A NEWSPAPER CENTENARY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 158, 1 April 1937, Page 8

A NEWSPAPER CENTENARY

Richard Jefferies’s Early Days

The “Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard,” one of the weekly provincial newspapers which still maintain the highest traditions of British journalism, recently celebrated its centenary. Founded at Malmesbury 100 years ago in the Conservative interest, it published a special supplement of its history from notes compiled by the late Mr. W. Scotford Harmer, who for GO years was associated with it tn capacities from reporter to editor and proprietor. How difficult were the times for newspapers a century ago is gathered from the stories handed down that the publisher, Cooksey, had to make occasional journeys to Gloucester jail as hostage for the payment of the advertisement tax and paper duty which, I though easy of imposition, as these ! notes remind us, were often difficult of realisation in those early days. In due course, however, the tax on knowledge was abolished, and the paper constantly grew in influence, and established itself even more deeply in the affections of local families. Richard Jefferies was one of Its chief reporters. He was still on the “Standard” when he wrote to “The Times” the letters of “The Wiltshire Labourer,” which fast brought him before a wider public. Much of his early literary work, however, derived its inspiration and its local colouring from his journalistic experiences on the “Standard.” The illustrations in the supplement recall the changing face of many delightful old places in the wide district which the paper covers. As a detached part of the supplement a photographic reproduction of the first issue of the “Standard” is presented in half the original size. Of this first issue, which was national and not merely local in character, a correspondent writes that the paper on which it was printed was of such high quality and its type so clear that the copy preserved'in the British Museum Newspaper Library at Colindale is today, as it was 100 years ago, a joy and a delight both to handle and to read. This first number, in fact, set up a fine tradition in British journalism which has been carried down through the century to the present day, and it is a pleasure to read that generations of families have taken the “Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard” into their households in unbroken succession from its first publication until the present time.

Hosts of congratulations on the centenary have been received from readers. One is from Earl Bathurst, who, writing from Cirencester Park, says: “I send my sincere congratulations to

the ‘Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard’ on celebrating its centenary, and also to the proprietors, who have for so long carried on the best and highest traditions of a loyal and honourable newspaper. They have steadily resisted the temptation of joining any large combine, so that by their independence they have been able to odvocate all that was good for the King, the Empire and the Church.”