THE EVENING STANDARD ARCHIVE: BACK ISSUE NEWSPAPERS

THE EVENING STANDARD ARCHIVE: BACK ISSUE NEWSPAPERS

Newspapers are possibly the best way to achieve in depth coverage about relevant events in each area. British newspapers give a cultural insight that may be missed by forms of media such as televisions. Without newspapers, an important part of our history would be lost in the past. By using newspapers, we are able to dig deeper into historical issues and pick out key points, word for word, by ordinary people writing at the time.The Evening Standard is one of the oldest British newspapers, providing us with a stunning insight into the past.

The History

Now known as the London Evening Standard, the newspaper was founded simply as The Standard on 21 May 1837. Founded by barrister Stanley Lees, The Standard gained a strong reputation for reporting on foreign events, despite it being a local newspaper. The Standard became a daily morning newspaper from 29 June 1857, The Evening Standard did not appear until June 1859. By the 1900s the newspaper was owned by Sir Edward Hulton, who introduced the gossip column Londoner’s Diary. Eventually, in the 1920s, the newspaper came under the ownership of The Daily Mail’s Lord Rothermere. Unsurprisingly, The Evening Standard became a conservative paper, highlighted by the attacks on the Labour political party in 1945. The Evening News became the dominant newspaper during the 1960s, overshadowing sales by The Evening Standard in London. In 1980, The Standard and The Evening News merged, becoming known as Newstandard. After a long history of being a paid daily newspaper, in October 2009, The Evening Standard became a free newspaper. Circulation was limited to 700,000 in central London, although readers in the suburbs could purchase it for 20 pence.Highlights and curiosities about The Evening Standard

  • The Evening Standard gained readership for reporting on the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian war during the 1800s.
  • Londoner’s Diary was initially marketed as “a column written by gentlemen for gentlemen”.
  • On 14 December 2004, a freesheet version of the newspaper, named Standard Lite, was introduced to attempt to boost circulation. This newspaper only had 48 pages, instead of the 80 in the regular newspaper. This was relaunched in 2006 with a new target audience, young female readers, and renamed London Lite.
  • The Evening Standard includes a free glossy magazine on Fridays. Other supplements have included CDs and DVDs. Competitions are also run on a regular basis to win tickets to various sporting and media events.

How to explore The Evening Standard archive and get The Financial Times back issuesTo find back issues of The Daily Mail or to check availability of the newspaper, follow these steps:

  • Have a look at the old newspapers archive page
  • Pick out the relevant date.
  • Choose your desired newspaper and edition.
  • Select the pack you wish to purchase. There are a variety of delivery and gift options to fit your needs.