Gazette Is Moving After More Than Half Century in Opera Hall Block
(from The Tavistock Gazette, December 19, 1962)
This issue of The Gazette will be the last one published and printed in its home for more than a half century-The Opera Hall Block, Woodstock Street North.
Announcement of the newspaper's move was made some weeks ago following the purchase of the former Strahm Garage, corner of William and Woodstock Street South, directly opposite Zion Evangelical United Brethren Church.
The business office in the new plant will be open to its customers Wednesday morning, Dec. 19. The telephone number of The Gazette remains the same, 655-2341.
The Gazette was founded in October, 1895, by the late J. W. Green in the former Commercial Block, now the Sunoco Service Station. Early files of The Gazette are not available, and that they reports are were burned in the Square one Hallowe'en night.
Frank H. Leslie, now publisher of the Niagara Falls (Ont.) Evening Review, has kindly supplied some information of the early history of The Gazette, and writes he believes The Gazette remained in the Commercial Block until May 1900, when it moved to the Wildfang Block.
Mr. Leslie was publisher of The Gazette from some time in 1900 until June, 1904, when he sold the business to Charles Fraser, who remained as publisher until 1908.
According to files, was published in The Gazette the Staebler Block, presently the site of Les and Hap's, opposite the Post Office, commencing some time in 1908. From 1908 until 1910, late N. E. Dopp was the publisher.
In June, 1910, Mr. Leslie again became the publisher with George Shipley and son as managers. In March 1912, Mr. Leslie moved the plant from the Staebler Block to the Opera Hall Block, where the Gazette has remained for 50 years and nine months. Several around town can recall the moving.
In August, 1914, The Gazette was sold by Mr. Leslie to the late William Appel. Mr. Leslie had purchased the Niagara Falls newspaper and wished to devote his entire interest to the business there. On May 1, 1916, Mr. Appel sold the business to his son, Lorne W. "Chick" Appel, now sports editor of the Stratford Beacon-Herald Mr. Appel published The Gazette until October, 1929, when the business was purchased by the late George K. Brown. In February 1930, the present publisher, K. Hart Brown, came to Tavistock to become associated with his father, and he was the editor-manager from April, 1932, until January, 1957, when purchased the business.
As most subscribers know, the plant is on the second floor of The Opera Hall Block, and with the addition of heavier printing machinery in recent years the original beams in the 100-year-old building are inadequate to hold the weight.
There are also the inconveniences in transporting heavy bundles of paper and machinery up and down the flight of steps.
In its new home, most of the plant equipment will be on the ground floor. Ample parking space is located in front of the new home of The Gazette, and there are facilities for the receipt of paper stock at the side door (William St.) as well as at a large door into the cellar, where some allied printing machinery will be installed.
Plans are that major pieces of machinery will be moved intact from the Opera Hall Block. A large section of the south wall will be taken out to facilitate this phase of the moving operation, which will begin Tuesday morning, Dec. 18. The actual moving and placing of machinery and paper stocks will continue during the week.
