George McCullagh

George McCullagh (March 16 1905 - August 6 1952) was an influential Canadian newspaper owner between 1936-52. He is credited with creating the Globe and Mail newspaper (currently Canada's second highest circulating daily) by merging the Liberal-allied "Globe" and Conservative-allied "Mail and Empire" in 1936. He was also actively involved in Canadian politics and later owned the Toronto Telegram newspaper.

Early life

Clement George McCullagh was born to Anne Catherine, a domestic housewife, and George H. McCullagh, a local cabinet maker, in London, Ontario on March 16, 1905. As a youth, he delivered the "Globe" newspaper to local homes and built a reputation for sales within the newspaper's circulation department. [ Ken W. MacTaggart. "George McCullagh Dies" Globe and Mail. August 6 1952, p3. ] [Pierre Berton. "The Amazing Career of George McCullagh." Maclean's Magazine. January 15, 1949. p9. ]

He decided to drop out of school with only a Grade 9 education. The "Globe" rejected his request to be a junior reporter; instead employing him as a subscription agent in London at age 16. He quickly earned several promotions, moved to Toronto and finally shifted into the editorial department. He was the assistant financial editor with a specialization in northern mining development by age 22. [John T. Saywell. Just Call Me Mitch. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991. ]

Financial career

He decided to leave the "Globe" to become a floor man at the Toronto Stock Exchange for Milner, Ross and Co. and specialized in oil, mining and gold share sales. He later partnered with Richard Barrett to establish the firm Barrett, McCullagh and Co. By age 30, he was estimated to be worth more than a million dollars. [ Ken W. MacTaggart. "George McCullagh Dies" Globe and Mail. August 6 1952, p3. ]

"Globe and Mail"

McCullagh purchased the "Globe" for $1.3 million and "Mail and Empire" for $2.5 million in 1936. The first publication of the "Globe and Mail" was distributed in Toronto on November 23, 1936. McCullagh named himself the publisher. [David Hayes. Power and Influence. Toronto: Key Porters Books. 1992. p52]

Politics

McCullagh served as a principal adviser to Ontario Liberal party leader Mitch Hepburn's successful 1934 election bid. Two years later, Hepburn appointed McCullagh to the Board of Governors at the University of Toronto.

The Ontario Liberal Party, including Premier Hepburn, believed McCullagh's "Globe and Mail" newspaper would be a strong ally. The editorials and articles in the first editions were supportive of the provincial government.

Within a year, McCullagh became discontent with partisan government and pushed the Ontario Conservative and Liberal parties to form a union government. The politicians considered the option but refused. [John T. Saywell. Just Call Me Mitch. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991. ]

McCullagh launched a series of radio broadcasts in 1939 to promote his nonpartisan vision for Canadian politics. The series led to the creation of the Leadership League, an early concept lobby group for stronger and smaller government. The league achieved an estimated 101,900 ballots for membership; however the league was underfunded and unorganized. McCullagh folded it within a year. [Brian J. Young, "C. George McCullagh and the Leadership League." The Canadian Historical Review, September 1966. p201-226. [http://utpjournals.metapress.com/content/8857110l3377r12h/fulltext.pdf] ]

McCullagh later supported the Ontario Conservative Party and its leader George Drew. [George Fulford. "George McCullagh" Globe and Mail. April 15, 1998. [http://www.robertfulford.com/McCullagh.html] ]

Toronto Telegram

McCullagh bought the 72-year-old Toronto Telegram newspaper in 1946 at age 43. The purchase gave him control of two of the three big daily newspapers in Toronto with a daily circulation of 414,515. [Big Business. Time Magazine. December 6, 1948. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,853561,00.html] ]

Death

McCullagh died on August 6 1952 at the age of 48. The cause of death is debated - both a third heart attack [Mike Filey. Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Toronto: Dundurn Press. 1999.] and suicide [Richard James Doyle. Hurly-burly, a time at the Globe and Mail. Toronto: Macmillan of Canada. 1990.] have been cited.

References