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''The Courier'' is a weekly newspaper published in
Mount Barker, South Australia Mount Barker is a city in South Australia. Located approximately 33 kilometres (21 miles) from the Adelaide city centre, it is home to 16,629 residents. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, the largest town in the Adelaide Hi ...
. For much of its existence its full title was ''The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser'', later shortened to ''The Mount Barker Courier''.


History

The newspaper 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. 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 the front page. The newspaper later absorbed another publication, printed by Lancelot Ramsay Thomson, the ''Mannum Mercury and Farmer's Journal'' (30 March 1912 - 2 March 1917). 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 newspaper's title was virtually unchanged, it had 10 pages, was published on Wednesdays and cover price was 4d. In 1960, the paper was abbreviated to ''The Mount Barker Courier'', and to simply ''The Courier'' by 1983.


Today

, the paper has never missed a print run and is still in the hands of the same family, the Marstons. Its circulation is around 7,500 (down from 15,000 in its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s). Norm Marston, son of the proprietor since 1952 and now over 91 years old, is very likely Australia's oldest active regional newspaper owner and editor. Four generations of the family have worked at the press.


Special features

A series of interest to lovers of local history, ''A Jewel Casket'' by "P.W" began in March 1947 and ran as a (mostly) weekly feature through to June 1950. The author's identity was never revealed beyond that of being a friend of the editor. The author made no secret of his support for
John Wrathall Bull John Wrathall Bull (23 June 1804 – 21 September 1886) was a settler, inventor and author in the early days of colonial South Australia.H. J. Finnis (1966)''Bull, John Wrathall (1804-1886)''/ref> History Early life and emigration Born in S ...
in the Bull v. Ridley header priority controversy. The
State Library of South Australia The State Library of South Australia, or SLSA, formerly known as the Public Library of South Australia, located on North Terrace, Adelaide, is the official library of the Australian state of South Australia. It is the largest public research l ...
has identified the author as Percy Whitington, who later wrote on local history for the ''
Murray Valley Standard ''The Murray Valley Standard'' is a bi-weekly newspaper published in Murray Bridge, South Australia, founded in late 1934 and published continuously since then. Its main office is on Adelaide Road, Murray Bridge. It was later sold to Rural Press, ...
''.


Notable editors

Charles Richard Wilton Charles Richard Wilton (25 May 1855 – 8 March 1927) was a journalist in the State of South Australia, a longtime literary editor of ''The Advertiser'' and authored, under the pen name of "Autolycus", a long-running weekly column in '' The Couri ...
(25 May 1855 – 8 March 1927), editor from 1881, left for Melbourne in 1889 to take up a position with the short-lived
Daily Telegraph Daily or The Daily may refer to: Journalism * Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks * ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times'' * ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...
. then the longtime literary editor of the Adelaide ''
Advertiser Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
''. 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 Broken Hill is an inland mining city in the far west of outback New South Wales, Australia. It is near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Highway (B79), in the Barrier Range. It is ...
. G.F. Harrison became associate editor of the Melbourne ''
Age Age or AGE may refer to: Time and its effects * Age, the amount of time someone or something has been alive or has existed ** East Asian age reckoning, an Asian system of marking age starting at 1 * Ageing or aging, the process of becoming older ...
''. I.J. Osterman was editor from 1996. Norm Marston is managing editor as of May 2020.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Courier, Mount Barker Newspapers published in South Australia Publications established in 1880 Weekly newspapers published in Australia