20 JANUARY 1996, Page 18

Fifty years ago

Never was there a better example of the fallacy of judging professional capacity by calendar years than is provided by Mr. W.W. Hadley, the editor of the Sunday Times, who keeps his eightieth birthday on the day this issue of The Spectator appears. He has held his present office since 1932, and during a short illness a month or two ago some question did cross his mind as to whether he was good for another decade. But I imagine he no more entertains such a doubt now than any of his friends do or could, for he manifests not the smallest abatement of vigour, mental or physical. After all, Le Sage, of the Daily Telegraph, was in har- ness well after 86; and no doubt there are other precedents.

The Spectator 18 January 1946