An almost-complete overview of the

History of British Newspapers

1700 - 1750

• 1701 - Sept 6 : Estimated first issue of the Norwich Post: probably the first provincial newspaper.
  
• 1702 - March 11 : Daily Courant founded, first daily paper. Ceased publication in 1735.
  
• 1704 : Weekly Review founded by Daniel Defoe.
  
• 1704 - Aug 12 : Earliest surviving copy of a provincial newspaper: William Bonny's Bristol Post-Boy (No. 91).
  
• 1705 : Edinburgh Courant founded.
  
• 1706 : Evening Post, first evening newspaper, founded.
  
• 1709 : First Copyright Act.
  
• 1709 : Tatler founded by Steele and Addison.
  
• 1709 : Worcester Post-Man founded. Became Berrow's Worcester Journal in 1753. Britain's oldest surviving non-official newspaper.
  
• 1710 : Examiner founded, with Swift briefly as editor.
  
• 1711 : Spectator founded by Steele and Addison.
  
• 1712 - Aug : Stamp duty imposed on newspapers and advertisements.
  
• 1713 : Stamford Mercury founded, second oldest surviving provincial newspaper.
  
• 1719 : Daily Post founded, with Defoe as contributor.
  
• 1727 : London Evening Post founded. Ceased publication in 1797.
  
• 1730 - Feb 3 : Daily Advertiser founded. Ceased publication in 1798.
• 1731 : Gentleman's Magazine founded by Edward Cave. Ceased publication in 1914.
  
• 1734 : Lloyd's List founded.
  
• 1737 : Belfast Newsletter, the world's oldest surviving general daily newspaper, founded.
  
• 1738 : All parliamentary reporting suppressed.
  
• 1747 - Dec 29 : Aberdeen Journal founded, later Press and Journal, the oldest surviving Scottish newspaper.

1751-1800

• 1754 : Leedes Intelligencer founded, later the Yorkshire Post.
  
• 1755 - Oct 18 : Bath Advertiser, Bath's second newspaper, founded to include 'Lists of the Nobility and Gentry resorting to the BATH; with an Account of Plays perform'd at both the Theatres'.
  
• 1760 - Jan 12 : Public Ledger founded: oldest British periodical with continuous daily publication.
  
• 1763 : First open reporting of Parliament since June 1738, in the North Briton under John Wilkes, who was prosecuted for seditious libel.
  
• 1770 : Morning Chronicle founded. Ceased publication in 1862.
  
• 1771 : Press wins the right to report Parliamentary proceedings.
  
• 1772 : Morning Post founded by John Bell. Merged with Daily Telegraph in 1937.
  
• 1779 : First London Sunday newspaper: (Mrs) E. Johnson's British Gazette and Sunday Monitor. Ceased publication in 1829.
  
• 1780 - Nov 1 : Morning Herald founded. Ceased publication in 1869.
  
• 1785 - Jan 1 : Daily Universal Register founded by John Walter I. Became the Times on 1 January 1788. Britain's oldest surviving newspaper with continuous daily publication.
  
• 1788 - May 3 : Star and Evening Advertiser launched: the first daily evening newspaper.
  
• 1790 - June 20 : Sunday Chronicle announces 4 a.m. Sunday morning publication, instead of Saturday night. All Sunday papers adopt the practice about this time.
  
• 1791 - Dec 1 : Observer founded: oldest surviving Sunday newspaper.
  
• 1794 - Feb 8 : Morning Advertiser founded by the Licensed Victuallers Association. In 1815 it became the first daily published in Fleet Street.
  
• 1796 - May 1 : Bell's Weekly Messenger founded. Ceased publication in 1896.

1801 - 1850

• 1801 - Sept 27 : Weekly Dispatch launched. Became Sunday Dispatch in 1928. Ceased publication in 1961.
  
• 1802 - Jan 1 : Cobbett's Annual Register founded, later Cobbett's Weekly Political Register. Ceased publication in 1836.
  
• 1803 : Globe launched. Merged with Pall Mall Gazette in 1921.
  
• 1804 : Cambrian launched in Swansea. First newspaper published in Wales.
  
• 1806 - Jan 10 : First use of illustration in the Times: Nelson's funeral.
  
• 1808 - Jan 3 : Examiner launched. Editor Leigh Hunt imprisoned in 1813 for publishing criticism of the Prince Regent. Ceased publication in 1881.
  
• 1808 : North Wales Gazette launched in Bangor. First newspaper published in North Wales.
  
• 1810 : Carmarthen Journal launched.
  
• 1814 - Jan 1 : Baptist Minister, Joseph Harrris launches Seren Gomer ('Star of Gomer') in Swansea. First Welsh-language newspaper.
  
