(Contd.)
NEWSPAPERS
who was then on the editorial staff of the Daily Press, but was severing his connection with that paper and Mr. Tse Tsan Tai. As an outcome of these discussions the South China Morning Post was founded, considerable support having been obtained from among prominent local residents.
The prospectus was issued in February 1903, the first Directors being Messrs. C. Ewens (of the legal firm of Ewens and Harston), G.W.F. Playfair (Manager of the National Bank of China, Ltd.), and A. G. Ward, the last-named being proprietor of the Victoria Lithographic Press, which was absorbed by the Morning Post. Messrs. Ewens and Harston were the solicitors for the new company, Mr. Cunningham the General Manager, and Mr. Tse Tsan Tai the compradore. In March 1903 Mr. E.H. Sharp, K.C. became an additional Director. The first general meeting, attended by sixteen shareholders, was held in July 1903, and the paper commenced publication, as stated in the following November.
Seven months later, on June 7, 1904, Mr. J. Scott Harston joined the Board of Directors; Dr. J.W. Noble joined the Board of Directors on December 28, 1906 and not long afterwards Father L. Robert and Mr. R. G. Shewan became members of the directorate. It was these four gentlemen who were destined to be longest associated with the paper, and who had a great deal to do with the earliest progress of the newly-founded daily their connection extending over a period of twenty years and more. Mr. Harston, in fact, has now been a Director for over thirty years. The General Manager, Mr. B. Wylie joined the company in 1910, being originally the lithographic superintendent. A year later he was appointed works superintendent, becoming the General Manager (in succession to Dr. Noble) in 1916.
While Mr. Alfred Cunningham held the position of editor and general manager from 1903 to 1907, the paper was actually edited by Mr. Douglas Story from 1903 to 1904. Mr. G. T. Lloyd, who joined the paper in 1904 as a sub-editor, was appointed general manager and secretary to the Company in 1907, and that same year, on Mr. Cunningham's departure, assumed the editorship of the Morning Post. He was succeeded in 1916 by Mr. Thomas Petrie as editor, but for a year from 1910 to 1911, the editorial chair had been occupied by Mr. Douglas Hamilton.
Mr. Petrie who had joined the paper in 1906, and had been appointed assistant editor the following year, was editor from 1916 until 1934, when he retired, and was succeeded by Mr. Henry Ching, who had joined the staff in 1916.
The location of the paper's publishing offices was changed several times. From Connaught Road Central a move was made in 1907 to Des Voeux Road, to premises which stood on the site of the present Exchange Building. The next move was to Wyndham Street in 1913, to offices which were later demolished to make room for the Morning Post Building, which was completed in 1926.
In 1916 the South China Morning Post was amalgamated with the Hong Kong Telegraph, and the two papers have been published under one roof since the new building became ready for occupation.
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177
748
This concludes the summary of the history of Hong Kong's English newspapers. It is intended next to discuss some of the earlier magazines and purely literary journals, as well as the advent of the Chinese press.
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(Contd.)
NEWSPAPERS
who was then on the editorial staff of the DailyPress, but was severing his connection with that paper and Mr. Tse Tsan Tai. As an outcome of these discussions the South China Morning Post was founded, considerable support having been obtained from among prominent local residents.
The pors pectus was issued in February 1903, the first Directors being Messrs. C. Ewens (of the legal firm of wens and Harston). G.W.F. Playfair (Manager of the National Bank of China, Ltd.), and A. G. Ward, the last-named being proprietor of the Victoria Lithographic Press, which was absorbed by the Morning Post. Messrs. Ewens and Harston were the solicitors for the new company, Mr. Cunningham the General Manager, and Mr. Tse Tsan Tai the compradore. In March 1903 Mr. E.H. Sharp, K.C. became an additional Director. The first general meeting, attedned by sixteen shareholders, was held in July 1903, and the paper commenced publication, as stated in the following November.
Seven months later, on June7, 1904, Mr. J. Scott Harston joined the Board of Directors; Dr. J.W. Noble joined the Board of Directors on December 28, 1906 and not long afterwards Father L. Robert and Mr. R. G. Shewan became members of the directorate. It was these four gentlemen who were destined to be longest associated with the paper, and who had a great deal to do with the earliest progress of the newly-founded daily their connection extending over a period of twenty years and more. Mr. Hartson, in fact, has now been a Director for over. thirty years. The General Manager, Mr. B. Wylie joined the company in 1910, being originally the lithographic superint- endent. A year later he was appointed works auperintendent, becoming the General Manager (in succession to Dr. Nobke) in 1916.
While Mr. Alfred Cunning am held the position of editor and general manager from 1903 to 1907, the paper was actually edited by Mr. Douglas Story from 1903 to 1904. Mr. G. T. Lloyd, who joined the paper in 1904 as a sub-editor, was appointed general manager and secretary to the Company in 1907, and that same year, on Mr. Cunningham's departure, assumed the editorship of the Morning Post. He was succeeded in 1916 by Mr. Thomas Petrie as editor, but for a year from 1910 to 1911, the editorial chair had been occupied by Mr. Douglas Hamilton.
Mr. Petrie who had joined the paper in 1906, and had been appointed assistant editor the following year, was editor from 1916 until 1934, when he retired, and was succeeded by Mr. Henry Ching, who had joined the staff in 1916.
The location of the paper's publishing offices was changed several times. From Connaught Road Central a move was made in 1907 to Des Voeux Road, to premises which stood on the site of the present Exchange Building. The next move was to Wyndham Street in 1913, to offices which were later demolished to make room for the Morning Post Building, which was completed in 1926.
In 1916 the South China Morning Post was amalgamated with the Hong Kong Telegraph, and the two papers have been published under one foof since the new building became ready for occupation.
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177
748
This concludes the summary of the history of Hong Kong's English newspapers. It is intended next to discuss some of the earlier magazines and purely literary journals, as well as the advent of the Chinese press.
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