Beth Gaskell
LightNews LightNews
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Beth Gaskell
@bethgaskell.bsky.social
1K followers 300 following 93 posts
Lead Curator, News & Moving Image at the British Library. Researcher of press history, military-media relations, and social and literary history in the long 19th century. Views all my own.
Posts Replies Media Videos
bethgaskell.bsky.social
It's #MastheadMonday again, & today we feature The Weekly Chronicle (1836-67). A liberal newspaper, in the 1850s it had links to the Temperance Movement, via its publisher William Tweedie. Digitised by the British Library & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/weekl...
Masthead for The Weekly Chronicle. This is issue 958, for Saturday 6th January 1855, and is priced at six pence.
October 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today's #MastheadMonday is the True Sun (1832-37). Founded by Patrick Grant due to his feud with Murdo Young, who he believed had swindled him out of ownership of the Sun newspaper. Charles Dickens was briefly the paper's Parliamentary reporter. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/true-...
Masthead for the True Sun
September 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today's #MastheadMonday is The Censor (1846). This pro-Free Trade newspaper, used satire as a tool to bring about reform, particularly focussing its attacks on gambling and gaming-houses. It lasted only 4 issues. Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/censo...
Masthead for The Censor; or Satirical Times. This is issue number one, Saturday, January 4th, 1846. It was priced at seven pence.
September 22, 2025 at 9:58 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
White searching for something else for @liamsims.bsky.social I stumbled across T.B Browne’s Provincial Newspaper Circular. It has the most wonderful illustrations of Browne’s advertising offices. The information these advertising guides & directories provide for newspaper historians is invaluable.
Image of the Newspaper File Department at T.B Browne’s Advertising Office. It shows numerous shelves piled with newspapers, and various men reading and sorting them.
September 18, 2025 at 3:35 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today’s #MastheadMonday offering is the Town & Country Daily Newspaper (1873). It ran from July-Sept, before merging into the Sun (1792-1871; 1873-76), which itself had newly emerged from a merger with the Central Press (1861-1871). Free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/town-...
Masthead for the Town and Country Daily Newspaper. It shows issue one, from Monday July 14, 1873.
September 15, 2025 at 3:30 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today's #MastheadMonday is the British Army Despatch (1848-1856), a newspaper devoted to military news. It had a conservative stance, supporting the Duke of Wellington's military leadership and outlook. Digitised by the BL and free-to-view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/briti...
September 1, 2025 at 11:22 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today's #MastheadMonday is the Hackney & Kingsland Times (1862-63), which began life as the Kingsland Times & General Advertiser (1860-62), & covered local, national & international news. It is another London Local digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/kings...
Masthead for the Hackney & Kingsland Times: And North-East London Telegraph. This was issue number one in the new series, after it was renamed. It is from 19th April 1862. It was proved one penny.
July 21, 2025 at 9:56 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Pierce Egan's Life in London & Sporting Guide (1824-27) is today's #MastheadMonday. Egan, who was publisher, editor & proprietor was an established journalist & sports writer, who wrote particularly about boxing. Digitised by the BL & free-to-view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/pierc...
July 14, 2025 at 6:15 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Following on from last week’s #MastheadMonday, today we have the Correspondent & Public Cause. This was the 2nd title used by the Public Cause, followed by The Public Cause,or Westminster Reformer, & The Public Cause & General Correspondent. 1/2
Newspaper masthead for The Correspondent and Public Cause. This is issue number one, for 5th October 1814, and was priced at eight pence.
July 7, 2025 at 9:08 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
It’s #MastheadMonday again. Today we feature the Public Cause (1811-1816), a which had a reformist and often anti-monarchy agenda. At times it expressed support for Napoleon; & regularly reprinted Byron’s poetry. Digitised by the BL & free-to-view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/publi...
Masthead of The Public Cause. Its subtitle was “The cause for which Hampden bled in the Field, and Sidney died in the Scaffold!” This was issue number three for Wednesday, October 16th 1811, and was priced at nine and a half pence.
June 30, 2025 at 8:36 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
It’s #MastheadMonday & today’s title is the Nonconformist Elector (1847). This short-lived newspaper was launched with the sole aim of forwarding the prospects of nonconformist candidates in the 1847 election. Digitised by the BL & free-to-view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/nonco...
Masthead for the Nonconformist Elector. This is issue number one, Friday 9th July 1847, and is priced at 3 pence.
June 23, 2025 at 8:48 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
It’s #MastheadMonday again! Today we have the Greenwich Free Press (1855-1865), one of the London Locals we digitised as part of @BL_MadeDigital. It is packed full of great local stories, as well as national and international news. Free to view here: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/borou...
Masthead for The Borough of Greenwich Free Press: And Kent and Surrey Commercial Advertiser. This is issue number one, Saturday August 4th, 1855. It was priced at three and a half pence.
June 16, 2025 at 8:48 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today’s #MastheadMonday is the short-lived Aurora Borealis (1821). London based, it devoted lots of space to Scottish news, which proved unpopular with its readers. It merged with the Observer of the Times in 1822. Digitised by the BL & free-to-view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/auror...
