Rare picture of Mercury founder Thomas Tucker given to Historic Society

It came from Terry Martin, daughter of former Mercury general manager Ken Tucker, who wanted to know if the society would be interested in an old photograph she had of Thomas William Tucker.

The name is probably not familiar, but Tucker played a significant role in shaping Maitland, having co-launched the then Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser on January 7, 1843.

"Terry and her husband Clem were downsizing and asked if we'd be interested in taking the photo," Maitland and District Historical Society president Kevin Short said. "We were delighted. It's a part of our city's history, the start of one of the oldest regional newspapers in the country. We were amazed at what good condition it is in. I would think it's from around 1880."

Not a lot is known about Thomas Tucker (1815-95). A Sydney reporter, he formed the Mercury along with Richard Jones (1816-92), a Sydney compositor, in 1843. Mr Tucker left Maitland in 1846, returned as a reporter in 1851 and went on to eventually become the owner.

The Historical Society, in their quest for more information, started digging around and club secretary Steve Bone came across two significant pieces of history. The first was was the obituary on TW Tucker from the Australian Town and Country Journal, and second was the paper's first editorial. The obituary reads:

A PIONEER JOURNALIST

The late Thomas William Tucker, whose death occurred last week, and whose portrait is given in this issue, was one of the oldest journalists in New South Wales. Mr Tucker was a native of Bridport, Dorsetshire, England, and was born on December 9, 1815. He was therefore in his 80th year at the time of his decease.

He learnt the trade of printer and bookbinder, and when quite a young man came to Sydney and worked at his trade in a newspaper office. In conjunction with the late Richard Jones he started, in January, 1843, the Maitland 'Mercury'.

The partnership was dissolved in 1846, and Mr Tucker returned to Sydney, and started business as a bookseller. Not succeeding in this venture, he returned to Maitland, and rejoined the 'Mercury' as reporter. In 1854 the paper was sold by Mr. Jones to Messrs Tucker, Cracknell, and Falls, who carried it on under the senior partner's editorship, and from 1856 as a tri-weekly paper (it had been issued twice a week since 1846) until 1861, when Mr Alexander Falls became sole proprietor.

Mr Tucker, who had temporarily retired from connection with the business, again joined Mr Falls as partner, and again sold out in 1868. After the death of Mr Falls Mr Tucker managed the business for Mrs Falls, and for the trustees after that lady's death in 1873.

In 1874 the business was, by order of the Chief Judge in Equity, sold by auction, and purchased by Messrs Tucker, Gillies, and Thompson. The two latter gentlemen had, with Mr Tucker, long been connected with the typographical department of the paper. Mr Gillies, who had entered Parliament, retired from the partnership in 1894, and Mr Christopher Eipper, who had for many years been associated with the paper as reporter and latterly as editor, joined the other two proprietors as third partner, still retaining the editorship.

For some few years prior to his decease Mr Tucker's mental powers had declined, and he ceased to take any part in the business. He was latterly taken to Sydney, and tended with the utmost care, but he was past all recovery. He was an honor to Australian journalism, and left his mark in the influential and admirably conducted paper with which his name was associated for over fifty years.