THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROVINCIAL PRESS IN ENGLAND c. 1780–1914

This introductory article aims to raise a number of themes which will feature significantly through this special issue. The output of 19th-century journalists has been drawn upon extensively by historians in their exploration of political, social, economic and increasingly cultural areas of inquiry, both in urban and rural districts. However, in recent years, there has been relatively little attention paid to the provincial press itself. The article traces the development of the provincial press from the “scissors and paste” approach of the 18th century to the development of an increasingly locally orientated and politically partisan local press during the first half of the 19th century. Consideration will be paid to the perceived influence of the provincial press, the management and ownership of the provincial newspaper, and newspaper rivalries. It will be suggested that the heyday of the 19th-century provincial press can be located in the 30-year period after 1855. The impact of “new journalism” in the provincial press during the final years of the century will be briefly considered.