Ezra Norton
Encyclopedia
Ezra Norton was an Australia
n newspaper baron and businessman.
suburb of Watsons Bay
, son of the proprietor of the Truth
, John Norton
(1858-1916) and Ada McGrath (1871-1960), whom he married some weeks later. During his childhood he was subject to his father's drunken assaults on his mother and himself. He was educated at Scots College
, Bellevue Hill
. After failing to matriculate twice, he was sent to Christian Brothers' College, Waverley
, where he was treated better.
Norton learned the newspaper trade in his father's business. His father died in 1916, but had disinherited his wife and Ezra and left the bulk of his estate to Ezra's 9 year old sister, Joan Norton (1907-1940). His mother Ada Norton (née McGrath) persusaded the New South Wales Parliament to backdate the new Testator's Family Maintenance Act to take effect before his father's death. Under this legislation, she succeeded in having his will rewritten in 1920 so that she and Ezra Norton each received a third of his inheritance, allowing Ezra Norton to gain control of Truth and Sportsman Ltd the publisher of the Truth (Sydney newspaper)
, the Melbourne Truth
, sister papers in Brisbane and Perth and the Sydney Sportsman, each published on Sundays.
's launch of the Sunday Telegraph
in 1939 undermined the viability of the Sydney Truth and he attempted to fight back by establishing a daily paper to compete with the Telegraph and "The Sun" in which he succeeded despite wartime
paper rationing. Frank Packer and Ezra Norton were bitter rivals in business for many many years. On Derby Day 1939, Ezra Norton and Frank Packer
fought it out literally, with fists, in the members' enclosure at Randwick Racecourse
. Norton gained a licence from the Minister for Trade and Customs, Eric Harrison
to launch the Daily Mirror
in Sydney in 1941.
In 1957, Ezra Norton's horse Straight Draw won the Melbourne Cup
.
In October 1958, Norton and his partners sold their newspapers to the Fairfax group
from whom they were acquired by Rupert Murdoch
in 1959.
Although Ezra Norton retained some business interests, by 1960 he had virtually retired from the business world. He resided at a waterfront mansion at Vaucluse
until his death in 1967.
The following year on 11 June 1953, Norton married Emma Georgina (Peggy) Morrison (1915-2008) and they had one child, a daughter, Mary Norton. (Born 1955)
in his Vaucluse
home on 4 January 1967 aged 69. A large funeral was held at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church at Rose Bay
and his body was buried with his father, mother and sister in the Norton family plot at South Head Cemetery (refer: Waverley Cemetery
) with Catholic Rites.
He was survived by his wife Peggy, and their daughter Mary and his adopted son, Dr. John Stanley Norton.
His estate was valued in 1967 at $4,000,000.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n newspaper baron and businessman.
Early life
Norton was born in the SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburb of Watsons Bay
Watsons Bay, New South Wales
Watsons Bay is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Watsons Bay is located 11 km north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra....
, son of the proprietor of the Truth
Truth (Sydney newspaper)
The Truth was a newspaper published in Sydney, Australia. It was founded in August 1890 by William Nicholas Willis and its first editor was Adolphus Taylor. In 1891 it claimed to be "The organ of radical democracy and Australian National Independence" and advocated "a republican Commonwealth...
, John Norton
John Norton (Australian journalist)
John Norton, , was an English-born Australian journalist, editor and member of the New South Wales Parliament. He was a writer and newspaper proprietor best known for his Sydney newspaper the Truth...
(1858-1916) and Ada McGrath (1871-1960), whom he married some weeks later. During his childhood he was subject to his father's drunken assaults on his mother and himself. He was educated at Scots College
The Scots College
For other schools with a similar name see Scots College.The Scots College is an independent Presbyterian day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Bellevue Hill
Bellevue Hill, New South Wales
Bellevue Hill is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bellevue Hill is an affluent suburb, located 5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra....
. After failing to matriculate twice, he was sent to Christian Brothers' College, Waverley
Waverley College
Waverley College is a Roman Catholic, secondary, day school for boys, located at Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, where he was treated better.