• 1814 - Nov 24 : First issue of a newspaper - the Times - printed on a (Koenig) power press.
  
• 1815 : Stamp Duty increased to 4d per sheet.
  
• 1817 - Jan 25 : Scotsman launched.
  
• 1821 - Feb 18 : New Observer launched. Became the Sunday Times on 20 October 1822.
  
• 1821 - May 5 : Manchester Guardian founded by John Edward Taylor.
  
• 1822 : Stamp Office agrees to pass copies of all newspapers to British Museum.
  
• 1822 : Cardiff Weekly Reporter launched.
  
• 1822 - March 3 : Bell's Life in London adds and Sporting Chronicle to its title. First newspaper to include sport as a major component. Merged with Sporting Life in 1886.
  
• 1827 - May 21 : Standard launched, later Evening Standard.
  
• 1828 - July 5 : Spectator founded.
  
• 1832 : First recorded British newspaper cartoon, published in Bell's New Weekly Messenger.
  
• 1837 : Northern Star, major Chartist newspaper, founded in Leeds by Feargus O'Connor.
  
• 1841 - July 17 : Punch founded. Ceased publication in 1992; re-launched in 1996.
  
• 1841 - Nov 12 : Jewish Chronicle founded. Oldest Jewish newspaper in the world.
  
• 1842 - May 14 : Illustrated London News launched: first fully illustrated weekly.
  
• 1842 - Nov 27 : Lloyd's Illustrated London Newspaper launched, later Lloyd's Weekly News. Became Sunday News in 1923; incorporated with Sunday Graphic in 1931.
  
• 1843 : Yr Amserau ('The Times') founded in Liverpool by John Jones and edited by William Rees. Published in the Isle of Man between July and September 1848. Merged with Baner Cymru ('Banner of Wales') in 1859 under Thomas Gee to become Baner ac Amserau Cymru.
  
• 1843 - Sept 2 : Economist founded, to campaign for free trade.
  
• 1843 - Oct 1 : News of the World founded by John Browne Bell at 3d. Newsagents at first refused to handle it at such a low price.
  
• 1844 - Aug 6 : First story based on telegraphed news printed in the Times: birth of Queen's son at Windsor.
  
• 1846 : Mitchell's Newspaper Press Directory founded, later Benn's Media Directory.
  
• 1846 - Jan 21 : Daily News launched, edited by Charles Dickens.
  
• 1848 : William Howard Russell joins staff of the Times. Shortly to become first professional war correspondent.
  
• 1848 : First W.H. Smith station bookstall opened, at Euston.
  
• 1850 - May 5 : Reynold's Weekly Newspaper launched. Became Sunday Citizen in 1962; ceased publication in 1967.

1851-1900

• 1851 : Reuters News Agency opens in London.
  
• 1853 - Aug : Abolition of advertisement tax.
  
• 1855 : Yr Herald Cymraeg launched in Caernarfon.
  
• 1855 - June 29 : Daily Telegraph launched.
  
• 1855 - July 1 : Repeal of the Stamp Act opens the way for cheap, mass-circulation newspapers and modern newspaper design in terms of spacing and headlines.
  
• 1855 - Aug 4 : Colored News, first coloured newspaper, launched. Discontinued 29 September.
  
• 1855 : Clerkenwell News launched; became Daily Chronicle in 1872.
  
• 1855 - Sept 20 : Daily Telegraph becomes the first 1d London morning newspaper.
  
• 1857 : Daily Telegraph invents box number system for classified advertisements.
  
• 1859 - March 24 : Penny Bell's Life & Sporting News launched. Became Sporting Life on 30 April.
  
• 1859 - March 29 : Irish Times launched.
  
• 1861 : Paper duty abolished.
  
• 1861 - May 20 : First daily newspaper published in Wales: Cambrian Daily Leader is launched in Swansea.
  
• 1865 - Feb 7 : Pall Mall Gazette launched. Merged with Evening Standard in 1923.
  
• 1868 : Press Association formed.
  
• 1868 - Dec 8 : Echo launched, first ½d daily. Ceased publication in 1905.
  
• 1869 - May 1 : Western Mail launched.
  
• 1869 : Newspapers deposited directly with British Museum by publishers.
  
• 1869 - Dec 4 : Graphic launched. Ceased publication in 1932.
  
• 1871 : Central News founded to rival Press Association.
  
• 1872 : C.P. Scott becomes editor of Manchester Guardian (until 1929).
  
• 1872 - Feb 7 : South Wales Daily News launched in Cardiff.
  
• 1880 : W.T. Stead succeeds John Morley on Pall Mall Gazette and introduces 'new journalism', including the interview and gossip column, into Britain.
  
• 1880 - May 31 : St James Gazette launched. Merged with Evening Standard in 1905.
  
