Claude McKay (19 July 1878 – 21 February 1972) was an Australian journalist and publicist of Scottish descent born in

Kilmore, Victoria Kilmore () is a town in the Australian state of Victoria. Located north of Melbourne, it is the oldest inland town in Victoria by the combination of age and physical occupation, and because it had unique agricultural attributes to drive that e ...

Journalism

He worked on the ''Kilmore Advertiser'' as jack-of-all-trades then as a journalist in Seymour,

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Warrnambool Warrnambool ( Maar: ''Peetoop'' or ''Wheringkernitch'' or ''Warrnambool'') is a city on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Warrnambool had a population of 35,743. Situated on the Princes Highway, Warrnambool (Al ...

and

Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...

before moving to

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

in 1902, where he was deputy music and theatre critic for the

Brisbane Courier ''The Courier-Mail'' is an Australian newspaper published in Brisbane. Owned by News Corp Australia, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner norther ...

then around 1905 moved to

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

writing theatre advertisements as well as freelancing for several minor newspapers. He worked as a publicist for Wonderland Circus.Blaikie, George ''Remember Smith's Weekly'' Angus & Robertson, London 1967 McKay worked as secretary and publicist for J.C. Williamson from 1905 to 1919. He helped publicise the conscription campaign for prime minister W.M. Hughes, who became a friend and supporter. In 1918 Williamsons released him to manage publicity for the Eighth War Loan, earning the admiration of Joynton Smith, then lord mayor of Sydney and chairman of the War Loan Committee. He later went on to write Smith's memoirs. He founded

Smith's Weekly ''Smith's Weekly'' was an Australian tabloid newspaper published from 1919 to 1950. It was an independent weekly published in Sydney, but read all over Australia. History The publication took its name from its founder and chief financer Sir ...

in 1919 with his friend

Robert Clyde Packer Robert Clyde Packer (24 July 187912 April 1934), known as R. C. Packer, was a journalist, media proprietor and founder of Australia's Australian Consolidated Press, Packer media dynasty, which would later own Publishing and Broadcasting Limited ...

, funded by Joynton Smith with the assistance of J. F. Archibald. A vigorous patriotic newspaper, unafraid to take sides and loaded with comment, minor features and cartoons, it was an immediate hit with the public. McKay and Packer, who had one-third shares each, became wealthy men. He served as editor of ''Smith's Weekly'' until 1927, when he sold his share to Smith and Packer after a dispute, possibly over journalistic ethics. He retired to England, determined to enjoy his wealth, but returned in 1930?? determined to help revive the paper's fortunes, which had been hit hard by the Depression. Although Smith welcomed McKay, the paper's new editor, Frank Marien, and director

Frank Packer Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer (3 December 19061 May 1974), was an Australian media proprietor who controlled Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network. He was a patriarch of the Packer family. Early life Frank Packer was born in K ...

(Clyde's son) were hostile to his reappearance and he was relegated to controlling its financial affairs from an upper floor of the building. Once those affairs were put in order he retired again. In 1939, at the age of 61 and with the paper's fortunes again at a low ebb, McKay and a band of investors took financial control, with McKay was once more appointed editor. With the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

its circulation revived briefly, before falling sales forced its closure in 1950.

Personal

In 1907 he married Dorothy Hope Sidney. He puffed cigarettes endlessly. He was an excellent golfer (his son Tom was 1934 Australian amateur champion).

Publications

*''Theatrical Caricatures'' with

Harry Julius Henry George "Harry" Julius (15 November 1885 – 29 June 1938) was an Australian commercial artist who had a long association with Sydney Ure Smith. History Julius was born in Sydney. While quite young he enlisted with volunteers and served in t ...

(1912) *''My Life Story'' (1927)

ghostwritten ''Ghostwritten'' is the first novel published by English author David Mitchell. Published in 1999, it won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and was widely acclaimed. The story takes place mainly around East Asia, but also moves through Russia, B ...

memoirs of Joynton Smith *''This is the Life'' (1961) memoirs

References

Sources

*Wilde, W H ''The Oxford Companion to Australian Literature'', Oxford University Press 2nd ed. 1994 *http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150273b.htm {{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Claude Eric Fergusson 1878 births 1972 deaths People educated at Brighton Grammar School Australian editors Australian journalists Australian public relations people