Item 76 - General Views

During the early 1830's Dr. Edward John Barker, a graduate of the London College of Medicine arrived with his family in Kingston. In his spare time he wrote for relaxation and Noble Palmer, publisher of the Spectator, a weekly with liberal leanings, persuaded Barker to edit his paper. Barker accepted and enjoyed the work so much he decided to establish his own paper. In 1833 he announced that a new publication, to be called The British Whig, would be published and on New Year's day, 1834, the first issue was produced. Originally a weekly, the paper soon changed to semi-weekly publication and eventually became a daily. Edward John Barker Pense, grandson of the founder, took over the paper in 1872, modernizing the printing equipment and erecting a new building to house the publication. In 1925, Senator William Rupert Davies purchased The British Whig and amalgamated it in 1926 with the Kingston Daily Standard, to become the Kingston Whig-Standard. Today the Kingston Whig-Standard remains the oldest continuously published newspaper in Canada.