Masthead for the Aurora Borealis. This is issue one, Sunday March 25th 1821, priced at eight and a half pence.
June 9, 2025 at 9:16 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Something different for today’s #MastheadMonday: the evolution of the Masthead of the British Neptune (1803-1823). Here are examples from 1803, 1805, 1810 and 1818, after which the Masthead stayed the same. Digitised by the BL & free to view:
www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/briti...
Four different mastheads for the British Neptune, they vary in design, font and level of illustration.
May 19, 2025 at 9:16 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today's #MastheadMonday is The Evening Star (1842-43), Feargus O'Connor's attempt at a London daily Chartist newspaper, on the back of the success of the weekly Northern Star (1837-52). It lasted less than a year. Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/eveni...
Masthead for the Evening Star. It is for issue one, Monday, 25th July 1842. It was priced at two pence.
May 12, 2025 at 12:05 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Happy Easter! It’s #MastheadMonday & here's the masthead for The Colored News, the UK's first colour newspaper. It ran for a couple of months in 1855. Digitised by the British Library and free to view here: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/color...
Ahead for the Colored News for volume one number one, Saturday, August 4th 1855. It was priced at two pence.
April 21, 2025 at 12:22 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today’s #MastheadMonday is the Pen and Pencil (1855). It aimed to tap into several fashions that coalesced in the mid C19th: illustrated newspapers, cheap family papers, & the Crimean War. It lasted only 8 issues. Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/pen-a...
Masthead of the Pen and Pencil: An Illustrated Family Newspaper. The title is given in simple block capitals. This is volume one, number one, for Saturday 10th February 1855. The price was six pence.
April 14, 2025 at 9:25 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today's #MastheadMonday is The City Chronicle (1840-1845). A newspaper aimed at Tea Dealers, Tallow Chandlers, Cheesemongers & Hop Merchants, it is 1 of a number of titles in our collection with a commercial focus. Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/city-...
Masthead for The City Chronicle: Tea Dealers’ Journal and Commercial Advertiser. This is issue one, for Tuesday, 12th May 1840. It was priced at sixpence. The masthead has the City of London’s coat of arms included.
April 7, 2025 at 2:18 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
We're heading north for today's #MastheadMonday, which features The Liverpool Standard (1832-1856). It was a fiercely Conservative newspaper set up by local politicians to promote “Church and State” ideology. Digitised by the BL, it is free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/liver...
Masthead for the Liverpool Standard: And General Commercial Advertiser. It was issue number one, for Friday, November 23 2832, priced at seven pence.
March 24, 2025 at 9:46 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
A final twist in our recent #MastheadMonday saga. The Age & The Argus competed for four years, but by 1843 both were struggling financially. They agreed a merger to survive, becoming the Age and Argus (1843-45). Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/age-l...
Masthead for the Age and Argus. It includes the motto ‘The very Age and Body of Time, it’s Form and Pressure.’ It lists this issue as part of the United Series, Saturday, October 7, 1843. The price was six pence.
March 17, 2025 at 7:56 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Following from last week's #MastheadMonday, today we have The Argus (1839-43). A year after selling his stake in The Age, Westmacott founded The Argus-also ultra-Tory & full of scandal, as a rival to his old paper. Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/argus...
The masthead did The Argus: Or, Broad-sheet of The Empire. The image shows volume 3, issue 106, for Sunday 7th February 1841. It was priced at 6 pence.
March 3, 2025 at 1:13 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
The Age (1825-43) is today's #MastheadMonday. A Tory paper edited by Charles Molloy Westmacott, it was notorious for slanders, blackmail & extortion, & for publishing bawdy material & ads for pornographic books. Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/age-l...
The Masthead for The Age. It had the subtitle “The very age and body of the time.” It is for issue one, Sunday, May 15, 1825 and is priced at seven pence.
February 24, 2025 at 9:42 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Happy #caturday from this princess who needs her own cushion
A tabby cat sleeping with her head on a cushion.
February 15, 2025 at 12:23 PM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
Today's #MastheadMonday is the Colonist & Weekly Courier (1824-1825). A London weekly newspaper focussed on colonial & commercial news, it eschewed politics and devoted much space to news from/about Liverpool. Digitised by the BL & free to view: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/colon...
The masthead for the Colonist and Weekly Courier. It features a central decoration including a lion, a unicorn, and images of ships travelling. It is for issue 12, Saturday April 18 1824, and the price was 7 pence.
February 10, 2025 at 9:31 AM
bethgaskell.bsky.social
It’s #MastheadMonday, so here’s The Anti-Gallican Monitor (1811-25). Founded by Lewis Goldsmith, it had a clear anti-French/Napoleon agenda & was kept afloat in its early years by government money & advice. Digitised by the BL & free-to-view here: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/antig...
Masthead for The Antigallican Monitor, and Anti-Corsican Chronicle.
February 3, 2025 at 1:11 PM