A chronological hand-list of eighteenth century newspapers published in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset
compiled by John Penny
(Fishponds Local History Society, 1995)
PART 1 - BRISTOL
THE BRISTOL POST BOY
Published weekly by William Bonney, bi-weekly in 1709, survived from September 1702 until at least December 1715.
21/8/1704 (No.91) only: 20/3/1708 only: 10/9/1709 only: 26/8/1710 only. (Bristol Central Library)
1713:- 7/3/1712-3 (No.619) to 24/12/1715 (No.811) incomplete. (All Souls, Oxford)
The issue after 738 is numbered 784 and two issues with following dates are both numbered 795.
SAM. FARLEY'S BRISTOL POST MAN
Published weekly by Samuel Farley from August 1715 until about 1725.
Continued as Farley's Bristol Newspaper.
10/9/1715 (No.6) and 19/11/1715 (No.19) only (All Souls, Oxford)
24/12/1715 (No.24) and 28/1/1715-6 (No.29) only (Bristol Central Library)
BRISTOL WEEKLY MERCURY
Published weekly by Henry Greep.
1/12/1716 (No.61) only. (Bristol Central Library)
FARLEY'S BRISTOL NEWSPAPER
Published weekly by Samuel Farley in Wine Street, probably as a continuation of Sam. Farley's Bristol Post Man.
Continued as Sam. Farley's Bristol Newspaper.
18/10/1725 (No.20) to 27/1/1732-3 (No.130) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library).
SAM. FARLEY'S BRISTOL NEWSPAPER
Published weekly by Samuel Farley as a continuation of Farley's Bristol Newspaper. From 1738 published by Samuel and Felix Farley, the sons of Samuel snr.
Continued as Farley's Bristol Journal.
30/3/1734 (No.191) to 26/8/1738 (No.421) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library)
FARLEY'S BRISTOL JOURNAL
No Printer's name, but probably Samuel and Felix Farley as a continuation of Sam. Farley's Bristol Newspaper.
Probably replaced by F.Farley's Bristol Journal and Farley's Bristol Advertiser in 1742.
29/8/1741 (No.552) only (Bristol Central Library)
ORACLE: OR BRISTOL WEEKLY MISCELLANY
Published weekly by Andrew Hook who was one of the most interesting figures in the history of the Bristol Press. He is believed to have issued his first newspaper on Saturday 3/4/1742 whilst in gaol for debt! From the beginning of 1743 until September 1749, when his newspaper ceased publication, the title systematically changed in order to evade advertisment duty. The original title viz Oracle: or Bristol weekly Miscellany, was continued to the end of the year. From then until 20/4/1745 two titles were used alternatively: Bristol Oracle and County Intelligencer, and Bristol Oracle and County Advertiser. On 20/4/1745 the title was changed to Bristol Oracle, and this alternated with the County Advertiser until 18/5/1745. From 25/5/1745 until the final issue of Hook's newspaper on 16/9/1749 the Bristol Oracle alternated with the Oracle County Advertiser. several men assisted in the printing of the newspapers and changes in the imprint appeared regularly.
Continued as Bristol Oracle and County Intelligencer and Bristol Oracle and County Advertiser.
3/4/1742 (No.1) to 31/12/1742 (No.40) (Bristol Central Library)
14/8/1742 (Vol.I No.20) and 25/9/1742 (Vol.I No.26) only (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
Printed by Benjamin Hickey till 24/12/1742 then by J.Watts.
BRISTOL ORACLE AND COUNTY INTELLIGENCER
Published fortnightly and alternatively with the Bristol Oracle and County Advertiser by Andrew Hook.
Continued alternatively as the Bristol Oracle and the County Advertiser.
8/1/1742-3 (Vol I No.1) to 6/4/1745 (Vol III No.60) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library)
Number 15 is used twice and No.55 is not used. Printed by J.Watts until 6/8/1743, after which imprint reads 'printed for A.Hook.
BRISTOL ORACLE AND COUNTY ADVERTISER
Published fortnightly and alternatively with the Bristol Oracle and County Intelligencer by Andrew Hook.
Continued as the County Advertiser.
15/1/1742-3 (Vol I No.1) to 13/4/1745 (Vol III No.60) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library).
