From a sleepy agricultural village, Aldershot had grown significantly with the initial arrival of the army on training exercises in 1853, culminating in the setting up of the military training camp in 1854.
William Sheldrake saw an opportunity and founded the Aldershot Military Gazette in August 1859, which he renamed Sheldrake's Aldershot Military Gazette. It was Aldershot's first newspaper, and contained reports of military movements in camp and in the army generally. As such, it circulated widely through the officers and soldiers in the camp and at almost every station of the British Army. However, it also contained local and district news and was therefore bought by the people of Aldershot, Farnham and the neighbourhood.
It was discontinued in 1932.
For this newspaper, we have the following titles in, or planned for, our digital archive:
- 1859–60 The Aldershot Military Gazette
- 1860–1913 Sheldrake's Aldershot Military Gazette
- 1913–32 Aldershot Gazette and Military News.
