Hot Off The Press – New Titles This Week

At The Archive this week we are delighted to announce the addition of some 254,727 brand new pages, as we remember the Royal Charter Storm of October 1859, which was one of the most severe storms to hit the British Isles during the 19th century. Meanwhile, we have added six brand new titles from across the United Kingdom and Ireland, including two with a sporting bent, as well as updating fifteen of our existing titles.

So read on to discover more about our new and updated titles of the week, and also to learn more about the devastating Royal Charter Storm, which raged on the 25 and 26 October 1859.

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The Aston Times

Our first brand new title of the week is the Aston Times, which was established in 1884. Circulating in ‘Aston, Birmingham, and the district of North Warwickshire,’ this title described itself as being ‘a family newspaper and local journal of general intelligence.’

Aston Times | 15 January 1887

Filling eight pages and appearing every Saturday at the cost of just one penny, the Aston Times published local news from the likes of the Aston Police Court and the Coleshill Petty Sessions, alongside international and national news. Meanwhile, the Birmingham-based publication printed serialised fiction, hints for the home, ‘bits from books,’ and a ‘Ladies’ Column.’

Politically independent, the Aston Times boasted local iterations, which were the Harborne and Edgbaston Times, the Birmingham Suburban Times, and the Sutton and Coldfield Times.

The Illustrograph (Dublin)

We hop across the Irish Sea now to introduce our second new title of the week, which is the wonderfully named Illustrograph. Printed in Dublin, the first edition of the Illustrograph appeared in January 1894, at the cost of 6d.

Illustrograph (Dublin) | 1 February 1894

‘A monthly illustrated paper,’ it was edited by H. Easom Hudson. Filling over twenty pages, it printed photographs of key Irish and British figures of the late nineteenth century, with portraits of the likes of the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George V and Queen Mary) reproduced across its pages.

Meanwhile, the Illustrograph printed engaging articles on a range of subjects, with such titles as ‘Our Oldest School,’ ‘A Short Tour in America,’ and ‘Famous Amateur Pantomimists.’ Furthermore, to be found within the title’s pages were short stories, news from across Ireland, news from elsewhere, and poetry.

Such a combination proved to be a winning formula. Some years after the Illustrograph’s launch the Midland Tribune, 13 February 1896, wrote in praise of the illustrated Irish title. Dubbed ‘The Graphic of Ireland,’ the piece described how ‘the Illustrograph is as healthy in tone as it is exquisite in the workmanship employed to turn it out. It is moreover thoroughly Irish in every sense, and well worth the modest sixpence at which it is sold.’

Illustrograph (Dublin) | 1 September 1898

The article furthermore noted how:

The best writers and artists are employed to contribute to its columns in which will be found illustrated notices from time to time of the following most interesting subjects – Irish institutions and their officials, noted Irish families and their homes, obituary of the month, with photos of notable Irish deceased people, Irish weddings with portraits of the contracting parties, notable occurrences of the month, types of Irish beauty, in various stages of development, from infancy to maturity, Irish cities, towns, picturesque places, sports, social functions and fashions.

The Irish Golfer

We stay in Ireland to welcome the first of our two new sporting titles this week. First published on 23 August 1899, and founded by J.C. Percy, the Irish Golfer promised to be a ‘weekly record of the royal game.’

Irish Golfer | 1 November 1899

Appearing every Wednesday at the cost of 2d., the Irish Golfer filled some 24 pages. A love letter to the golf, the title’s debut editorial announced how:

THE IRISH GOLFER is the evolution – or perhaps we might say the natural development arising out of the wonderful progress of the Royal and Ancient game in this country… It shall be, in every sense of the term, ‘A journal written by golfers for golfers,’ as we have already engaged upon our staff the best journalistic and literary talent in the Irish golfing world. We trust to make the I.G. a bright weekly letter, to the receipt of which every golfer will look forward with feelings of pleasure and delight.

To that end, the Irish Golfer printed reports from the Golfing Union of Ireland, descriptions of golf clubs across Ireland, photographs of famous golfers, as well as details of golf fixtures and the history of the sport.

Irish Golfer | 23 August 1899

In 1904 the title won praise from the Londonderry Standard, which described the Irish Golfer as being ‘bright and lively from cover to cover.’ Indeed, the article concluded that the Irish Golfer was ‘a very pleasant and useful study.’

The Mid-Surrey Gazette

Next up we have the Mid-Surrey Gazette, which was established in 1876. This Liberal paper circulated throughout south-west London, in the likes of Battersea, Balham, Tooting, Putney, Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Merton, Streatham, and Clapham.

Mid-Surrey Gazette | 9 February 1878

Described as being a ‘thorough local paper,’ and as ‘circulating among all classes,’ the Mid-Surrey Gazette appeared every Saturday at the price of one penny. Indeed, this publication was devoted to news from the area, featuring the latest from the likes of the Wandsworth and Clapham Union, the Wandsworth Police Court, and the Surrey Sessions. Meanwhile, the Mid-Surrey Gazette printed local railway timetables, extracts from the comic papers, and correspondence from readers.

Furthermore, the Mid-Surrey Gazette was divided into several local issues, which were the Battersea Herald, the Clapham Times, the Wandsworth Journal, the Streatham Star, and the Tooting and Balham Herald.

The Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times

Our penultimate new title of the week hails from the Nottinghamshire market town of Sutton-in-Ashfield, and it is the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times. Circulating in ‘every town and village in North Notts and East Derby,’ this Liberal newspaper was established in 1846.

Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times | 4 April 1857

Appearing every Saturday and priced at one penny, the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times filled four pages with news from the Sutton-in-Ashfield area. Alongside such local news, the paper also presented a ‘Review of Foreign Affairs,’ as well as updates from a London correspondent.