14/8/1742 and 25/9/1742 only (Newspaper Library Colindale)
4/4/1744 and 8/9/1744 only (Burney Collection, British Museum)
13/11/1742 and 19/2/1742-3 only (Press Club, London)
Printed by J.Watts until 30/7/1743 after that the imprint reads 'printed for A.Hook'. Number 45 is used twice.
COUNTY ADVERTISER
Published fortnightly and alternatively with the Bristol Oracle by Andrew Hook.
Continued as the Oracle County Advertiser.
27/4/1745 (Vol I No.1) to 11/5/1745 (Vol 1 No.2). (Bristol Central Library).
ORACLE COUNTY ADVERTISER
Published fortnightly and alternatively with the Bristol Oracle by Andrew Hook.
25/5/1745 (Vol I No.3) to 9/9/1749 (Vol III No.64) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library).
27/6/1747 only (Press Club, London)
Volume number II is not used. The issue for 28/3/1747, (Vol I No.51) is followed by the issue for 11/4/1747 (Vol III No.1).
BRISTOL ORACLE
Published fortnightly and alternatively with the County Advertiser and later the Oracle County Advertiser by Andrew Hook.
20/4/1745 (Vol I No.1) to 16/9/1749 (Vol III No.65) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library)
Volume No.II is not used; the issue for 21/3/1747 (Vol I No. 51) is followed by the issue for 18/4/1747 (Vol III No.2)
THE BRISTOL BATH AND SOMERSETSHIRE JOURNAL
Published by R.Wimpenny and E.Collins. Crane & Kaye list No.68 in 1743.
4/6/1743 (No.56) only (Bodleian, Oxford)
F.FARLEY'S BRISTOL JOURNAL
Towards the end of 1742 Felix Farley began to issue two newspapers which appeared on alternative Saturdays. One of these was F.Farley's Bristol Journal and the other was Farley's Bristol Advertiser. The alternation of these two continued until August 1746 when the Advertiser ceased regular publication and the Journal continued to appear weekly. It has been asserted that his brother Samuel was responsible for printing the Advertiser, but judging from the imprints Felix seems to have been the dominant partner in the production of both.
Continued as F.Farley's Bristol Advertiser.
24/3/1743 (No.17) to 26/12/1747 (No.1595) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library)
There are numerous numbering errors in numbering: No.64 is followed by No.19, six issues bear the number 99, No.138 is followed by No.1, which is followed by No,141 etc., No.145 is followed by No.1560 etc. During the period when the Journal alternated with the Advertiser the issues are sometimes numbered consecutively and sometimes numbered in conjunction with issues of the Advertiser. The Journal appeared consecutively on 21 and 28/9/1745 and appeared weekly between 12/4 and 24/5/1746 and from 30/8/1746 to 26/12/1747.
FARLEY'S BRISTOL ADVERTISER
Published fortnightly and alternatively with F.Farley's Bristol Journal by Felix Farley and Comp.
Replaced by S.Farley's Bristol Journal.
31/3/1743 (No.18) to 23/8/1746 (No.111) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library)
There are numerous errors in numbering. The issue for 30/3/1744 (No.65) is followed by the issue for 14/4/1744 (No.19). Sometimes the issues are numbered consecutively and at other times they are numbered in conjunction with the issues of F.Farley's Bristol Journal, with which the Advertiser alternated, There was no Advertiser for 28/9/1745. An issue of F.Farley's Bristol Journal bears this date, and the next issue of the Advertiser appeared on 5/10/1745. There were no issues of the Advertiser between 5/4/1746 and 24/5/1746, but during this period F.Farley's Bristol Journal appeared weekly.
F.FARLEY'S BRISTOL ADVERTISER
Published by Felix Farley. Judging from the sequence of numbering F.Farley's Bristol Advertiser and S.Farley's Bristol Journal it seems that these two alternated for a short period.
9/1/1747-8 (No.1597) and 23/1/1747-8 (No.1599) only. (Bristol Central Library)
S.FARLEY'S BRISTOL JOURNAL
Published by Samuel Farley. Alternated for a short period with F.Farley's Bristol Journal.
Continued as Farley's Bristol Journal.
