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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1954-07-28, Page 27Radio Station CKNX Had Its George McKenzie was successful in • passing his examinations at the On-’ tario College of Physicians, —News item 1889. The Cricket Club is disbanding and it has been suggested that the town make the property into a public park. —News item 1889. J, H. and W. F. Dulmage have re­ tired from the Brunswick Hotel, Mr. John Martin has taken over the hotel. —News item 1889. giiiwiiWHMHMiMiiMiiMiiMiMiiiMiiwiiiiiiMiMniinimiiniiqiiMiiiMiiniMiiaiiiBnwiig ■ s= ■ I Happy Anniversary! | Thos. King graduated at Toronto Veterinary College with honors in two Subjects and .will locate at Brantford. —News item 1889. 3OE3O13OE3O t IN A HURRY? i ■ i I Phone 185 For | | CHUCK'S TAXI | = Charlie Lee, Prop- g = 1 Our Childhood TALK OF WINGHAM’S 75th ANNIVERSARY BRINGS TO MIND THE SCENES OF OUR CHILD­ HOOD, THE BARBERSHOP QUARTETS, THE OLD TIME BATHING BEAUTIES, THE DAYS OF PINCHED WAISTS BUSTLES AND FEATHERED HATS IT IS OUR HOPE THAT WINGHAM’S RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, IN RECALLING THE PAST WILL ALSO LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND THE HOPE THAT LIES THERE Beginning as Amateur Project The history of CKNX is so closely integrated with the life of W. T, Cruickshank, that to tell the story of one, is to tell of the experiences of the other, Wilford Thomas Cruick­ shank was born in 1897 On a farm bn the first concession of Morris Town­ ship, about two miles south of the town of Wipgham, He moved to town with his family in 1912 and for a time attended the Wingham Public School, Owing to the death of his father in 1915, he had to leave school in grade eight and go to work. He was em­ ployed at a local furniture factory for a time, then got a job chauffeur- irig a local doctor, which accounts for the nickname “Doc”. In 1924 he was working at the Western Foundry ten hours a day, sold radios between 7 and 8 o’clock each evening and worked as projectionist at the local theatre from 8 to 11. IJis interest in radio increased, resulting in the der cision to make it a full time job. The agency for a well known line of radios was taken on and. a workshop set up. As broadcasting and radios became more popular his business went ahead. It wasn’t long until the glamour of broadcasting became an obsession with him. It was on February 20th, 1926, with no advance publicity or fanfare, that a n,ew broadcasting station was start­ ed in Wingham, Ontario. On this date the first broadcasting signal of what was later to become CKNX, was sent out. It all came about as a result of PURDO N t s Ladies' and Children's Wear OE3A W. T. seeing a worklbg diagram of a transmitter in Popular Mechanics magazine. In a few 'days he had a working unit made up from bits and pieces from his radio servicing equip­ ment, In 1926 there were very few broadcasting stations in Canada, so there was Jots of room on the dial for another. The owner didn’t know he was on the air until a Wingham resi­ dent phoned to say that reception was fine, This in itself was worthy of note because there were less than a dozen radio's in the town at that time. In these early days American sta­ tions would sign on the air at about noon and run till about two o’clock, then resume broadcasting again about six for a few more hours. Programs were strictly live talent as the use of phonograph records had not been adopted this early. Doc Cruickshank estimates that his first transmitter had about two watts of power. As broadcasting was con­ sidered a pastime more than a busi­ ness then, and his transmitter was such a weird looking outfit, he christ­ ened the new baby JOKE. After running off and on for about three months, someone remembered a license was necessary. Thus an ama­ teur license was granted by the Cana­ dian Department of Transport, al­ lotting 1200 kilocycles on the wave band, with a power of five watts and a set of call letters “10 BP”. “The Voice of Western Ontario" was born. As time went on, headaches piled on top of one another. Being an amateur station it wasn’t permitted to sell time and 10 BP had neither adver­ tisers nor sponsors. Progress was any­ thing but fast. For four years it was a novelty that did little more than use up the owner’s money and time. With the financial pinch making things un­ comfortable, the