Many remarkable journalists helped to shape the Victoria Daily Times, but one of them stands above the rest: Bruce Hutchison.
He was perhaps the most renowned editor of any newspaper in British Columbia, and in his day was regarded as the dean of Canadian journalism.
A native of Prescott, Ont., who moved to Victoria with his family as an infant, Hutchison began his 75-year career in journalism when he went to work as sports reporter for the Victoria Daily Times in 1918, when he was 16.
He gained national fame as the author of 15 books, including The Unknown Country, his portrait of Canada that won the Governor General’s award for non-fiction in 1943. He also cultivated extensive contacts among politicians in Ottawa and Washington and for many years reported authoritatively from both capitals.
Hutchison served as editor of the Times from 1951 to 1963, and was editorial director of the Vancouver Sun until 1979. While working for the Sun he refused to leave Vancouver Island, and directed the Sun’s editorial pages from his home in Saanich and a cottage on Shawnigan Lake.
Hutchison continued to write a weekly column for the Sun almost until his death in 1992 at the age of 91.
He received many honours, including the Order of Canada and a National Newspaper Award for editorial writing. Near the end of his life he gave this advice to young journalists: “Learn to spell the names right and be sure not to break any confidence.”
Before Hutchison, Archie Wills was the editor of the Times. He might be best remembered as the man who tried to brighten our lives during the Depression years with all that talk about a sea serpent in Cadboro Bay.
He did much more than that, of course. He covered many of the most important news events in the first half of the 20th century, and his service to the public extended beyond his work at the newspaper.
Wills served on a wide variety of boards and committees, and was on Victoria city council for 10 years. He was instrumental in the establishment of parking lots in downtown Victoria. He died in 1988.
From 1917 to the moment of his death on May 19, 1936, Benjamin Charles Nicholas served as editor of the Times for 19 years. “Benny” Nicholas suffered a fatal heart attack at his desk while editing a story for that day’s edition.
Nicholas, born in 1879 in Virginia City, Nevada, came to Victoria at the age of six with his family. He worked briefly at the Colonist, then joined the Times as a reporter in 1900.
When the paper’s owner, William Templeman, became revenue minister in Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s Liberal government six years later, he took Nicholas to Ottawa with him as his private secretary.
Nicholas returned to Victoria with Templeman in 1912 and became an editorial writer at the Times. Five years later he was named the paper’s editor.
In 1936 he announced he would run as a Liberal in the next federal election. It was expected he would get a cabinet position because his vast knowledge of B.C. issues. His heart gave out before the election.
Another former editor worthy of note was Brian Tobin, the editor from 1963 to 1974. He was as a stickler for accuracy and precision.
Born in Victoria in 1909, Tobin tried a variety of jobs before settling into journalism, first with the British United Press (precursor to United Press International) and eventually with the Times.
Tobin crossed the Atlantic five times during the Second World War, including a trip as one of three journalists chosen to fly to London via bomber with Prime Minister Mackenzie King.
Tobin was the pen behind the popular front-page personage Ol’ Vic, whose homespun sayings were long considered a must-read. He died in 2003.
