Bell's Weekly Messenger

Bell's Weekly Messenger
Type weekly
Format quarto
Founder John Bell
Founded 1796
Ceased publication 1896
Headquarters London

Bell's Weekly Messenger was a British Sunday newspaper that began publication on 1 May 1786, under proprietorship of John Bell.[1] Initially a Sunday paper, from 1799 the London edition was reprinted on Monday for nationwide distribution.[2] By 1803, it was selling 6,000 copies a week, at sixpence a copy.[3] In 1799 there was even an augmented reprint of the previous year's editions, under the title Bell's Annual Messenger, printed for international distribution under the auspices of the East India Company.

The newspaper continued under the title Bell's Weekly Messenger until March 1896, after which it was continued as Country Sport.

In 1832 the first recorded British newspaper cartoon was published in Bell's New Weekly Messenger.

References

  1. ^ A Catalogue of Books, Newspapers, &c. Printed by John Bell, of the British Library, the Morning Post, Bell's Weekly Messenger, &c. [...] Exhibited at the First Edition Club, London, 15 April-May 5, 1931 (London, 1931).
  2. ^ Prospectus. ESTC citation no. T124125.
  3. ^ J. C. Reid, Bucks and Bruisers: Pierce Egan and Regency England (London, 1971), p. 28.