The Courier (Mount Barker)

History

The Courier was founded as The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser on 1 October 1880, price 3d. (3 pence) for 4 pages. Charles M. R. Dumas was sole proprietor, and its offices were on Gawler Street, Mount Barker. Publication continued every Friday morning. Dumas, who was for four years Member for Mount Barker, died on 19 February 1935, and his family kept it running until May 1938, when it was taken over by T. H. Monger, previously owner of the Tasmanian King Island News. In 1909 Dumas opened a printery in Murray Bridge, and started a newspaper there, the River Murray Advocate, but by the start of 1911 the Advocate existed only as a single page supplement in the Courier.

Monger's period of eight years, ending in March 1946, was short but eventful, encompassing World War II.

The next owners were E. L. Perry and H. Edmondson.

From 1952 the proprietors were F. T. Marston and E. L. Perry, and publisher was Norman E. K. Marston. In 1954, the last year which can be examined on-line using Trove, the newspaper's title was virtually unchanged, it had 10 pages, was published on Wednesdays and cover price was 4d.

In 1893 tentative moves were made to introduce an alternative title Mount Barker Courier and Southern Advertiser, but somehow the "less cumbrous title" never made it to Page One.

Editors

Charles Richard Wilton (25 May 1955 – 8 March 1927), editor from 1881, left for Melbourne in 1889 to take up a position with the short-lived Daily Telegraph. then the longtime literary editor of the Adelaide Advertiser. But he maintained his connection with The Courier, contributing for 36 years, as "Autolycus", a weekly column noted for its incisive wit.

James McCullum was editor for six months in 1889, leaving for a sub-editorship with the Silver Age in Broken Hill.

G. F. Harrison became associate editor of the Melbourne Age.