venture nearly col­ lapsed several times. Then the idea of a radio club was hit upon and formed with three hundred members at a dollar a year each. This money went into better equipment and thrice-a- week programs of an hour or so were assured as well as church services on Sunday. Then the staff was doubled and another radio enthusiast, George Howson, helped out. This phase of 10 BP lasted for seven years. Commercial Station In 1935 10 BP became CKNX, a full commercial station with permission to sell time for advertising purposes. The power was 50 watts and the wave length stayed at 1200 kilocycles. It wasn’t long until local businessmen started to make use of the advertis­ ing facilities and things took a turn for the better. As an amateur station prior to 1935 it had been a hobby . . . after 1935 it became with a commercial license a business enterprise. number of people had a later Mr. R. J. a large measure station getting a Quite a hand in building CKNX. On several occasions local members of parliament helped out. The late George Spotton worked hard to get higher power and better frequencies, Deachman was in responsible for the commercial license and the present wave length of 920 kilocycles. After getting a commercial license and the call letters CKNX in 1935, two years later permission was grant­ ed to step the power up from 50 to one hundred watts. At this point the staff increased to seven members. It was then that the community service policies of the station were laid down. It was quite evident' that to survive programs had to be geared to the needs of the listener. All news—no matter what was going on in the world— was to have 50 percent local content. Talent, wherever possible was to be live and local. CKNX moved to modern quarters in 1941, stepped up to its present power of 1000 watts and moved from 1200 on the dial to 920 kilocycles. How­ ever, the changeover from 100 watts to 1000 watts wasn’t as easy as that. For fifteen years the wolf hadn’t been too far from the door, and he still was within howling distance. A piece of land was bought three miles south of town, a new transmitter was pur­ chased, a transmitter house erected, towers raised, studios enlarged and added until the cost ran up to $30,- 000.00. The increased business which resulted from the improvements has in itself attested to the wisdom Of the move. W. T. Cruickshank General manager of radio station CKNX, W. T, Cfuickshank partici­ pated in many Sports in his younger days which accounts for the fact that he is an ardent sports fan today. “Doc’ publid, work. coUnOil, Club, secretary of the Chamber of as he is better known to the is very active- in community He has served on the town is a director of the local Lions Commerce, a member of the Arena Th© Wingham Advance-Times, Wednesday, July 2.8, 1954 Page Twenfy-sevW* Commission, the Businessmen’# As- —------mmm speigtipn, the Huron -County Library Board and the Masonic Lodge. In organisation# farther afield, Mr. Cruickshank is a director of the Cen­ tral Canada Broadcasters’ Association, honorary director of the WOAA, and a member of the Presbyterian Church Radio Committee for Canada, In September of last year, Mr. Cruickshank, with his son "Bud", pur­ chased Warren House from Charles McKibbon and carries on this business in addition to their interests at CKNX. Management of CKNX G, W. Cruickshank is assistant gen­ eral manager of the station. Besides his duties in this capacity Bud does quite a bit of announcing. John Cruickshank is the station manager and became full time mem­ ber of the staff in 1937. Since that time he has gained experience in all departments, which qualified him for his appointment to his present posi­ tion in 1947. His voice is also familiar to the listening public on the' noon markets ,and on occasion during on the spot sports reporting. W. A. GalbraitH Had First Radio Set in Town W. A. Galbraith was the first pos­ sessor of what was known as a radio telephone. In 1922 he had his radio outfit connected up and was able to listen to concerts, lectures, etc., from several of the theatres in the United States. IV. T, Cruickshank and Station 10 B.P. Radio operators were informed in 1923 that a license was necessary and could be obtained from the Marine and Fisheries Department in Ottawa at a cost of $1.00. The fee included information from the Department in­ cluding a list of broadcasting