Rosie Boycott - Journalism Career

Journalism Career

Daughter of Major Charles Boycott and Betty Boycott née Le Sueur, Rosel Boycott was born in St Helier, Jersey and was educated at the independent Cheltenham Ladies' College and read mathematics at the University of Kent. After working briefly for the radical magazine Friends in 1971, she co-founded the feminist magazine Spare Rib in 1971 with Marsha Rowe. Two years later she and Rowe became directors of Virago Press, a publishing concern committed to women's writing, with Carmen Callil, who had founded the company the previous year.

From 1992–96, she was editor of the men's magazine Esquire. Boycott was the first female editor of two national broadsheets, heading The Independent and its sister publication the Independent on Sunday (1996–98). While editing the Independent on Sunday in 1997, she campaigned for the decriminalisation of cannabis use by individuals, earning her the nickname "Rizla Rosie". She addressed the Decriminalise Cannabis rally in London's Trafalgar Square on 28 March 1998. Later, she edited the Daily Express (May 1998–January 2001), leaving soon after the newspaper was bought by Richard Desmond, who replaced her with Chris Williams. She is currently the Travel Editor for The Oldie magazine and hosts The Oldie Travel Awards each year.