Sports and Play

We return to Birmingham to welcome our final new title of the week, Sports and Play. ‘The Midland Authority on Cycling, Athletics, and Golf,’ this special sporting title incorporated The Athlete, which was founded in 1879.

Sports and Play | 3 February 1891

Sports and Play came along a little later, in 1886, and it appeared every Tuesday, priced at one penny. If the Irish Golfer is a love letter to Irish golf, then Sports and Play is a love letter to Midlands sport in its different forms. With pieces like ‘Wheeldom,’ which was devoted to cycling, and poems even inspired by sport, with one such work entitled ‘My Cycle and I,’ Sports and Play provides a detail look at sport across the Midlands across its sixteen pages.

For example, the title printed sections entitled ‘Kidderminster Notes,’ ‘Wolverhampton Notes,’ ‘Walsall Notes,’ and ‘Burton Football Notes,’ whilst reporting on football matches across all different levels, and providing lists of football fixtures. Meanwhile, Sports and Play also reported on cricket.

Our updated titles this week

We have a delightful range of updated titles for you to get stuck into this week. The majority of our updates this week, indeed, nine out of fifteen, are to our Scottish titles, with highlights including the over 28,000 brand new pages we’ve added to the Kilsyth Chronicle, the over 23,000 brand new pages we’ve added to the Musselburgh News, and the over 20,000 brand new pages we’ve added to the Forfar Dispatch.

Kilsyth Chronicle | 19 September 1941

Elsewhere, other updates of note are the over 40,000 brand new pages that have joined the Wigan Evening Post, whilst over 28,000 brand new pages join the ranks of the Pudsey & Stanningley News. Finally, we’ve updated one of our titles from the Republic of Ireland, the Irish Church Advocate.

The Royal Charter Storm

166 years ago this weekend a storm that would come to be known as the Royal Charter Storm, named after the devastating shipwreck that occurred during the tempestuous weather, ravaged the British Isles. Articles from one of our new titles this week, the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times, shed a poignant light on the storm that claimed the lives of some 800 people, and sunk 135 ships.

Early news of the Royal Charter Storm’s devastation hit the pages of the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times on 29 October 1859, three days after the storm had abated. Under the headline the ‘Loss of the Royal Charter,’ it was reported that a telegram had been received in Liverpool from Bangor. This telegram detailed how the Royal Charter, a steamer that was returning from Melbourne, had ‘been wrecked in Red wharf bay, and that many lives had been lost.’

The wreck of the Royal Charter | Illustrated London News | 5 November 1859

Indeed, a week later the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times devoted over two columns to the ‘Heartrending Shipwreck’ of the Royal Charter, which claimed some 459 lives. The paper described the sinking as ‘the most disastrous shipwreck of modern times,’ as the Royal Charter struck the rocks off Porth Heleath, on the northeast coast of Angelsey, after trying and failing to get a Liverpool pilot on board at Point Lynas.

Ravaged by heavy winds, and the ensuing ‘tremendous waves,’ the Royal Charter was ‘swung…about on the rocks, and she divided amidships engulfing all on board.’ Tragically, many were ‘killed by the breaking up of the ship.’ One brave crewmember, a sailor named Joseph Rodgers, managed to get a rope to shore, with the result that some 39 crew members and passengers were saved. All were men, and their names are listed by the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times here.

Brave seaman Joseph Rodgers | Illustrated London News | 26 November 1859

The Royal Charter shipwreck was an unprecedented disaster in Welsh maritime history. It represents the largest loss of life in any shipwreck along the Welsh coast.

It was not, however, tragically to be the only shipwreck to occur during the storm in late October 1859. On 19 November 1859 the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times reported how:

We believe we speak without exaggeration when we say that the 25th and 26th of October have engraved a melancholy line in the annals of maritime disasters. For the time that gale lasted it was perhaps the most destructive of any storm since the beginning of this century, the loss of vessels and life being most appalling whilst its devastating fury continued.

Meanwhile, the piece went on to list ‘the melancholy catalogue of forty-four ships in which life was lost, in thirty-one of them the loss being total.’ We have reproduced the list below, the name of the Royal Charter being included.

Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times | 19 November 1859

Meanwhile, the Midland Gazette and Mansfield Times also paid testament to the ‘saving of life during the late storm.’ The piece included the words of Inspecting-Lieutenant Hippisley, of the Coastguard at Dungeness, who described the storm as being ‘a perfect hurricane at times, as dark as pitch.’

Moreover, the article reports on the monetary rewards given to those by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), who saved lives or attempted to save lives in the storm. For example, a fishing boat ‘in the neighbourhood of the wreck of the Royal Charter, with a crew of eight men, to whom was voted £12, had striven for upwards of an hour to save life from a wrecked schooner, and having been driven on shore four times, succeeded at last in reaching the wreck, and bringing the poor fellows on shore in an exhausted state.’

Illustrated London News | 12 November 1859

The bravery exhibited by such men, as well as by the likes of Joseph Rodgers, is inspiring, as we pause to remember the dreadful impact of the Royal Charter Storm 166 years ago.

Discover more about the Royal Charter Storm, shipwrecks across Britain and beyond, in the pages of our Archive today.

New Titles

Updated titles

This week we have updated fifteen of our existing titles.

You can learn more about each of the titles we add to every week by clicking on their names. On each paper’s title page, you can read a free sample issue, learn more about our current holdings, and our plans for digitisation.

You can keep up to date with all the latest additions by visiting the recently added page.  You can even look ahead to see what we’re going to add tomorrow.