SA Newspapers : Journalists : V-W

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NOTE: THIS LIST IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. If you would like to submit details of a South Australian journalist, please email us.

V

Vanstone, Michael. Deputy editor of Adelaide Review 1986.

Vaughan, Crawford (1874-1947). Quiz pre 1905 (ed), entered Parliament 1905. Son of a lithographer. (Quiz, 23 April 1909, p. 7)

Veall, GW. Lameroo Mail.

Veitch, John. Journalist at the News in the 1950s.

Villani, Celeste. Journalist with Messenger Press since 2013.

Vlach, Anna. Fashion editor at the Advertiser 2014.

Von Einem, Johnny. Journalist at City Mag 2015.

W

Waldrene, Marcus (died 1915). Sports reporter. First worked in NSW. Began work in Adelaide at the Australian Sporting News about 1895, then at the rival Sporting Times, then the Standard, and finally Sporting Life. Wrote as 'Tiresias', 'Lancer' and 'Coroebus'. (Mail, 19 June 1915, p. 2.)

Wallace, Charles James (died 1912). Owner/editor of the Eyre's Peninsula Tribune, Kangaroo Island Courier, and in 1912 established the West Coast Sentinel.

Wallace, George G. Eyre's Peninsula Tribune.

Wallace, Ilona. Staff writer at Adelaide Review 2015.

Wallace, Jason. Editor of the Mount Gambier Border Watch and the Penola Pennant in 2012.

Walker, Christopher Moody (died 1941). Journalist at the Register and then the Melbourne Sun.

Walker, Ernest James. Established the Central Advocate at Balaklava in 1903, which he sold in 1910.

Walsh, Scott. Journalist with the Advertiser 2015.

Walter, Emma. Editor of the Loxton News since 2010.

Ward, Ebenezer (1837-1917). Politician, newspaper owner/editor. Worked for London Morning Post in his youth. From 1861 worked for the Melbourne Age and the Herald as theatre critic. Then at Advertiser as Hansard reporter. In 1868 established the South Australian. In 1871 established the also short-lived Gumeracha Guardian, then the Kapunda Evening News in 1873 (no copies extant), the Farmers' Weekly Messenger 1874, and City and Country 1881-1883.

Ward, G. Sub-editor at the News 1928.

Ward, Peter. Journalist at the Bulletin, Australian, and Adelaide Review.

Warne, R. Border Chronicle.

Warnest, Reg. Briefly owned the Barossa News in 1945. Purchased the Agriculturist and Review in 1958, and the Northern Review in 1971.

Waterhouse, Jessie (1851-1928). As a young widow in the 1890s wrote sensational serial stories for the Southern Argus in 1892 to 1893. She also had two published novels. Some of her work was also published in the Adelaide press.

Waterman, Emma. Journalist at City Mag 2015.

Watson, John (1834-1925). Newspaper owner/editor. At age apprenticed to the Forres Gazette in his Scottish birthplace. Came to Melbourne 1855 and worked at the Argus. Moved to Naracoorte in 1857 and opened a school there in 1860. In 1863 became editor of the Mount Gambier Border Watch and remained in this position until his death in 1925. For a time he was the world's longest-serving newspaper editor (62 years) as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. (Critic, 29 January 1898, p. 17; News, 14 December 1925, p. 1.)

Watson, John Riddoch (1867-1948). Editor. Followed his father as editor of the Border Watch from 1925 to 1941. Son of John Watson.

Watson, Reginald John Riddoch (1899-). Owner of the Border Watch from 1958 until 1977. Son of JR Watson.

Watson, William. Co-founder with Allerdale Grainger of the Australian Star newspaper in 1878.

Webb, Edward Meryon (1882-). Journalist. Worked first at Katanning, Western Australia. In Adelaide worked at the Critic, and was cable editor at the Daily Herald.

Webb, Edwin William (1832-1913). Journalist. Compositor at Melbourne Age 1854. Then compositor at the Register, and then at the Advertiser from 1858. Joined the literary staff 1866, became sub-editor of the Express and relieving sub-editor of the Advertiser, and then editor of the Chronicle. Prior to the building of the Overland Telegraph, he was responsible for the English news summaries compiled from news received by steamer from Albany. Correspondent at the Paris Exhibition 1878. Continued writing for the paper after his retirement. (Advertiser, 13 June 1913, p. 9.)

