John Bayne Maclean Passes Away

Today in Masonic History John Bayne Maclean passes away in 1950.

John Bayne Maclean was a Canadian publisher.

Maclean was born on September 26th, 1862 in Crieff, Ontario. He graduated from the Toronto Normal School as a teacher. He taught only briefly in his professional career.

After leaving the teaching profession, Maclean got a job with the Toronto World, a daily newspaper founded in 1880. He worked his way up in the industry, to eventually becoming the financial editor at the Toronto Mail.

In 1887, Maclean, along with his brother Hugh, entered the publishing business with the company Maclean Publishing. Their first publication was the Canadian Grocer & Storekeeper's Newspaper. In 1888, Maclean added trade magazines to the publications. They published Hardware and Metal, Dry Goods Review, and Printer and Publisher.

In 1898, Maclean attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Canadian Militia. He was given command of Montreal's Royal Canadian Hussars. He remained in command until 1903.

Starting in 1905, Maclean began publishing a string of magazines. The first was The Business Magazine which changed it's name to The Busy Man's Magazine and then to Maclean's Magazine in 1911. The magazine, which is still in publication, gave a uniquely Canadian view of the world, political and social events. In 1907 he started the Financial Post, the Farmer's Magazine in 1910 and Mayfair in 1927. In 1928 he founded Chatelaine, a woman's lifestyle magazine. Like Maclean's Magazine it is still in circulation and is the number one magazine in paid circulation in Canada. Chatelaine is also published in French.

Maclean retired from publishing in 1945.

Maclean passed away on September 25th, 1950.

Maclean was a member of Ionic Lodge No. 25 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.