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Western Mail Archive: Back Issue Newspapers
The Present Need for Outdated News
Even in the age of Google searches and blog posts, local newspapers remain one of the best ways to gain in-depth knowledge of your community. Presenting cultural insights and details that might be missed by bigger publications, these regional British papers give everyone a chance to learn about what lies in their own backyard. You can dig into history by prying apart articles word-by-word. You can read about the time your uncle saved a kitten from a tree. If you’re a subscriber to the Welsh version of the Western Mail, you’ll see all the little stories that affect Cardiff, Swansea, and Wrexham.
The History of Western Mail (Welsh Edition)
John Crichton-Stuart launched the Western Mail in 1869 to help promote his political aspirations. Eleven years later, he sold the paper to its former editor, Henry Carr, and wiped his hands of the endeavor. Under the guiding hand of Carr, and its subsequent editor William Davies, the paper grew to be a force of influence throughout Wales. Though, due in large part to its association with coal and iron industrialists, much of Southern Wales looked upon the paper with an undisguised distrust. Even now, nearly 150 years after the paper’s first issue, its sales still suffer in large swathes of southern Wales.
While it may have started life in the hands of industrialists, the Western Mail has since drastically changed its view on many topics. It’s now considered a populist publication promoting a Pro-Welsh perspective. In 2015, ABC estimated the paper had a daily circulation of roughly 17,000.
Interesting Facts About the Western Mail (Welsh Edition)
- Former staff of the Western Mail includes anti-apartheid reporter Donald Woods.
- Two pages of the Saturday supplement are currently published strictly in Welsh.
Western Mail Archives
To find back issues of Western Mail or to check availability of the newspaper, follow these steps:
- Visit the old newspapers archive page.
- Choose your desired newspaper and edition.
- Select the pack you wish to purchase. .
