The Wingham Advance-Times, 1979-07-25, Page 45Too
Years-,pf
Service
As one of the town's newest business
establishments, it is a sincere pleasure to
share in the satisfaction of our centennial
achievements.
Though Winghom's business section has
seen many changes in the course of a century
we on Main Street continue to provide the
some good service and reliable merchandise
which were foundation stones of this
community's prosperity.
Wingham
wing L.enTre e
Josephine Street, Wingham
357-2511
r ti' + r . ... r � ., '.. -. ♦ �" .. a ...�. �..: M°.rrA fr"!►"Y"'4" y' . � . 1-.r •w . . • w �,r.yv.r,+.J�r�l►r . , t . - . . � ,�...,.. r �
`Doc' Cruickshank was
pioneer of local radio
Not all of Wingham's pioneers so radio receivers in town. That
became CKNX — and a new in -
lived and died before the turn of first transmitter operated 00
dabry was born in Wingham.
the century. Unique though the about two watts of power and
Tlle first commercial mes-
exploits of these early residents since broadcasting in those days
sages were sold at 5o cents each
were, it was not until some 50 was more a hobby than a serials
and business wasn't too bribk.
years ago that Wingham found a business, Doc christened his new
However, perseverance and
singular genius in its midst. outlet J.O.K.E.
Doc's friendly personality won
Wilford T. Cruickshank was a When it occurred to Doc, or
the (lay. By 1941 the station was
local boy who had filled in his perhaps to one of his friends, that
eMploying 13 staff members and
early years with a variety of oc- an on -air station should have awas
housed in quarters in the
cupations, ranging from factory license, an application for ama-
Lockridge building on Josephine
hand to after-hours driver for one teur broadcasting status was
Street, now occupied by the
of the local doctors. (It was this filed and JOKE became 10BP,
Jenny Wren shop and the offices
part-time job which bequeathed "The Voice of Western Ontario".
of the Ministry of Community
to him the nickname "Doc", per- Several local people, a few of
and Family Services.
sisting for the rest of his life.) whom are still living, provided
Always looking to the future,
While he was working at music and voice for those pioneer
Doc Cruickshank had television
Western Foundry in 1924 he also broadcasts. But there was one
on his mind and in 1955 his appli-
used his early evening hours more drawback, because an
cation for a TV broadcasting lic-
selling and servicing thpt new amateur station could not charge
ense was approved, making
marvel of the age, the radio. By for air time. As W. T. added more
CKNX Channel 8 the first rural
eight o'clock, however, he was at and better equipment the costs
television outlet in North
the local movie house where his were mounting. A locally
America. The move required not
skill as a projectionist was re- organized radio club helped to
only some half million dollars in
quired. meet expenses for a few years,
cold cash, but also more space
But radio won. By 1926 he had but in 1935 a second application,
than the main street location
put together a rudimentary this time for commercial status,
could provide. The solution to the
transmitter and his first broad- was made to the federal broad-
space problem came with his
casts were heard on the dozen or casting authority and 10BP
purchase of the vacant high
school building on Carling Ter-
race for one dollar from the Town
, r � y
1 E /iti ��' fk���
at Wingham. With the addition of
,� y
a sizable wing at the north end of
F
the school building Channel 8 was
�a 3
in business.
All went well until March, 8,
,i
1962, when fire totally destroyed
both the original building and the
key
new wing, along with all con-
9y '
tents. However the station was
T
only a few minutes late signing
x
on 4he morning of the fire and
/y
within a fegv days new equipment
had been installed in the audi-
vir � f
torium of the Wingham and Dis-
trict High School.
s"
S
y,x`f'.......
By the fall of 1963 the present
°<
�� x$
fine building had replaced the old
..
structures and the latest and
finest of equipment was in use.
W. T. Cruickshank was as-
sisted by his son, G. W. "Bud" in
general administration and by
his brother, John, who was radio
station manager until Doe's
p
death in 1971. A park on Jose-
phine St. north was dedicated to
his memory a few years ago,
x'.
which, regretfully, the town has
now decided to sell as the site for
y %
a senior citizens' apartment
building. Mrs. Cruckshank, Bud
and John are still residents of
Wingham.
In 1972 CKNX Radio and Tele -
,w,,,
vision was sold to Free Press
ac Holding of London, Ontario.
W. T. (DOC) CRUICKSHANK
`
s
-T.1%
From the staff of Sny'd
A Welcome -to all tl
Centennial Year
"Georgian Bay Sunset"
on our tenth year in business.
o -
J
Snyder Studio
INCORPORATED
245 Josephine Street
WINGHAM, Ont.
Snyder
(519) 357- 1851
Dr. Macdonald
was Speaker
of The House
Coming to Wingham in 1872,
Dr. Peter Macdonald was active
in the work of the Presbyterian
Church. He had an extensive
practice as a physician until
entering Parliament in 1887 when
he redeemed E. Huron in one of
the warmest contests in the
history of the riding. He was re-
elected in 1891, 1896 and 1900,
being defeated in the general
election of 1904. He was deputy
speaker of the House of Com-
mons during the Parliament of
1900.
Dr. Macdonald was recognized
as one of the leading debaters
and one of the best informed men
in the House. He was appointed
postmaster at London and moved
his family there in 1909.
Dr. Macdonald built what was
called the Macdonald Block in
1892, at which time he moved his
house from the site to Centre
Street, on the lot immediately
north of St. Paul's Anglican
Church, the house new being oc-
cupied by Mrs. F. A. Parker.
Advance -Timor Cenwnnial )limon. "—par
THE WINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL, purchased from the town for $1.00, with the addition of
a sizable wing at the north end of the building, provided space for the move to television
for CKNX. In March, 1962, it was totally destroyed by fire. The present building was
erected by the fall of 1963.
Proud
To'Be
Here!
It's a great feeling ... pride in the town which is our home
and the place in which we do business.
We believe the many out-of-town guests will agree that
Wingham is an exceptionally attractive community. That our
products do much to make the town beautiful is a source of
satisfaction.
Welcome Home and
Have a Good Time
The Handicraft and
Flower Shop
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Congratulations Wingham
on 100Progressea ,sY r of
We're proud that our 10 years
experience in hoisting, rigging
and concrete pouring was gained
in a fine community like Wingham.
mew
Canadian Crane
Rentals Ltd.
RR 2, Wingham
it 357-3721
15 and 25 Ton Mobile Crones
Hydraulic S*rvice
p,