FIRST ISSUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27357, 5 April 1950, Page 10

FIRST ISSUE

Birmingham Gazette A Intelligence ” Of Two Centuries Ago Things were about normal in Birmingham during the second week of November, 1741. Mr Child, jun., a wealthy wholesale cheesemonger, of Thames street, had died; Margaret Nutt, late of Seething lane, London, a wine-cooper and chapwoman. had declared bankrupt; South Sea trading stock was standing Arm at 105: when* tvas 24s to 27s a quarter; fever had cut the population by 228, and a lone merrymaker had been carried to his grave with the cause of death listed as excessive drinking. The only thing that was really new was the appearance of the first issue of the Birmingham Gazette, now onp of Britain’s senior newspapers.

A copy of that first issue was brought into the Daily Times yesterday, and like most old papers, it makes interesting reading. War and rumours of war were abroad, and the despatches from the Continent—“ letters from Vienna continue to arrive here a post later than usual ” —are full of “Intelligences" of the garrisons and armies.

In the fashion of the day, the reports of momentous occurrences are intermingled with trifles. The French Fleet sails from Marseilles, and in the next paragraph a single highwayman has robbed an Excise Officer on Shooting Hill of “20 1. Feventeen whereof he had receiv’d of fome Country Tradefmen.” Then comes, a society marriage, after which a beating administered by a ship’s boatswain to several sailors is chronicled. The Earl of Chesterfield arrives at his town house in the next paragraph, then excitement breaks loose in the King’s Arms Inn, Holborn Bridge, where a mad cow “ went up the stairs into the First Gallery; but not likeing any room there, then went up the Second Gallery, broke several windows, then jump’d over the Rails upon a shed put up for the Convenience of loading Waggons dry and with her weight broke through the Tiling, and fell to the Ground, and by the Fall broke her Back, which prevented further Mischief." The reader, like the cow. us by that time thoroughly out of breath.

Two days previously the “ BirthDay of Admiral Vernon was celebrated with all the Tokens of Regard due to that Worthy Man. The Morning was usher’d in with the Clamming of the Bells, and the Day concluded with Bonfires.” The birthday of the Birmingham Gazette had not been so auspicious. In fact, the editor had had the mortification of being abused in a rival newspaper as an “ opposer.” This, he claimed, was far from the truth. Had he not been forced to wait some time before being able to gain possession of a house he had bought—a personal problem with a familiar ring today—he would have had the Gazette on the streets long before his rival. In any event, the time had been spent profitably by hustling off to London to arrange for the edification of his future readers “the best correspondence I possibly could.”

Mr Aris. the editor, had also spent some time in finding advertisements for his first issue. Several of them concerned new books, including travel, science ■ and “Anti-Pamela.” or “Feign'd Innocence Detected”—“a narrative which has really its foundation in truth and nature: and at the same time that it agreeably, entertains, with a vast variety of surprising incidents, arms against the frequent mischiefs arising from too sudden admiration. Published as a necessary caution to all young gentlemen.” Young gentlemen who refused the warning and wished to pursue their amours' with elegance could visit " that ingenious Mechanick.” Mr Robert Law, who “neatly cleaneth the teeth, taking away all their tartarous Scales, or flimsy or muddy Humour, also hardeneth or fasteneth those that are loose.” Thus refurbished, and carrying a ticket in the “ State Lottery for raising a Million and a half of Money,” the swain of 1741 would doubtless be nigh on irresistible. Old papers, their news and their advertisements, always have a curiosity value and interest. But they do arouse the suspicion that, two centuries hence, papers and news of today may seem as trifling and humorous.