Wrexham Recorder
The Wrexham Recorder April 1848 edition | |
| Type | Monthly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Founder | Richard Hughes |
| Publisher | Hughes and Sons |
| Founded | March 1848 |
| Ceased publication | January 1849 |
| Country | Wales |
| OCLC number | 49998186 |
The Wrexham Recorder (1848–49) was the first newspaper published in Wrexham.[1] The first issue was published in March 1848 and the final one appeared in January 1849.[2] It appeared each month to avoid the stamp duty which were levied on publications which appeared daily or weekly. It was priced at two pence. Its title was derived from a quote from Hamlet - 'O, the Recorder:-let me see' which appeared on its first page.
Lisa Peters commented that the Recorder consisted mainly of local news stories with very little national or political news or advertising.[3]: 20
Its price rose to three pence in January 1849. There was no indication that the January 1849 issue would be its last.[3]: 21
Owner and Editor
The Recorder was established and edited by Wrexham printer and publisher Richard Hughes at his General Printing Office in Church Street, Wrexham.[4]
Rival
Hughes's former apprentice, George Bayley, commenced publishing a rival newspaper, the Wrexham Registrar in August 1848. Lisa Peters speculates that the Registrar brought about the newspaper's demise because its content was not sufficiently different from its cheaper rival.[3]: 21 Bayley also established Wrexham's first weekly newspaper, the Wrexham Advertiser, in 1854.
References
- ^ Peters, Lisa; Skinner, Katherine (2025). "Selling the news: Distributing Wrexham's newspapers, 1850-1914". In Hinks, J.; Armstrong, C.; Day, M. (eds.). Periodicals and publishers: The newspaper and journal trade 1740-1914. Oak Knoll Press & The British Library. ISBN 978-0-7123-5074-7.
- ^ "Wrexham Recorder". Welsh Journals.
- ^ a b c Peters, Lisa (2011). Politics, Publishing and Personalities: Wrexham Newspapers, 1848-1914. Chester: University of Chester Press. ISBN 978-1-905929-87-0.
- ^ Davies, Lisa (1999). "Wrexham's first three newspapers: the Wrexham Recorder, the Wrexham Registrar, the Wrexham Advertiser (and descendants) to 1900". Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society. 47: 58–59.