Updated 6/06/09
Brian Whipp, a former 25-year Edmonton and Calgary Suns employee, tells TSF his father, Charlie, purchased the Petrolia Advertiser Topic in 1961 and nurtured it until ihe sold it n 1979 to the Dresden News.
Brian, who notes that the town of Peterolia "has continually been served by a local office and newspaper since 1866," writes:
"My dad purchased the Petrolia Advertiser Topic in 1961 after working at the London Free Press and other dailies.
"I grew up in Petrolia and we converted the paper from letterpress to offset in the mid to late '60's, taking negatives to Webco to print on their community press along with many other weeklies.
"Dad later bought a King Press and we moved and produced the paper from a plant that used to make steel sinks adjoining the new Oil Rig restaurant.
"The newspaper has a very long and proud history and I am sure the people of Petrolia always had a special relationship with their local newspaper, which is somewhat lost now with people now selling ads from their houses.
"This is a sad day indeed."
For a bit of history, Brian says Peterolia had two papers in the early years: the Advertiser and The Topic. They were merged in 1919 and eventually became The Topic.
His dad, an RCAF WW2 vet, started his newspaper career in 1947 at the Port Hope Guide, followed by the London Free Press and the Windsor Star.
Thank you for your comments, Brian. Our best regards to your father.
Brian Whipp, a former 25-year Edmonton and Calgary Suns employee, tells TSF his father, Charlie, purchased the Petrolia Advertiser Topic in 1961 and nurtured it until ihe sold it n 1979 to the Dresden News.
Brian, who notes that the town of Peterolia "has continually been served by a local office and newspaper since 1866," writes:
"My dad purchased the Petrolia Advertiser Topic in 1961 after working at the London Free Press and other dailies.
"I grew up in Petrolia and we converted the paper from letterpress to offset in the mid to late '60's, taking negatives to Webco to print on their community press along with many other weeklies.
"Dad later bought a King Press and we moved and produced the paper from a plant that used to make steel sinks adjoining the new Oil Rig restaurant.
"The newspaper has a very long and proud history and I am sure the people of Petrolia always had a special relationship with their local newspaper, which is somewhat lost now with people now selling ads from their houses.
"This is a sad day indeed."
For a bit of history, Brian says Peterolia had two papers in the early years: the Advertiser and The Topic. They were merged in 1919 and eventually became The Topic.
His dad, an RCAF WW2 vet, started his newspaper career in 1947 at the Port Hope Guide, followed by the London Free Press and the Windsor Star.
Thank you for your comments, Brian. Our best regards to your father.
Hey Brian, Long time no chat! drop me a note, and thanks for the background. I am now living about 20 mins. from Petrolia.
ReplyDelete-Dave Chidley