George McCullagh Founder of the Globe and Mail
Printing Power & Quiet Legacy: C. George McCullagh at Rest
On my walk through Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, Globe and Mail in hand, I came across the grave of a man whose vision permanently reshaped Canadian journalism — C. George McCullagh.
Born in London, Ontario, the son of a cabinetmaker, McCullagh dropped out of high school in Grade 9. But his ambitions were never small. He moved to Toronto and began working the floor of the Toronto Stock Exchange, cutting his teeth in the world of mining and gold stocks. His sharp instincts and relentless drive paid off — McCullagh became a millionaire by the time he was just 30.
In 1936, with both wealth and vision on his side, McCullagh purchased The Globe for $1.3 million and The Mail and Empire for $2.5 million. He merged them into what would become one of Canada’s most influential national newspapers: The Globe and Mail.
McCullagh merged both The Globe and The Mail and Empire to form The Globe and Mail.
But journalism wasn’t his only passion. McCullagh owned racehorses and held a stake in Conn Smythe’s Toronto Maple Leafs. He also built a grand estate in Thornhill — a dream home that, after his death, was purchased by Dr. Edward Shouldice and transformed into the world-renowned Shouldice Clinic.
Sadly, despite his accomplishments, McCullagh’s later years were marked by declining health. He died in Toronto on August 5, 1952 — just 47 years old.
1905-1952
George’s home in Thornhill, Ontario now home of the world renown Shouldice Clinic.
George McCullagh owned the chestnut coloured stallion, Archworth which won the 1939 King’s Plate at Old Woodbine Race Track (racing form photo from my personal collection).