• 1881 - July 26 : Evening News launched. Merged with Evening Standard in 1980.
  
• 1881 - Oct 16 : People launched.
  
• 1881 - Oct 22 : Tit-Bits launched by George Newnes.
  
• 1888 - Jan 9 : London Financial Guide launched. Became Financial Times on 13 February.
  
• 1888 - Jan 17 : Star launched. Merged with Evening News in 1960.
  
• 1888 : David Lloyd George forms a company to produce the Welsh weekly, Udgorn Rhyddid ('Trumpet of Freedom').
  
• 1889 - March 30 : Early use of photographs: Cambridge and Oxford boat crews, in Illustrated London News.
  
• 1890 - Jan 4 : Daily Graphic launched, first daily illustrated paper. Merged with Daily Sketch in 1926.
  
• 1891 - Nov 4 : First half-tone newspaper picture published in Daily Graphic: that of George Lambert, Liberal parliamentary candidate.
  
• 1892 - May 21 : Morning founded; became London Morning in 1898, then Morning Herald; purchased by C. Arthur Pearson; in September 1900 merged with Daily Express.
  
• 1892 - May 23 : Morning Leader founded: later amalgamated with Daily News.
  
• 1893 - Jan 2 : Financial Times first appears on pink paper.
  
• 1893 - Jan 31 : Westminster Gazette launched. Merged with Daily News in 1928.
  
• 1893 - Feb 13 : South Wales Daily Post launched in Swansea.
  
• 1896 - May 4 : Daily Mail launched by Harmsworth (later Lord Northcliffe).
  
• 1897 - June 23 : Largest news illustration ever printed by any daily paper in the UK, of the Diamond Jubilee procession, published in Daily Mail.
  
• 1899 : Llais Llafur launched by Ebeneser Rees. Ceased publication in 1915.
  
• 1900 - April 24 : Daily Express launched by Pearson. First national daily to put news on the front page.

1901 - 1950

• 1902 - Jan 17 : Times Literary Supplement launched.
  
• 1903 - Nov 2 : Daily Mirror launched by Harmsworth. First daily illustrated exclusively with photographs.
  
• 1907 : National Union of Journalists (NUJ) founded.
  
• 1908 - Nov 14 : Illustrated Weekly Budget launched: 'The only 1d newspaper in the world printed in colour'. Only seven issues published.
  
• 1909 - March 2 : Daily Sketch launched. Merged with the Daily Mail in 1971.
  
• 1911 : Copyright Act.
  
• 1911 - Jan 25 : Daily Herald launched. First newspaper to sell two million copies.
  
• 1913 - April 12 : New Statesman founded by Sidney Webb.
  
• 1914 - March 11 : First half-tone in the Times: a 4 by 3 inch picture of the Rokeby Venus, damaged in a Suffragette demonstration.
  
• 1915 : 'Teddy Tail' - first British comic strip - in the Daily Mail.
  
• 1915 - March 14 : Sunday Pictorial launched by Rothermere. Became Sunday Mirror in 1963.
  
• 1916 : Daily Express bought by Max Aitken (later Lord Beaverbrook).
  
• 1918 - Dec 29 : Sunday Express launched.
  
• 1922 - Aug 14 : Death of Lord Northcliffe.
  
• 1924 - Nov 2 : First crossword in a British newspaper, in the Sunday Express.
  
• 1926 - May : Most newspapers suspended during the General Strike. Government publishes British Gazette; TUC publishes British Worker.
  
• 1930 - Jan 1 : Daily Worker launched. Became Morning Star in 1966.
  
• 1930 - Feb 1 : First Times crossword.
  
• 1930 - June 2 : News Chronicle formed by the merger of the Daily News and the Daily Chronicle. Merged with Daily Mail in 1960.
  
• 1931 : Audit Bureau of Circulations formed.
  
• 1932 - Aug 23 : British Museum Newspaper Library opened at Colindale in North London.
  
• 1934 - Oct 18 : Daily Mail publishes the first photograph to be transmitted by beam radio (from Melbourne to London).
  
• 1938 - Oct 1 : Picture Post launched by Edward Hulton. Ceased publication in 1957.
  
• 1940 : Newsprint rationing introduced.
  
• 1940 - Nov 26 : Death of Lord Rothermere.
  
• 1941 : Daily Worker and Week suppressed.
  
• 1947 : First Royal Commission on the Press.

1951-2000

• 1953 : General Council of the Press formed.
  
• 1954 - Oct 3 : The Manchester Sunday paper, Emire News, sets up its first Cardiff edition as 'Wales's Own Sunday Paper: Printed in Wales for Wales'.
  
• 1959 - Aug 24 : Manchester Guardian changes title to the Guardian, based in London.
  
• 1961 : Second Royal Commission on the Press.
  