Webb, Lucy (d. 1953). Daughter of an Anglican Clergyman. Appears to have contributed to social columns for the Advertiser and possibly also the Register from the late nineteenth century. Wrote chatty historical and social articles for the Kapunda Herald and later the Victor Harbour Times. Between 1925 and 1932 produced a leaflet of historical articles, Yankalilla Yarns.

Weckert, HJ. Eudunda Courier.

Wells, Ray. Editor and proprietor of the Murray Valley Standard.

Wells, Richard (d. 1875). Journalist. Arrived in South Australia 1853, worked first at Adelaide Times then at the Register as reporter, sub-editor, and finally 'principle writer'. In 1868 compiled 'Rough Notes by Candid'. Also author of admired articles about the wreck of the Admella and seems to have been the author of 'A Bundle of Stories by the Criticised Traveller' for the Observer in 1866. Apparently left the Register about 1865 to run the first, short-lived Adelaide Punch. Went to the Northern Territory and wrote series of articles about the place, remained in Palmerston (Darwin) as editor of the Northern Territory Times until his death in the wreck of the Gothenburg during return trip to Darwin. (PRG 41, pp. 150-1; Register 8 March 1875, p. 5.)

West, Kay. Briefly employed as a journalist at the Border Watch in 1954, before leaving for Alice Springs.

Western, James Graves (1865-1929). Journalist at the Advertiser, which he joined 1881. Left 1889 to work at the Broken Hill Silver Age, then editor of the Broken Hill Budget. Moved to Perth about 1895 as Fremantle representative for the Daily News. Then to the Melbourne Argus and returned to Adelaide as sub-editor at Fauldings' Journal. In early 1914 joined the Register. Prior to his death he was eastern suburbs correspondent for the Advertiser. (Chronicle, 29 August 1929, p. 32.)

Whaley, William. Gawler Times.

Wharton, Joseph John Cheyne (1859-1923). Journalist. Came to Adelaide as a teacher at St Peter's College, but left to work for the Register. He also wrote for other newspapers and magazines, including editing the University Shakespeare society journal. In 1890 left the Register and founded the first local version of Truth. This folded in its first year, and Wharton then went to work at the Adelaide Stock Exchange. Later he moved to Sydney where he was a journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald.

Wheaton, Cyril. Editor of the Australian Christian Commonwealth in the 1920s?

Whinham, Willie. Owner of the Lantern for short period from 1889.

White, Godfrey (Gom) (died 1952). Journalist and sports writer at the Advertiser from about 1895 until 1909. Then at the West Australian for 35 years where he was turf editor under the pen name 'Brooklyn'. Founder of White's Press Agency (Adelaide). (Advertiser, 2 January 1952, p. 8.)

White, Harry J. (died 1930).  Shearer, poet and editor. Arrived in Adelaide in 1874 and worked at Mallala. In 1881 moved to Port Augusta and ran ferry and worked as mail contractor. Editor of the Port Augusta Dispatch 1884-1893. First editor of the Weekly Herald 1894-1895. Then for some years working in the mines of Western Australia, and later a missionary with the Presbyterian church at Gawler. Published three volumes of poetry. (Chronicle, 14 August 1930, p. 20; Adelaide Observer, 23 February 1895, pp. 12-13.)

Whistler, John. Journalist at the Advertiser, police roundsman, sub-editor, night editor, and then sub-editor at the Sunday Mail.

Whitham, Hubert Browett. Journalist. Owner/editor of the Maitland Watch from 1915 to 1917, the Border Chronicle from 1917, and of the Agriculturist and Review from 1919 to 1927. 

Whiting, Max. Civic roundsman at the Advertiser.

