Claude Eric Fergusson McKay
Encyclopedia
Claude McKay was an Australian journalist and publicist of Scottish descent born in Kilmore, Victoria
.
He worked on the Kilmore Advertiser as jack-of-all-trades then as a journalist in Seymour
, Melbourne
, Warrnambool
and Bendigo
before moving to Brisbane
in 1902, where he was deputy music and theatre critic for the Brisbane Courier then around 1905 moved to Sydney
writing theatre advertisements as well as freelancing for several minor newspapers.
He worked as a publicist for Wonderland Circus.
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
in 1919 with his friend Robert Clyde Packer
, 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
(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
its circulation revived briefly, before falling sales forced its closure in 1950.
He puffed cigarettes endlessly.
He was an excellent golfer (his son Tom was 1934 Australian amateur champion).
Kilmore, Victoria
Kilmore is a town in the Australian state of Victoria. Located north of Melbourne, it is contentiously claimed as Victoria's oldest inland settled town...
.
He worked on the Kilmore Advertiser as jack-of-all-trades then as a journalist in Seymour
Seymour, Victoria
Seymour is a township in the Shire of Mitchell in the state of Victoria, Australia and is located north of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Seymour had a population of 6,063...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Warrnambool
Warrnambool, Victoria
-Cityscape:The original City of Warrnambool was a 4x8 grid, with boundaries of Lava Street , Japan Street , Merri Street and Henna Street . In the nineteenth century, it was intended that Fairy Street – with its proximity to the Warrnambool Railway Station – would be the main street of...
and Bendigo
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
before moving to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1902, where he was deputy music and theatre critic for the Brisbane Courier then around 1905 moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
writing theatre advertisements as well as freelancing for several minor newspapers.
He worked as a publicist for Wonderland Circus.
McKay worked as secretary and publicist for J.C. Williamson from 1905 to 1919. He helped publicise the conscription campaign
Australian plebiscite, 1917
The 1917 Australian plebiscite was held on 20 December 1917. It contained one question.* Are you in favour of the proposal of the Commonwealth Government for reinforcing the Australian Imperial Force overseas?-The Plebiscite:...
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
Smith's Weekly was an Australian tabloid newspaper published from 1919 to 1950. An independent weekly published in Sydney, but read all over Australia, Smith’s Weekly was one of Australia’s most patriotic newspaper-style magazines....
in 1919 with his friend Robert Clyde Packer
Robert Clyde Packer
Robert Clyde Packer was the founder of Australia's Packer media dynasty, which used to own Publishing and Broadcasting Limited now owns Consolidated Press Holdings and Crown 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
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Although Smith welcomed McKay, the paper's new editor, Frank Marien, and director Frank Packer
Frank Packer
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer, KBE , was an Australian media proprietor who controlled Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network.-Biography:...
(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
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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 (1912)
- My Life Story (1927) ghostwrittenGhostwriterA ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
memoirs of Joynton Smith - This is the Life (1961) memoirs
Sources
- Wilde, W H The Oxford Companion to Australian Literature, Oxford University Press 2nd ed. 1994 ISBN 0-19-553381-X
- http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150273b.htm