Pages of the newly discovered copy of our newspaper dated December 1945 (Volume 1, Number 3) predating the "official" launch of Huron Church News by almost five years.
By Dez Nacario
IN THE FEBRUARY 2025 issue of Huron Church News, the 75th anniversary of the publication was celebrated and a photo of the front page of Volume 1, Number 1 published May 1950 was prominently displayed. While the commemorative article highlighted the pivotal role that Huron Church News has played in chronicling the events of our Diocese, one fact may have been incorrect: the true age of Huron Church News.
Over the summer of 2025, Tammy Crocker from St. George’s, Goderich volunteered at the V. P. Cronyn Memorial Archives for one week to work with Diocesan Archivist Dez Nacario. Together, they reviewed the materials being transferred from St. George’s and worked to arrange and describe the collection.
Among the newspaper articles related to the church was a copy of Huron Church News published December 1945, almost a full five years prior to what had been marked as the official start of the publication.
The front cover lists this edition as Volume 1, Number 3, prompting even more questions about the true date of the original first printing of the paper.
Assuming it originated as a monthly publication, Volume 1, Number 1 would have been published in October 1945 in an entirely different global climate than 1950. May 1950 would see the earlier days of the Rt. Rev. George Luxton as he worked to rapidly grow the Diocese in a time when the Anglican Church was prosperous. In contrast, Fall 1945 would have been led by the Most Rev. Charles Seager as Huron joined the world in recovering from World War II. Although it is only a five year difference, the concerns and priorities of our Diocese would have evolved greatly by the start of the new decade and would no doubt be reflected in the articles in Huron Church News.
There have been few questions answered about the true age of Huron Church News and more questions raised. When was Volume 1, Number 1 truly printed? Why did the numbering start over again in 1950? Do other churches still have copies of the paper prior to 1950 hidden away?
Dez Nacario is Diocesan Archivist