Whitington, Ernest (1873-1934). Journalist at the Register 1891-1931 and later at the Advertiser. Began as a boy as police court reporter for the Register. Then travelled with Norman Malcolm covering country agricultural shows. Wrote theatre notices for many years. Also compiled interviews. In 1929 Whitington took over the 'Man in the Street' column, begun in the Register and Observer five years earlier. Initially calling himself 'Autolycus,' the column was re-named 'Around the City.' In January 1929 Whitington changed his pen name to 'Rufus' (the pen name name used by his grandfather, William Smallpiece Whitington), and the column then became 'Out Among the People.' It was extremely popular, and ran under Whitington and his successor, Maurice Fisher until the 1960s. The column appeared daily in the Register, with a longe version in the weekly Observer. In 1931 when the Register and Observer were taken over by the Advertiser, the column was continued both in that newspaper and in its weekly Chronicle. Whitington compiled the column until his death in April 1934. Prior to his death he also had a weekly radio programme. (Chronicle, 20 July 1933, p. 66; Naracoorte Herald, 17 April 1934, p. 3.)

Whitington, Rev. Frederick Taylor (1853-1938). Journalist, minister. Son of William Whitington. After completing a legal degree he joined the Register where he worked until joining the church in 1877.

Whitington, Percy. Journalist at the Broken Hill Barrier Miner. Later worked for the South Australian Railways Department. Contributed articles about local history to the Murray Valley Standard 1952-1957, writing as 'P.W.'

Whitington, Robert (Bob). Long time police roundsman and general reporter at the Advertiser.

Whitington, William Smallpiece. Contributor to Pasquin using the pen name 'Rufus' which was later used by his well-known grandson, Ernest Whitington.

Whitridge, Charles Fletcher (1861-). Journalist. Left the Register in 1882 after approximately 6 years there, to go into business. Son of WWR Whitridge. (Register, 11 September 1882, p. 4.)

Whitridge, William Whitridge Roberts. (1824-1861). Journalist and pastoralist. Co-founder, with Andrew Garran, of the Austral Examiner in 1851. Whitridge was editor. Later employed with editorial staff at the Register. ('Death of Mr W.W.R. Whitridge', South Australian Advertiser, 28 May 1861, p. 3)

Wholohan, Patrick Francis Foran.

Wibberley, Brian. Methodist minister. Editor of literary magazine, the Gleam, and in 1905 and 1908 of the Methodist newspaper, the Australian Christian Commonwealth.

Wiencke, Richard. Sub-editor and deputy chief-of-staff at the Advertiser.

Wigney, Frederick. Proprietor of the eccentric and short-lived Terowie British Australian in 1884.

Wilcox, WJH. Journalist at the News. In 1938 was Australian manager of the Australian National Travel Association.

Wilkinson, Ben Lodwick. Worked at the Port Adelaide News, owner of the Border Chronicle as editor from 1913 to 1917, then at the Barossa News for a short time. (Register, 21 October 1927, p. 3.)

Wilkinson, George Blakiston (1817-1888). Farmer and writer. Contributed historical articles to the Observer and Observer Miscellany in the 1870s and 1880s, including, 'Whale-fishing in the early days of South Australia,' (Observer Miscellany, 20 September 1879, p. 593-597) and 'Yarns on olden times' (Observer, 3 January 1880, p. 33). Wrote as 'GBW'

Wilkinson, James. Son of WH Wilkinson. With his brother Henry took over the Kadina and Wallaroo Times on the death of their father in 1894.

Wilkinson, Simon. General reporter, sub-editor, features editor, food reviewer and food editor at the Advertiser.

Wilkinson, T. Hartley. owner/editor of the Booleroo Times 1912 to 1913, and the Crystal Brook Times 1910 to 1913. Then to Broken Hill.

Wilkinson, William Henry (1834-1894). Teacher, farmer, auctioneer, newspaper proprietor. In the mid 1880s became editor of the Yorkes Peninsula Advertiser and subsequently purchased the newspaper. On his death the newspaper passed to his sons, James and Henry Wilkinson. (Kadina and Wallaroo Times, 25 May 1894, p. 3.)

Wilksch, Terry. News editor at the Murray Valley Standard.

Willcox, Jacquelynne. Journalist with the ABC 7.30 Report programme 1985 to 1990. Investigative journalist at Adelaide Review 1995 to 1997.

Williams, BA. Journalist at the Advertiser 1935.

Williams, Basil. Editor of the Advertiser during the 1960s.

Williams, Charles. Adelaide theatrical reporter in the 19th century, worked for the Register.

Williams, Geoff. Journalist at the News, then chief-of staff and travel editor at the Advertiser.

