The ''Georgetown Herald'' was a weekly newspaper published in
Georgetown,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, from 1866 to 1992.
History
Isaac Hunter established the newspaper as the ''Halton Herald'' in 1866, with the financial backing of
William Barber, after dissolving his 18 month partnership with Robert Matheson (the two having worked on ''
The Canadian Champion and County of Halton Intelligencer'' in
Milton, Ontario
Milton (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census population 132,979) is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Regional Municipality of Halton, Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Between 2001 and 2011, Milton was the fastest growing m ...
). This was not an amicable split, with the ''Herald'' attacking the
Reform
Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...
politics of the ''Champion'' in its early days, until Barber stepped in. Isaac had launched the paper as one aligned with
Colonel George King Chisholm and the
Conservatives
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...
.
It would become the ''Georgetown Herald'' in 1877.
It was not the first newspaper founded in Georgetown and not without its own share of troubles. During the first three decades, the paper passed through a number of different owners, including Mr. Hunter until 1869, Joseph & Richard Craig, Nelson Burns (1871), and Thomas Starret (1874).
The paper’s acquisition in 1886 by Robert D. Warren saw it move to share a building with the Georgetown branch of the
Bank of Hamilton. Warren had been born near
Acton in 1863, and was an active member of the
Baptist
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
denomination. Before his career as a publisher he had been a schoolteacher. During his life he served as Warden of Halton County and Reeve for Georgetown. He also operated the Herald Steam Printing House, which opened in 1888. Warren bought out the ''Halton Conservator'', which had run from 1901 until 1906.
Joseph M. Moore, who had apprenticed under H.P. Moore of ''
The Acton Free Press'',
became foreman in 1891,
and became a joint owner with Warren in 1909.
In April 1918, the ''Herald'' building caught fire, which gutted the offices and destroyed its records and presses,
the press itself crashing through the top floor into the basement. Thanks to their connection to the ''Acton Free Press'' and editor Henry P. Moore they did not miss an issue.
Moore was later the sole owner, until his passing in 1939.
His estate sold the newspaper to Walter Biehn in March 1940. His wife Mary ran the business while Walter fought in the Second World War. Walter also found time to be a town councillor, Chairman of
Georgetown Board of Education, and
Lions Club
Lions Clubs International, is an international service organization, currently headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. , it had over 46,000 local clubs and more than 1.4 million members (including the youth wing Leo clubs, Leo) in more than 200 ge ...
member. He sold the ''Herald'' to the
Thomson Corporation
Thomson Corporation was one of the world's largest information companies. It was established in 1989 following a merger between International Thomson Organization and Thomson Newspapers. In 2008, it purchased Reuters Group to form Thomson Reut ...
in December 1958, and continued to be its publisher until 1973.
In November 1973, just before the formation of the new Town of
Halton Hills
Halton Hills is a town in the Regional Municipality of Halton, located in the northwestern end of the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada with a population of 62,951 (2021).
There are many natural features within these bounds; they include the ...
, the name was changed to ''The Herald''.
The paper closed in February 1992. After 125 years of serving the
Halton Hills
Halton Hills is a town in the Regional Municipality of Halton, located in the northwestern end of the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada with a population of 62,951 (2021).
There are many natural features within these bounds; they include the ...
communities, the Thomson chain cited “poor financial result and limited prospect for improvement” for closing it.
See also
*
List of newspapers in Canada
This list of newspapers in Canada is a list of newspapers printed and distributed in Canada. Daily newspapers
Local weeklies Alberta
* Bashaw – ''Bashaw Star''
* Bassano – ''Bassano Times''
* Beaumont – ''Beaumont News''
* Beaverlodg ...
Notes and references
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Georgetown Herald, The
Weekly newspapers published in Ontario
Newspapers established in 1866
1992 disestablishments in Ontario
Publications disestablished in 1992
Defunct newspapers published in Ontario
1866 establishments in Canada West
Defunct weekly newspapers