Victor Sidney Norton, journalist and first South African-born editor of the Cape Times, dies in Cape Town

Date: 4 May 1983
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Victor Sidney Norton, journalist and first South African-born editor of the Cape Times, dies in Cape Town

Victor Sidney Norton was born in Johannesburg to an English father and a Swedish mother. His father Sidney Peter Norton was a journalist and would influence his son’s future career path. Norton joined The Star Newspaper in 1927, but was soon transferred to the Bulawayo Chronicle in Rodesia (now Zimbabwe). In 1931, Norton and fellow reporter Bob Crisp headed for Cape Town with plans to venture into South America, but were deterred by a bout of foot and mouth disease. The two of them got jobs at The Cape Times instead. By 1944, Norton was Chief Subeditor of The Cape times, making him the first South African-born Chief Subeditor. He died in Johannesburg on 4 May 1983.

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01Sondedrling, N.E. (1999) New Dictionary of South African Biography. Volume 2. Pretoria: Vista University of Pretoria. Pp 169-170
02SAHO," Victor Sidney Norton",From:SAHO,[online] Available at: www.sahistory.org.za[Accessed on 2 May 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2013, May 3). Victor Sidney Norton, journalist and first South African-born editor of the Cape Times, dies in Cape Town. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095576

South African History Online (2013) 'Victor Sidney Norton, journalist and first South African-born editor of the Cape Times, dies in Cape Town', South African History Online, 3 May. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095576 (Accessed: 20 August 2026).

South African History Online, Victor Sidney Norton, journalist and first South African-born editor of the Cape Times, dies in Cape Town [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095576, (accessed 20 August 2026).

"Victor Sidney Norton, journalist and first South African-born editor of the Cape Times, dies in Cape Town." South African History Online, 3 May 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095576. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Victor Sidney Norton, journalist and first South African-born editor of the Cape Times, dies in Cape Town." South African History Online. May 3, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095576.