Willison, Sir John Stephen National Historic Person
Goderich, Ontario
John Stephen Willison
(© Archives de la Ville de Montréal | City of Montréal Archives / CA M001 BM001-05-P2246)
Address :
1 Court House Square, Goderich, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1938-05-19
Life Date:
1856 to 1927
Other Name(s):
-
Sir John Stephen Willison
(Designation Name)
Importance:
Editor of the Toronto "Globe" (1890-1902), Toronto "News" (1902-17)
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: corridor of the Huron County Court Building 1 Court House Square, Goderich, Ontario
Born at Hills Green, Willison, as editor of the Toronto Globe (1890-1902), made it the most influential organ of Liberalism in Canada. Disenchanted with the policies of the Laurier ministry, he resigned from the Globe in 1902 and took over the independent Toronto News. His support of the Conservatives in the election of 1911 lost him his Liberal readers and the News ceased publication in 1917, Willison becoming Canadian correspondent for the London Times. Among his several books, Sir Wildrid Laurier and the Liberal Party (1903; rev, ed. 1926) is generally considered to be the most significant. He died in Toronto.