Norton learned the newspaper trade in his father's business. His father died in 1916, but had disinherited his wife and Ezra and left the bulk of his estate to Ezra's 9 year old sister, Joan Norton (1907-1940). His mother Ada Norton (née McGrath) persusaded the New South Wales Parliament to backdate the new Testator's Family Maintenance Act to take effect before his father's death. Under this legislation, she succeeded in having his will rewritten in 1920 so that she and Ezra Norton each received a third of his inheritance, allowing Ezra Norton to gain control of Truth and Sportsman Ltd the publisher of the Truth (Sydney newspaper)
Truth (Sydney newspaper)
The Truth was a newspaper published in Sydney, Australia. It was founded in August 1890 by William Nicholas Willis and its first editor was Adolphus Taylor. In 1891 it claimed to be "The organ of radical democracy and Australian National Independence" and advocated "a republican Commonwealth...
, the Melbourne Truth
The Truth (newspaper)
The Truth was a Melbourne tabloid newspaper established in 1902 as a subsidiary of the Sydney Truth, established in 1890.In its early years its politics was very much left-leaning, and it painted itself as the voice of the working class. Before 1945 it had a style of journalism that was high...
, sister papers in Brisbane and Perth and the Sydney Sportsman, each published on Sundays.
Career
Norton attempted to widen his papers' range by adding a little discussion of culture, but they soon moved back to their traditional coverage of sport, crime and divorce. Frank PackerFrank Packer
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer, KBE , was an Australian media proprietor who controlled Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network.-Biography:...
's launch of the Sunday Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
in 1939 undermined the viability of the Sydney Truth and he attempted to fight back by establishing a daily paper to compete with the Telegraph and "The Sun" in which he succeeded despite wartime
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
paper rationing. Frank Packer and Ezra Norton were bitter rivals in business for many many years. On Derby Day 1939, Ezra Norton and Frank Packer
Frank Packer
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer, KBE , was an Australian media proprietor who controlled Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network.-Biography:...
fought it out literally, with fists, in the members' enclosure at Randwick Racecourse
Randwick Racecourse
Royal Randwick Racecourse is a racecourse for horseracing in the Eastern Suburbs in Sydney, New South Wales. Randwick Racecourse, is operated by the Australian Jockey Club and known to many Sydney racegoers as headquarters...
. Norton gained a licence from the Minister for Trade and Customs, Eric Harrison
Eric Harrison
Sir Eric John Harrison KCMG KCVO was an Australian politician who became the first Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia....
to launch the Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror (Australia)
The Daily Mirror was an afternoon paper established by Ezra Norton in Sydney, Australia in 1941, gaining a licence from the Minister for Trade and Customs, Eric Harrison, despite wartime paper rationing. In October 1958, Norton and his partners sold his newspapers to the Fairfax group, which...
in Sydney in 1941.
In 1957, Ezra Norton's horse Straight Draw won the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
.
In October 1958, Norton and his partners sold their newspapers to the Fairfax group
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
from whom they were acquired by Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
in 1959.
Although Ezra Norton retained some business interests, by 1960 he had virtually retired from the business world. He resided at a waterfront mansion at Vaucluse
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
until his death in 1967.
Family
In 1922, Ezra Norton married an English war widow, Lillian Mary (Molly) Willoughby (1892-1952). Molly was a 29-year-old dancing teacher. He also adopted her infant son, John Stanley Norton. They were happily married for 30 years until Molly Norton died suddenly on 20 March 1952.The following year on 11 June 1953, Norton married Emma Georgina (Peggy) Morrison (1915-2008) and they had one child, a daughter, Mary Norton. (Born 1955)
Death
Ezra Norton died of cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in his Vaucluse
Vaucluse, New South Wales
Vaucluse is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Vaucluse is located north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Council and the Municipality of Woollahra....
home on 4 January 1967 aged 69. A large funeral was held at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church at Rose Bay
Rose Bay
Rose Bay may refer to:*Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia, a suburb of Sydney*Rose Bay, Tasmania, Australia, a suburb of Hobart*Rose Bay, Nova Scotia, community in Canada*Rose bay, Nerium oleander, a common name for a plant...
and his body was buried with his father, mother and sister in the Norton family plot at South Head Cemetery (refer: Waverley Cemetery
Waverley Cemetery
The Waverley Cemetery opened in 1877 and is a cemetery located on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. The cemetery contains the graves of many significant Australians including the poet Henry Lawson and...
) with Catholic Rites.
He was survived by his wife Peggy, and their daughter Mary and his adopted son, Dr. John Stanley Norton.
His estate was valued in 1967 at $4,000,000.
Further reading
- Sandra Hall. Tabloid Man - The Life and Times of Ezra Norton. Published by Fourth Estate/Harper Collins, Australia. 2008. (ISBN 978 0 7322 8259 2).