AustLit

'The Chronicle, founded by Darius Hunt, began as a four penny weekly on July 4, 1861 in a coach builder's shop in James St. ... On February 4, 1876, William Groom became sole proprietor, beginning nearly half a century of family control of a newspaper he transformed into a powerful and persuasive political weapon.

In 1922, the Dunn family acquired The Darling Downs Gazette and the Gazette and The Toowoomba Chronicle 'were amalgamated as the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette. The combined newspaper was published first on October 2, 1922.

'On October 20, 1969 The Chronicle format was changed from broadsheet to tabloid. An opposition daily, the Darling Downs Star, began publication on July 11, 1955. The Chronicle and Downs Star interests merged on October 1, 1970 under a new company Toowoomba Newspapers Pty Ltd. The Downs Star continued as a daily until July 14, 1971, when it became a weekly. The newspaper was relaunched as Toowoomba's Mail in September 2003.

'In 1988, Australian Provincial Newspapers Ltd (APN) acquired a 50% share in Toowoomba Newspapers.'

Source: 'About Us', Toowoomba Chronicle website, http://www.thechronicle.com.au/aboutus/
Sighted: 02/05/2013