• 1961 - Feb 5 : Sunday Telegraph launched.
  
• 1962 - Feb 4 : Launch of Sunday Times magazine as Sunday Times Colour Section.
  
• 1964 : Press Council replaces General Council of the Press.
  
• 1964 - June 9 : Death of Lord Beaverbrook.
  
• 1964 - Sept 6 : Observer colour supplement launched.
  
• 1964 - Sept 15 : Daily Herald becomes the Sun.
  
• 1964 - Sept 25 : Daily Telegraph magazine launched.
  
• 1966 : Times bought by Roy Thomson, owner of the Sunday Times.
  
• 1966 - May 3 : Times begins printing news on the front page.
  
• 1969 : News of the World bought by Rupert Murdoch.
  
• 1969 - Nov 17 : Sun re-launched as a tabloid by Rupert Murdoch.
  
• 1973 : Y Dinesydd launched in Cardiff: the first of the Welsh-language community papers ('papurau bro') established in Wales.
  
• 1974 : Third Royal Commission on the Press.
  
• 1976 : Evening Post (Nottingham) becomes the first British newspaper to introduce direct input by journalists.
  
• 1978 - Nov 2 : Daily Star launched.
  
• 1978 - Dec 1 : Publication of the Times and Sunday Times suspended for eleven months.
  
• 1979 : Financial Times launches international edition in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
  
• 1980 : Daily Star printed simultaneously by facsimile in London and Manchester.
  
• 1980 - Oct 31 : Closure of Evening News leaves London with just one evening newspaper.
  
• 1981 : Rupert Murdoch buys the Times and Sunday Times.
  
• 1981 - May 3 : Sunday Express magazine launched.
  
• 1981 - Sept 6 : News of the World magazine, Sunday, launched.
  
• 1982 - May 2 : Mail on Sunday launched: the first photocomposed national newspaper in Britain.
  
• 1982 - Oct 17 : Sulyn launched: first Welsh-language Sunday newspaper. Ceased publication in January 1983.
  
• 1984 : Robert Maxwell buys the Mirror Group.
  
• 1985 : Daily Telegraph bought by Conrad Black.
  
• 1986 : News International moves all national titles to its new plant at Wapping.
  
• 1986 - March 4 : Today launched by Eddy Shah, first national colour newspaper.
  
• 1986 - Sept 14 : Sunday Sport launched.
  
• 1986 - Oct 7 : Independent launched.
  
• 1987 : Today bought by Rupert Murdoch.
  
• 1987 : First women editors of national newspapers in modern times: Wendy Henry (News of the World) and Eve Pollard (Sunday Mirror).
  
• 1987 - Feb 24 : London Daily News launched by Robert Maxwell: the first attempt at a 24-hour newspaper in Britain. Ceased publication on 23 July.
  
• 1987 - April 26 : News on Sunday launched. Ceased publication in November.
  
• 1988 - Aug 17 : Sport launched, initially appearing every Wednesday.
  
• 1989 - March 5 : Wales on Sunday launched in Cardiff.
  
• 1989 - Sept 17 : Sunday Correspondent launched. Ceased publication 25 November 1990.
  
• 1990 - Jan 28 : Independent on Sunday launched.
  
• 1990 - May 11 : European launched by Robert Maxwell. Ceased publication on 14 December 1998.
  
• 1991 : Press Complaints Commission (PCC) replaces the Press Council.
  
• 1991 - Oct 7 : Sport becomes daily.
  
• 1991 - Nov 5 : Death of Robert Maxwell.
  
• 1992 : Dundee Courier becomes the last daily in Britain to put news not advertisements on its front page.
  
• 1993 : Observer bought by Guardian Media Group.
  
• 1994 - Nov : Electronic Telegraph launched: first British national on the Internet.
  
• 1995 - Nov 17 : Today ceases publication: first national to close since the Daily Sketch.
  
• 1997 - Nov 11 : Shetland Times versus Shetland News: Scotland's test case on Internet links, settled out of court, permits the News, under certain conditions, to link to stories on the Times's website.
  
• 1998 - March 15 : Sport First launched: Britain's first national Sunday newspaper dedicated to sport.
  
• 1998 - May 17 : Death of Hugh, Lord Cudlipp of Aldingbourne, who first joined the Daily Mirror in 1935.
  
• 1998 - Sept 1 : Death of Vere Harmsworth, Third Viscount Rothermere.
  
• 1999 - March 16 : Metro launched: a daily newspaper distributed free to travellers on the London Underground (the Tube).
  
• 2000 - Sept 20 : Business a.m. launched: the first new, daily newspaper in Scotland for 100 years.

Ingredients: Lecture notes, handouts, the Internet, The British Library Board, and lots, lots, lots of time