Hot Off The Press – New Titles This Week

This week at The Archive we are marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day by examining the striking front pages of our newspapers. We’re also continuing to add new pages to our collection, with 125,548 brand new pages joining us over the last seven days, which includes the addition of five brand new newspaper titles and the updating of eighteen of our existing titles from across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

So read on to see the headlines from VE Day from 80 years ago, and also to learn more about all of our new and updated titles of the week.

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Our first new title of the week is the Altrincham Chronicle, which was established in 1887 with the full title of the Altrincham Division Chronicle and Cheshire County News. Serving the market town of Altrincham, which lies within the historic county borders of Cheshire but now is a part of Greater Manchester, the Altrincham Chronicle appeared every Friday at the cost of one penny.

Altrincham Chronicle | 8 February 1889

Strictly ‘non-political,’ this weekly newspaper circulated ‘in the whole of the Altrincham division of Cheshire, comprising Altrincham, Bowden, Sale, Lymm, and some of the richest farming districts of Cheshire.’ Indeed, it paid ‘great attention to the interests of the district,’ with full reports on the ‘local news.’

To this end, the Altrincham Chronicle reported on the latest from the likes of the Stockport Board of Guardians, the Macclesfield Savings Bank, and the Warrington Farmers’ Club. Meanwhile, the paper featured literary notices, a ‘Letter for the Ladies,’ serialised fiction, correspondence from readers, and reports on sporting exploits within the local area.

Our next duo of new titles this week both hail from Barrow-in-Furness, a port town in Cumbria, within the historic boundaries of Lancashire. First up we have the Barrow News, which was established in 1881. Politically independent, this newspaper initially appeared biweekly every Tuesday and Saturday before moving to a weekly publication schedule.

Barrow News | 30 June 1888

The Barrow News circulated ‘throughout the Furness, North Lancashire, Cumberland, and Westmoreland districts.’ It featured ‘full and complete’ reports on local news, for example relaying the latest police intelligence, reporting from the Lancaster Quarter Sessions and Barrow Town Council, as well as reporting on local organisations like the North Lonsdale Ornithological Society. The paper also printed notices of births, marriages and deaths, and took a look at a range of local sports.

Meanwhile, ‘the latest political, parliamentary, general and commercial news’ could be ‘regularly found in its pages.’ A particularly interesting feature of this paper was its serialised fiction, which was often submitted by local authors. Costing just one halfpenny, the Barrow News later incorporated the Barrow Times, our next new newspaper of the week.

Barrow Times | 14 May 1881

Liberal title the Barrow Times was established in 1866. Appearing every Saturday, it filled eight pages, featuring a mix of local and general news. For example, the newspaper reported on the latest from the Barrow, Riverston and Furness District, as well as on news from the Ulverston Board of Guardians. Costing one penny, it printed notices of births, marriages and deaths, serialised fiction, and shipping intelligence.

Our penultimate new title of the week is the Hastings & St. Leonards Advertiser, which was established in 1855 as Osborne’s Directory and Fashionable Advertiser for Hastings and St. Leonards. Indeed, it was published by Charlotte Osborne in the seaside resort town of Hastings, Sussex, and as such, it provides a fascinating insight into the makeup of the town.

Hastings & St. Leonards Advertiser | 11 January 1862

Appearing every Saturday at the cost of three halfpence, the publication printed a ‘correct List of Arrival and Departures’ to and from the town, alongside ‘a complete Directory of the Resident Nobility, Gentry, and Clergy in Hastings and St Leonards.’ The Hastings & St. Leonards Advertiser served as a complete guidebook to the Sussex seaside town, providing tide timetables, a list of the ‘interesting spots worthy of a visit,’ and the ‘principle Walks and Drives’ to be found in the area.

Insomuch, the Hastings & St. Leonards Advertiser provided ‘every information requisite for Visitors,’ such detail extending to information regarding medical institutions, banks, and charities in the area. The title, meanwhile, was subject to change, becoming variously known as the Hastings & St. Leonards Advertiser, Visitors’ Guide and Railway Time Table and the Hastings & St. Leonards Pictorial Advertiser and Visitors’ List.

