Publisher and Editor
Brilliant Career Ended
In 1921 After 30 Years As Publisher Of Beacon
Revered Figure Won Permanent Niche For Himself In Stratford’s Journalistic
“Hall of Fame”; Came Here In 1891 From Woodstock To Acquire The Beacon,
Which He Promptly Revived As a Daily Publication
(From The Stratford Beacon-Herald, Stratford, Ontario; 1935)
By
Ross Keane
Of all the men who made the Stratford Beacon a power and a tradition in its field, William Mark O’Beirne of honored memory was greatest—in length of service, in journalistic brilliance and in lovable qualities. He followed strong predecessors, and builded solidly on well-laid foundations. He has been long gone from the busy scenes of his success-crowned editorial labors, yet he lingers in the hearts of those privileged to have worked with him. This all-too-weak tribute is gladly paid by one whose journalistic godfather was William Mark O’Beirne.
True to
its name, The Beacon has always been a shining light in Stratford journalism.
Its history goes back over eighty years—and it ranks first among Stratford
newspapers that enjoyed unbroken publication. From January 5, 1855, when
Peter Eby published the first Weekly Beacon, until the Daily Beacon entered
double harness to make possible The Beacon-Herald on May 1st,
1923, Stratford was never without the consistently fine newspaper.
While the
Weekly Beacon of pre-daily-paper days was ever a power in the community,
The Daily Beacon was pre-eminently the achievement of the late William
Mark O’Beirne, the memory of whom occupies a very special niche in Stratford’s
journalistic hall of fame.
For three
full decades—from 1891 to 1921—Mr. O’Beirne directed The Beacon with a
master hand. When death terminated his brilliant career of 30 years as
publisher of both the daily ad weekly editions, the torch was caught and
carried by Kingsley W. O’Beirne, the admirable son of a gifted father.
Had not amalgamation changed the course of daily newspaperdom in 1923,
the fine O’Beirne tradition would undoubtedly have been perpetuated to
the present hour, right here in Stratford.
The calibre
of William M. O’Beirne’s leadership and executive ability had a striking
and lasting demonstration in 1905—which year marked the Golden Jubilee
of the Weekly Beacon. In celebration of the event a special edition of
nearly one hundred pages was issued. It was in a large magazine form,
printed on paper of excellent quality and was lavishly illustrated. The
articles were of surpassing interest, and the entire edition expressed
the solidity for which The Beacon was always noted.
With characteristic
foresight, Mr. O’Beirne decided, back in 1891, that it would be part of
wisdom to dispose of the Woodstock Standard and acquire The Stratford
Beacon. If that decision proved good business for William M. O’Beirne,
it was an equally lucky break for Stratford. For no citizen who recalls
the O’Beirne regime will question the dimensions of the contribution which
The Beacon made to its constituency during the ensuing years.
One of
Mr. O’Beirne’s first moves in 1891 was to revive the Daily Beacon, and
under his well-considered guidance it steadily gained strength and developed
into one of the most virile provincial dailies of its time.
Writer’s Journalistic
Father
No neophyte
ever had a more thorough teacher. Mr. O’Beirne was a brilliant writer,
with the gift of apt expression. He had the faculty of brushing aside
non-essentials and concentrating his editorial message on the crux of
the situation under discussion.
Sometimes
we timorous scribes, toiling within earshot of “the Chief,” wished that
Mr. O’Beirne would not think quite so fast. His thoughts were wont to
outrace his pen, leaving him momentarily at a loss for the exact word
he required. And it was then that the luckless news staff was likely to
be asked in no uncertain voice to supply the word that was eluding Mr.
O’Beirne’s memory. Talk about intelligence tests!
Mr. O’Beirne’s
editorial style was clear and forceful. He wasted few words in getting
to the root of things. There was a quite strength to his statements that
combined effectively with the sparkling language in which they were expressed.
Somehow one felt fully convinced that Editor O’Beirne was dead right in
what he contended.
Had
Charm That Wins Friends
If further
gauge of the forthright qualities of William M. O’Beirne were needed,
one could call attention to the fact that in so ably carrying forward
the ideals of The Beacon from 1891 on he had to maintain the brilliant
reputation of his predecessors—particularly of the late William Buckingham,
whose 10-year tenure of Beacon editorship from 1863 to 1873 had set a
sky-high record for efficiency. Before Mr. Buckingham there had been William
Mowatt—an outstanding newspaper figure in pre-Confederation days—and the
founder of The Beacon, Peter Eby, whose sojourn in Stratford was brief.
Mr. O’Beirne’s immediate predecessor was Alex. ( Sandy) Matheson, a vigorous,
hard-hitting writer and shrewd manager.
The verdict
of the passing years has been that William M. O’Beirne’s shed unmatched
lustre on the newspaper that was his life’s work. It was fitting and fortunate
that his mantle fell upon the shoulders of a son steeped in the traditions
of The Beacon and trained in its basic policies. Kingsley O’Beirne showed
real strength in his conduct of The Beacon, following his father’s death
in 1921. Since the amalgamation that gave Stratford The Beacon-Herald,
Kingsley and his youngest brother, William S., who was a Beacon reporter,
have continued in newspaper work. Kingsley O’Beirne is a member of the
staff of the Journal in Edmonton, Alta., and William (Bill) is with the
Calgary Herald. Thus does the worthy O’Beirne tradition in daily journalism
“march on.”
Mrs. William
M. O’Beirne is residing in Calgary, although she usually spends the summer
in Stratford at the home of her daughter, Mrs. K. H. Crane, Elizabeth
Street. Another daughter, Gladys, lives in Toronto. F.A.C. (Fred), a son,
is in Indian Head, Sask.
Mr. Ross
Keane began his newspaper career in 1907 as city editor of The Beacon,
with Mr. William M. O’Beirne as his “journalistic godfather.” He left
and joined The Herald the same year and served first as city editor and
then as news editor under W. S. Dingman whose family owned The Herald.
He became managing editor when Mr. Dingman was appointed Vice-Chairman
of the Provincial License Board. On returning from overseas in 1919, he
rejoined The Herald editorial staff leaving in 1923 to enter that advertising
business in Toronto.
Banner
Headlines In Early August 1914 Screamed News That World Was At War;
Papers
Performed Great Public Service
Under the
headline above, The Stratford Beacon Herald wrote in their sub-head:
K. W. O’Beirne, Son of Beacon’s Gifted Publisher for Thirty Years, Tells
Part Papers Played
During Four Years of Conflict; Two Dailies Were Always Keen Rivals, But
Were Ever Patriots When City’s Welfare Was Affected; Writer Recalls Many
Interesting Incidents During Newspaper Career Here.
They went
on to say in the introduction to the article:
One of
the most interesting and newsiest stories of this jubilee edition is the
one told below by K. W. O’Beirne, son of the late W. M. O’Beirne, for
thirty years publisher of the Stratford Beacon. The author of these reminiscences,
who was connected with The Beacon himself for 14 years, is now on the
advertising staff of The Edmonton Journal. He is also a brother of Mrs.
K. H. Crane, Elizabeth Street. [Italics theirs.]
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