[4] It was started by John Bennett Stephens, who produced the paper in his office in Ann Street and distributed it for free.
His son, J. C. Stephens, took over as editor,[6] promising to create a "re-modelled and enlarged" version of the paper.
[6] J. C. Stephens was unsuccessful at his venture and by 1880 the paper had been bought by Robert G. Neale.
[6] After competing with the Williamstown Advertiser (started 1874) for over a decade, Neale decided to sell the paper in 1892.
Ownership passed into the hands of Mr Bower and Frank Young who retained control until 1933 when Bower retired, leaving Young as the paper's sole proprietor.