stations in Canada. In 1926 the amateur radio station JOKE Wingham, on a wave length of 235 metres, was asking that any­ one picking up their broadcasts would get in touch with them as they anxious to find how far they reaching out- were were wasA Lions luncheon program broadcast from the Brunswick Hotel dining room and phone calls were re­ ceived from Brussels, saying that it was coming in strongly. Broadcasts, were also made from “Doc” Cruick- shank’s house on Scott Street. JOKE was to be found on most instruments cen points below KjDKA and four joints above WBBM. A letter was received from Halifax in 1928, after the station was known as 10BP, to the effect that a program had been received there, and while not coming in heard plainly. Reaching still surprise to Mr. letter from New Wingham had been picked up there, 8900 miles away. the Fells family returned to England en m her home where, she made soup for a visit and on their arrival back for them and every Saturday night to Wingham from England commen- they were supplied with potatoes and ced business again in their new meat for the following week by Mr. building. ancj Mrs, Fells. They carried on i» this work unassisted during the win­ ter months. Later the churches and other organizations helped with th®' project and when war broke out in 1914 the men joined the services and i became self-supporting. Many of the®® 1 people who were so unfortunate At their arrival in Canada have proved to be some of our best citizens. Mrs. Fells was a trained nurse and had received her training in England- She was very much in demand by local doctors and many calls kept her" busy at all hours of the day and night- In 1916 A, J. Nortrop bought from Mr. Fells but after a short time in business he became ill and the pre­ vious owner again took over. By this time Mr. Fells was busy in his oc­ cupation as an auctioneer, and be­ tween the two he was kept pretty busy. He gives a great deal of credit for his success to Mrs. Fells, who helped him at every turn. He continu­ ed to operate the butcher shop until he sold to Percy Deyell. First Soup Kitchen About the year 1912 many families were sent to Canada from England by the distress committee. Several of these were sent to Ripley and Mr. Mooney, formerly of Wingham, locat­ ed twelve of these families here with instructions that Mr." Fells would look after them. Mrs. Fells helped these people to find homes. The men secured work while the sewers were being installed in Wingham but when that was com­ pleted it was difficult for them to find work. Highland Lassie, Noisy Boy, La Regimental and other first class 5c cigars at F. Holloway’s. —Ad 1886. Businessmen have agreed to close their stores at 7 p.m„ except grocery­ stores which will close at 8 p.m.} ex­ cept Saturdays.—News item 1889.. Saturday night—See our hats, shirted collars and ties, M. H. Mclndoo, 1888. UOE3O loudly, it could be successivefor seven Fells came settling on from Shef- his uncle’s short time. farther, and a great Cruickshank, was a Zealand in 1933, that Mrs. Fells established a soup kitch- McIntyre 3OE3OE :oe=xoI0E30 “Just taste the goodness Over 20 Years of Service to Wingham It takes a truly public spirited man to serve his community for over 20 years. Thomas Fells was one of these, sitting in council, the hydro commis­ sion and serving as mayor. The latter office he held years. Mr. and Mrs. field, England, farm near Wingham for a In June 1901, they came to Wingham Where Mr. Fells worked for W. F. Vanstone and after being in Mr. Van­ stone’s employ for a short time, he purchased the building that stood where the curling rink is today. Here he opened a butcher shop with neither telephone service or horse and rig. Later Mr. Fells bought the block that is now occupied by Percy Deydll, south of the original shop on Jose­ phine Street, and lived in the apart­ ment above the store, At the time of the fire in the Chisholm Block about 1911, the millinery store in the north fend of the block was demolished, as was the shop and residence of Mr, and Mrs. Fells. While the present Deyell store 'was being erected oh the bite, The Old Boy's Been Kept Busy These Last 75 Years —Recording the many changes which have taken place in Wingham since the days of its inaugur­ ation in 1879. We are proud of the small part we are playing in the community by supplying it with health­ giving bread and baked goods.