The Blackburn Family
The ongoing history of the Blackburn Family began when
Josiah Blackburn, born in London, England on March 6, 1823 emigrated to
Canada.
He began his newspaper career at the Paris Star.
In 1852, he purchased the Canadian Free Press, which after three
years changed from a weekly to a daily publication and changed the name to
the London Free Press and Daily Western Advertiser.
Josiah also aided in the establishment of the Toronto
Mail. During some time in
Washington, DC in 1884 Josiah participated in a Canadian Government
Commission studying public printing methods, which resulted in the
establishment of the Federal Department of Public Printing.
Josiah died on November 11, 1890 and was succeeded by
his son, Walter Jaxon Blackburn. Walter
served in the Canadian militia in 1885 as a member of the 7th Regiment in
the Northwest Rebellion campaign. He
was president of the Tecumseh Baseball Association, held a life membership
in the Ontario Hockey League, and was honourary president of the Western
Ontario Colt’s League. He
served on the first Board of Directors of the Canadian Press Ltd., an
organization that was greatly responsible for bringing the quality of
Canadian newspapers up to world standards.
After Walter’s death in 1920 his brother Arthur was elected
president and managing director of the London Free Press.
Arthur was fascinated by photography and radio. He was
one of London’s first residents to own a wireless radio set. His
fascination with radio, lead the London Free Press into broadcasting. Arthur’s sister, Victoria Grace served as literary and
dramatic critic of the Free Press. Victoria
eventually retired to pursue her secondary interest poetry and literature
and died in 1928. Arthur
remained devoted to the paper until his death in 1935.
Arthur’s son Walter Jaxon Blackburn II joined the
Free Press while still a student at the University of Western Ontario.
He became publisher and chairman of the board.
Walter II established CFPL-TV in 1953.
He was also a member of the governing bodies of Huron College and the
University. Walter II shared his father’s love of science and devoted
much of his energy to the establishment of first-rate medical, research, and
health care facilities. He was
also chairman of the Planning and Building Committee, which oversaw the
construction of University Hospital, which opened in September 1972.
With Walter II ‘s death on December 16th, 1984 the
presidency passed to his son-in-law although another report in the same
source reports that his daughter Martha succeeded as president of the Free
Press.
Other divisions of the corporation are CFPL
Broadcasting Ltd., CKNX Broadcasting of Wingham; Netmar Inc.; the Shopper
and distribution business operating in 17 Canadian cities and Compusearch
Market and Social Research Ltd. of Toronto.
On Saturday, May 17, 1997 the Blackburn Group, after
144 years, four months and 17 days and -almost 45,00 issues - was sold to
Sun Media Corp.
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Sources:
London’s Old Boys’ Revue July 30-Aug. 6, 1938
London Free Press
The London and Middlesex Historical Society
