AustLit

The Daily Mercury was launched in 1906 and struggled financially during its first years of publication. When William Joseph Manning took over as managing director on 28 March 1911 the newspaper had been in receivership. From 1917 Manning served as Chairman of Directors, and the Manning family became proprietors of the newspaper in 1924. Registered as a private company in March 1932, the publisher's name changed to The Mackay Printing and Publishing Company on 27 July 1932. On the death of William Manning, his son H. J. Manning was appointed to his posts as Chairman of Directors and manager. Subsequently his own son, Clarence Manning, took over these roles, as well as serving as editor from 27 August 1949 and as managing editor from April 1968 to 31 December 1980.