Explore News: Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Newspapers
- 3rd December 2022
The first evidence of printing in Worcester after the lapse of the Printing Act in 1695 coincides with the emergence of the first known Worcester newspaper. Valentine Green claims that a newspaper was published on an occasional basis after the Glorious Revolution and John Chambers gives an unverified date of 1690. However, there is no physical evidence of a newspaper printed in Worcester until the arrival of Stephen Bryan. It is not known exactly why or what date he came to Worcester and set up his printing office, but he did not finish his apprenticeship with the Stationers’ Company until 1706 and it is fairly certain that Bryan had established a weekly newspaper, the Worcester Postman in Worcester by 1709. No newspapers survive from this date, the earliest known copy is from December 1710, where the newspaper consists of two separate sheets. The archive holds a negative photocopy of this.
The earliest newspapers often contained little local news and were mainly concerned with news from London and abroad, but as time progressed more local news was reported. Although we do not always have every date (depending on survival), many of our holdings of newspapers can be searched on microfilm in our self-service area, including the Worcester Postman, from 1712.
The Worcester Postman
Details of these microfilm holdings can be found on our website at: Newspapers on Microfilm at The Hive (explorethepast.co.uk)
We also have some occasional and unexpected copies of newspapers and periodicals held within our original archives.
A periodical entitled The Paul Pry included gossip from Worcester for a period in 1840. Its short run in the city was a contentious one, which included the horsewhipping of the suspected agent, and resulted in court appearances and alleged libel. The Worcestershire Chronicle particularly reported their condemnation of this publication. We house a couple of copies in our archives including one from 28th June 1840 (Ref: 899:1434/BA13392/1-3). Looking further a field we even have a copy of the Kilmarnock Journal and Ayrshire Advertiser printed by Hugh Crawford and Son from September 5th 1839!
Kilmarnock journal 1839 Ref: b899:310/10470/520
A copy of the Penny London Post from October 2nd to October 4th 1745, although maybe not original, details information on the Battle of Preston Pans.
 Penny London post 1745 Ref: Ta8919/2(i) As an aside, in 1957 it was proposed that Worcester open a newspaper museum at Queen Elizabeth I House. It would be interesting to see how this might have been expanded if it had come into fruition! It is also somewhat apt that many of our microfilm copies of newspapers were once held next door at our old History Centre home! |
Post a Comment