Edward Frederick Goodall Hodges began his newspaper career as a typesetter at the Kilmore Advertiser under the guidance of Mitchell Kilgour Beveridge and James Hugh Rose. He then joined the staff of the Inglewood Advertiser before moving, briefly, to Melbourne where he worked at the Herald.
Hodges became editor and reporter for the Gordon, Egerton and Ballan Advertiser before taking on the same roles with West Bourke Times. His next positions were with the Kyabram Free Press, the Tatura Herald and the Tatura Guardian. Hodges left the Guardian to join his brother in running the Morwell Gazette, and then made another move, going to Melbourne to work on the Box Hill Reporter. Hodges purchased the Reporter in about 1897.
Hodges added to his newspaper interests with the purchase of the Kew Mercury, the Hawthorn and Camberwell Advertiser, the East Suburban Mail and the Progress (Hawthorn). ‘He ran the Amalgamated Press in Box Hill, Kew, Camberwell and Hawthorn up to February [1920] when he sold his interests to Mr. Sydney Sampson, ex-MP for Wimmera.’
Source: 'Healesville Shire President : Cr. E. F. G. Hodges, J.P. : A Personal Sketch.’ Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian, 25 September 1920: 1
Sighted: 25 September 2013