Hastings & St. Leonards Advertiser | 16 January 1913

Circulating ‘extensively amongst the residents, visitors and tradesman of Hastings, St. Leonards, and district,’ the Hastings & St Leonards Advertiser is a wonderful record of Sussex seaside life in the Victorian period and beyond.

Our final new title of the week is the Laisterdyke & Bowling News, which was first published in Bradford on 26 July 1895 at the cost of one halfpenny. Circulating in the ‘townships in between Leeds and Bradford-Morley and Yeadon,’ this title was established with the aim of being ‘quite in touch with local life,’ intending to ‘render good service to local people.’ Indeed, the new title hoped to report local and general news ‘as fairly as possible,’ whilst detailing the latest parliamentary and municipal affairs ‘without any bias.’

Laisterdyke & Bowling News | 9 August 1895

The ‘local paper for the East Bradford parliamentary division,’ then, filled four pages with local and district news, serialised fiction, and more specialised columns devoted to subjects like angling, cycling, athletics, chess and draughts. Meanwhile, the Laisterdyke & Bowling News also published notices of births, marriages and deaths, alongside poetry and a ‘What Readers Think’ section.

That’s it from our fantastic five newspapers this week. Highlights of our updated papers include the over 13,000 brand new pages we have added to the Wigan Examiner, whilst we have updated two of our Scottish titles, namely the Banffshire Journal and the Forres Elgin and Nairn Gazette, Northern Advertiser and Review, as well as one of our newspapers from the Republic of Ireland, the Drogheda Advertiser.

This Is VE Day – Marking 80 Years Since VE Day

Sometimes, headlines are so powerful that we can let them do the talking. As we mark the 80 years since VE Day this week, we will let our newspapers speak for themselves. Without any further ado, we present a range of VE Day newspaper headlines taken from our collection of titles, published on VE Day itself, 8 May 1945.

‘Surrender Terms Signed – War Now Over – This is VE Day’ – Daily Record, 8 May 1945

Daily Record | 8 May 1945

‘To-Day is VE Day – Germany Signs Final Unconditional Surrender’ – Daily Dispatch (Manchester), 8 May 1945

Daily Dispatch (Manchester) | 8 May 1945

‘VE Day! – Public Holiday Today and Tomorrow’ – Daily Mirror, 8 May 1945

Daily Mirror | 8 May 1945

‘Peace to be ratified in Berlin to-day – The End – A Minute After Midnight’ – Evening Despatch, 8 May 1945

Evening Despatch | 8 May 1945

‘Nazis Bow the Knee in Final and Utter Defeat – V-Day – Declaration by Three Powers To-Day’ – Aberdeen Press and Journal, 8 May 1945

Aberdeen Press and Journal | 8 May 1945

‘VE Day Revels Sweep World’ – Nottingham Evening Post, 8 May 1945

Nottingham Evening Post, 8 May 1945

‘Tedder Signs Berlin Surrender Pact To-Day – Cease Fire Confirmed in Historic Statement’ – Manchester Evening News, 8 May 1945

Manchester Evening News | 8 May 1945

‘It’s VE Day – At Last – Broadcasts By King, Premier and Victorious Generals – 2 Days’ National Holiday for Peace Celebrations’ – Bradford Observer, 8 May 1945

Bradford Observer | 8 May 1945

‘This is Victory Day – Premier Will Make VE Announcement at 3 p.m.’ – Liverpool Daily Post, 8 May 1945

Liverpool Daily Post | 8 May 1945

‘Surrender Ratified in Berlin To-Day’ – Gloucester Citizen, 8 May 1945

Gloucester Citizen | 8 May 1945

‘Victory in Europe – Six Years of War Ends in Unconditional Surrender of German Forces’ – Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore), 8 May 1945

Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) | 8 May 1945

‘Premier Reminds the Nation – Treacherous Japan Still to be Subdued’ – Aberdeen Evening Express, 8 May 1945

Aberdeen Evening Express | 8 May 1945

Discover more about VE Day in the pages of our Archive today.

New Titles

Updated Titles

This week we have updated 18 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.