Arthur Shakespeare

Arthur Thomas Shakespeare (27 September 1897 – 11 October 1975) was an Australian journalist and newspaper editor, best known for founding the Australian Capital Territory's most widely circulated commercial newspaper, The Canberra Times. He was son of Thomas Shakespeare, founder of the Federal Capital Press of Australia.

Shakespeare was born in Condobolin and educated at Grafton and Fort Street Boys' High School, Sydney. In 1916 he commenced work at the Sydney Morning Herald and eventually obtained the position of sub-editor.

In 1926 Shakespeare founded The Canberra Times, the Australian Capital Territory's second newspaper. As of 2009^[update] it remains Canberra's widest-circulated commercial newspaper. Shakespeare continued to own the paper until 1964, when, facing pressure from Rupert Murdoch's new paper The Australian, he chose to sell the paper to the Fairfax group.

On 15 October 1927, Shakespeare married Marjorie Agnew Patten. Marjorie died in 1961.

On 12 January 1963, Shakespeare married Heather Gladys Cameron (subsequently Heather Shakespeare), who at that time was secretary to the managing director of Federal Capital Press (Arthur's father, Thomas Shakespeare). The marriage occurred at St Ninian's Presbyterian Church. Heather Shakespeare died on 28 September 2008 at the age of 99.

Shakespeare served on the executive of more than 40 organisations.

As chairman of The Canberra Times, he served as president of the Country Press Association, secretary and president of the Australian Provincial Press Association, and director of the Australian United Press Ltd. He also was a member of the Provincial Press Accreditation Bureau and the Commonwealth Press Union.

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