John Fawkner used the Launceston Advertiser 'as "the active and avowed friend of the emancipist class in Van Diemen's Land, dealing heavy and repeated blows upon officialdom and the reputed respectable class in the island". He attacked capital punishment in a colony that valued "a man's life at less than a sheep", and made forceful remarks on cruelty to assigned servants.'
Henry Dowling, who had worked on the newspaper, became editor and publisher in 1831.
During his time with the newspaper Dowling relinquished the proprietorship but continued his involvement with the newspaper, 'the cares and labours of a journalist', until the paper's cessation on the last day of December 1846.
Sources: Hugh Anderson, 'Fawkner, John Pascoe (1792 - 1869)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, Melbourne University Press, 1966, pp 368-370; Isabella J. Mead, 'Dowling, Henry (1810 - 1885)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, Melbourne University Press, 1966, pp 316-317 (sighted online 30/03/2011); [Henry Dowling], 'Our Farewell', Launceston Advertiser (31 December 1846): 2-3.
Launceston Examiner
James Aikenhead
(editor),
Launceston
:
James Aikenhead
,
1842-1843
Z1299520
1842
newspaper
(123 issues)
The Reverend John West, Jonathan Stammers Waddell and James Aikenhead established the Launceston Examiner in 1842, with West becoming the Examiner's 'first editorial writer'.
Initially,the Examiner was 'printed at a book shop in Brisbane St, but in 1848 it moved to Charles St and in 1854 to the specially built Paterson St premises, which, enlarged and modernised, is still [2013] its home.'
Sources: L. L. Robson, 'Aikenhead, James (1815-1887)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/aikenhead-james-1693/text1825 ; 'About Us', The Examiner website, www.examiner.com.au
Sighted: 06/02/13
