AustLit

The two Syme brothers bought equal shares in the Age newspaper in 1856 and managed the paper jointly until Ebenezer Syme's death in 1860. Jane Syme inherited her husband's share of the business. 'The loose arrangement, which had made Ebenezer and David equal partners, now became a binding partnership, with Ebenezer's widow, Jane, and David sharing the profits equally, and David in full control of the business.

'Jane returned to England during 1862, with an agreed weekly payment from the paper's revenues, to be offset against profits. The deed of partnership, originally for seven years, was renewed from time to time until 1877. Next year a change was made. Syme at all times acknowledged Jane Syme his equal partner, and declined to have direct dealings with her children. A legal opinion upheld this when Jane gave a power of attorney to her eldest son, William Holden, a doctor at Stawell, Victoria. Her third son, Joseph Cowen, employed in the Age counting-house from late 1868, was a forceful character who felt that he and his brothers should have a share in the business, either directly or on behalf of their mother.

'Syme was pressed to give Joseph part of it. This was eventually arranged by Jane (who had remarried) accepting £8250 for her partnership share, her children renouncing any interest they may have had in the business under their father's intestacy, and Joseph being made a partner with a quarter-share. This partnership was announced on 22 March 1878 with a new imprint: "Printed and published by David Syme & Co.".

'Joseph's name was added on 21 October 1879: "printed and published by David Syme and Joseph Cowen Syme under the style David Syme & Co.". The partnership survived twelve stormy years. Uncle and nephew were long estranged, writing to each other on business matters but rarely meeting. After protracted negotiations, Syme agreed to buy Joseph out with £140,000. From 21 March 1891 the imprint read: '"Printed and published by the proprietor David Syme at the Age office Collins Street east, Melbourne".

Following Syme's death in 1908, his widow and sons 'carried on the business as a trust; Herbert (1859-1939) was chairman and general manager, Geoffrey (1873-1942) controlled the editorial department, and the last surviving son Oswald (1878-1967) became chairman until and after 1948 when the trust was converted to a public company which still has the trade name, David Syme & Co.... George Alexander (1822-1894), second son of the family, worked as a cleric in Scotland, but migrated to Australia in 1863 for health reasons. 'He had editorial charge of the paper in 1866 and later edited the Leader until 1885.'

Source: C. E. Sayers, 'Syme, David (1827-1908)', Australian Dictionary of Biography Online