at Castle Combe.

"He would often cover a motor meet, go back to the office to write it on his typewriter and then put the copy on the train to Swindon. It was a miracle how they got a paper out each week."

His children recalled him taking them to see the filming of Dr Doolittle in Castle Combe around 40 years ago, and him covering an armed robbery at Sainsbury's in 1977.

"It was a quiet day in town because it was the football cup final," said his son Bernal."Sainsbury's was in Borough Parade. It was a major story."

Mrs Daulman said that when her husband retired in 1992, it took them almost a week to clear his office of old newspapers and cuttings.

She said he was always chatting to people on the streets in case there was a good story lurking.

"He really loved talking to people," said Mrs Daulman. "But he was quite a private man and you would never have guessed his job."

Mr and Mrs Daulman met when she was a receptionist for the rival Bath Chronicle newspaper.

"He was a devoted father and could not have done any more for us," said daughter Barbara Feltham.

In his spare time, he enjoyed caravanning in France and the New Forest, gardening, walking and photography.

Councillor June Wood, a former journalist, said she remembered him with great affection.

"I first met Bernal is 1989/1990 when I was mayor for the first time," she said. "His approach was courteous, patient and thorough, which he had learned back in the 1950s when he first joined the newspaper. I treasure cuttings of many great pieces he wrote about my mayoral year.

"He will be quite rightly long remembered as one who served local newspapers, and Chippenham, faithfully and well. We are not likely to see many like Bernal again."

Town councillor Sandie Webb said: "He was a true gentleman and the old, traditional type of newspaper man who knew everything and everyone. He was a lovely man."

District councillor Roy Jackson said: "We always got on very well together all the years that I was chairman of the council. Bernal was a very helpful, honest and straightforward man."

Gazette editor Gary Lawrence said: "One of the reasons the Gazette is so loved by its readers today is because of the dedication, love of their community and integrity of reporters like Bernal.

"For 40 years he was the face of the Gazette in Chippenham and the surrounding area. His reputation will live on and provide a benchmark for all of us to set our standards against.''

Mr Daulman's funeral is tomorrow at 11am at Semington Crematorium followed by a wake at Chippenham Constitutional Club, where Mr Daulman was a member. The family have asked for donations to be made to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.