Williams, Ian. Deputy editor of the Independent Weekly until early 2006.

Williams, Terry. Editor of the Plains Producer in 2012.

Williams, Tim. Journalist with the Advertiser since the 1980s, also writes for Messenger Press (2015).

Willis, William Pyndar.

Willson, Richard John Cumming (born 1942). Journalist, editor. Son of Jock Willson, Richard joined the family-owned Whyalla News in 1957 as cadet journalist. Spent a year managing the Port Pirie Recorder.

Willson, Walter John Cumming (Jock) (1915-1971). Printer, newspaper editor/owner. Arrived from Scotland 1936 and began work as printer at the Murray Pioneer. Moved to Whyalla 1940, opening a printing works in partnership with Jack Edwards. In 1940 founded the Whyalla News. Purchased the Port Pirie Recorder in 1954, and the Jamestown Northern Review a year later. In 1958 purchased the Eyre Peninsula Tribune. Father of Richard, Donald and Craig Willson.

Wilson, AE. Journalist at the Advertiser and later a Federal Hansard reporter.

Wilson, George Abraham Westrand (c.1852-1893). (Born Gustaf Abraham Wistrand). Teacher and journalist. Chess player and chess editor at the Bunyip and the Chronicle, writing articles on topics including hunting and agriculture as 'Sirius'. Also contributed to the Observer and the Australasian. Was puzzle editor of the Education Department publication, the Children's hour. (See PRG 869.) (South Australian Register, 7 August 1893, p. 6)

Wilson, Peggy. Joined the News literary staff in 1935, aged 15.

Wilson, Rob. Took over the Pinnaroo and Border Times in 1953. Sold in 1985.

Wilson, Thomas (1787-1863). Lawyer, journalist. Published and edited three issues of the Adelaide Magazine in 1846. In 1851 a series of articles published in the South Australian Register by 'Old Colonist' described the countryside, towns and farms as the writer travelled around South Australia, with details of the early progress of agriculture and settlement, and mentioned by name many of the people he met. The anonymous author was almost certainly Wilson. The full collection of articles was published in 1970 as Colonists, Copper and Corn in the Colony of South Australia 1850-1851. (See PRG 1399/79.)

Wilton, Charles Richard. Editor of the Mount Barker Courier for a short period in the 1880s before joining the Advertiser.

Wilton, Peter. Joined Advertiser as cadet journalist under Bob Jervis.

Winton, Don. (1918-2008). Priest turned journalist and editor. Sub-editor at the Port Pirie Recorder from 1952 to 1955, then editor of the Whyalla News from 1956 to 1978. (Whyalla News, 24 July 2008, p. 4)

Wiseman, Greg. Eyre's Peninsula Tribune.

Wood, Melinda. Editor of the Spencer Gulf Pictorial, 1989.

Woodhouse, Herbert J. Cartoonist. Owner/ editor of Adelaide Punch from February to December 1884, which had included his cartoons prior to this date.

Woods, James Dominick. Owner of the Lantern in March/ April 1875.

Woods, Julian. Sub-editor of the Daily Herald 1914.

Woods, Julian Edmund Tenison (1832-1889). Priest, geologist. Son of English journalist James Dominick Woods, of the London Times. Arrived in Adelaide in late 1850s and worked for a few months as journalist and sub-editor at the Adelaide Times. Left to train for ordination as a Catholic priest. (Register, 8 October 1889, p. 6 (port.).)

Woods, Julian Edward Tenison (died 1937). Journalist in Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia. Footballer for Norwood in 1878. Journalist at the News 1928.

Wordley, Dick. Journalist in Adelaide, and then at the Sydney Morning Herald until 1950.

Wright, David. Managing editor of the Northern Argus (Clare) from 2003 to 2014.

Wright, Frederick.

Wright, Thomas Simpson. Journalist at the Advertiser 1878.

Wylde, Charles Eric (1890-). Journalist at the Register  in its last years.

Wylie, Peter. Journalist and editor. Sub-editor of the News in 1967. Then editor of the Sunday Mail, editor-in-chief of the Daily Telegraph (Sydney) and became managing director of the Advertiser.

Wynne, Phil. Editor of the Port Lincoln Times from 1970 to 1980.