British newspapers have come a long way since their early conception and in that
time, they’ve had a massive influence on British culture. In the 17
th
century, newspapers started out as simple pamphlets or news sheets. In 1665,
these pamphlets eventually gave way to the Oxford Gazette, the first
newspaper to be published in Britain. By the 1720s, there were 24 full-fledged
newspapers in circulation in Britain. On March 11, 1702, the first daily British
newspaper, Edward Mallet’s Daily Courant, was published. Known for the
two columns of news from abroad, it provided a solid link to the world beyond
Britain’s borders. Interestingly, a paper was only published through Saturday;
the Sunday paper didn’t come until later in the 18
th century.
The next years saw huge growth in the newspaper industry. There were about 52
separate papers in London, and the surrounding areas had over 100. When the
Stamp Act was abolished in 1885, the newspaper industry boomed. Not having to
deal with the increasing cost of publishing materials, even small publishers
were able to put out a daily paper. As the people’s thirst for knowledge from
outside their borders increased, the industry received a huge boost. The period
also marked the rise and fall of several huge papers including the Northern
Star and Manchester Guardian. One of the biggest names to start
publishing at this time was The Daily Mail in 1896.
When Britain entered the 20
th century, the papers progressed as well.
In 1914, photos were being published and comic strips appeared in 1915. In 1924,
crossword puzzles were being published as well. Today, the British newspaper
industry is caught in the same straits as the rest of the world’s, struggling to
stay relevant when people are turning to their computers for news. Still, the
newspaper was a huge part of the average Englishman’s life for quite a long
time.
British Library Newspapers: Discusses the history of British newspapers.
London Gazette:
Discusses the history of one of Britain’s most famous papers, the London
Gazette.
A Brief History of Newspapers: Offers a brief history of the newspaper industry.
Norwich Post: Discusses
the history of the
Norwich Post, the first British paper ever
published.
History of British Newspapers: A timeline of events in the history of British
newspapers.
History of the British Newspaper in the Nineteenth Century: Discusses
important events in the 19
th century.
19th Century Examples: Examples of articles that ran during the 19
th century.
The Stamp Act:
Discusses the Stamp Act, an important Act that heavily influenced the industry.
Epson Ink Cartridges: The best prices on Epson Ink Cartridges.
History of Papers: A look at the history of British newspapers.
Newspaper Collections: Links to sites containing collections of old
newspapers.
Papers: Brief History: Brief history of newspapers.
17th and 18th Century Newspapers: Page that has links to things like newspaper databases.
British Paper Timeline: Timeline of important events in the history of
newspapers.
19th Century British Library Newspapers: Online database for 19
th
century papers.
Online Collections: Links to archives of papers from various periods.
This was written by
Clickinks.com the home of Printer inks and Laser Toner
Popular Searches