16/1/1747-8 (No.1598) only (Bristol Central Library)
FARLEY'S BRISTOL JOURNAL
This paper, which was issued on Saturdays, was printed jointly by the two Farley brothers, Samuel and Felix.
Continued as Bristol Journal.
30/1/1747-8 (No.1600) to 27/2/1747-8 (No.1604) only. (Bristol Central Library).
BRISTOL JOURNAL
The early issues of the Bristol Journal were printed jointly by the two Farley brothers, but they soon quarreled, Samuel taking over sole proprietorship in 1751, while in 1752 Felix founded his own newspaper. Samuel and Felix Farley appear in the imprint until 3/11/1750 (No.1723). The next extant issue 26/10/1751 (No.1744) carries the name S.Farley & Co. Samuel continued to print the Bristol Journal but in 1753 both brothers died and in accordance with Samuel's will the printing of the Bristol Journal was continued by his niece Sarah, daughter of Edward Farley of Exeter. Many issues of the newspaper after 19/4/1755 do, however, bear the name S.Farley in the imprint and not Sarah's full name, and it is believed that the printer may have been Samuel Farley, son of Felix, however, Sarah's name does appear in full from 7/10/1769 until after her death in July 1774. The newspaper then came under the proprietorship of Hester Farley, a daughter of Felix Farley, but Sarah's name continued on the imprint. After litt le more than a year she sold out to George and William Routh and Charles Nelson her brother in law, and Rouths and Nelson appears on the imprint from 16/9/1775.
Continued as Sarah Farley's Bristol Journal.
26/3/1748 (No.1608) to 12/7/1777 (No.3194) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library)
4/9/1756 (No.2156) only (Newspaper Library Colindale
Nos. 2653 is used three times and the following numbers are used twice:- 2642, 2647, 2683, 2688, 2689. Numbers 7682 - 7641 are used in error for 2632 - 2641. and 2632 - 2641 are used out of sequence.
BRISTOL MERCURY
Published by Edward Ward.
Possibly replaced by the Bristol Weekly Intelligencer in 1749 which was also published by Edward Ward.
20/10/1748 (No.24) only. (Bristol Central Library)
BRISTOL WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER
Published weekly by Edward Ward.
The first issue appeared on 23/9/1749, one week after the last issue of the Bristol Oracle. The history of the paper after 1752 is very obscure and it is believed to have ceased publication in or about 1759. |Its failure may be attributed to the successful competition of the two established Journals.
23/9/1749 (No.1) to 3/2/1759 (No.487) almost complete. (Bristol Central Library).
24/3/1750 to 29/12/1750 almost complete (Bodleian, Oxford)
The numbers 29 and 66 are used twice, 68 is not used at all.
FELIX FARLEY'S BRISTOL JOURNAL
Published weekly by Felix Farley. The first issue of this Journal was printed on Saturday 28/3/1752 and the newspaper was destined to become one of the foremost in Bristol. It is interesting to note that for many years after 1753 Felix Farley's Bristol Journal, like its rival the Bristol Journal, had a woman proprietor. The newspaper had a long history and retained its title until 1853 when it amalgamated with The Bristol Times.
2/5/1752 (Vol.1) to 27/12/1800 (Vol.LI No.2699) almost complete. (Bristol Central Library).
21/5/1768 to 16/11/1793 very incomplete (Newspaper Library).
1782 and 1787-89 (Burney Collection, British Museum)
The first numbered issue is that for 10/9/1774 (Vol.XXIV No.1230), which is the first issue to bear a printers name that of T.Cocking. Volume number XXXV is not used; the issue for 2/4/1785, with Volume XXXIV, is followed by the issue for 9/4/1785, with Volume number XXXVI. The following numbers are used twice:- 1279, 1323, 1716, 1717, 1802, 2148, 2192, 2273, 2293, 2302-2306, 2308-2319, 2680-2682, 2684, 2696; the following numbers are not used :- 1341, 1510-1599, 1670-1699, 1756-1758, 1803, 2102, 2274, 2412, 2413, 2538; the numbers 24201, 24202 (2 issues bear this number are used in error for 2421-2422. Printers:- Felix Farley until 4/1753, then Elizabeth Farley 1753-1757, E.Farley and Son 1758, Elizabeth Farley 1759-1767, T.Cocking 1767 to 3/1785, Cocking and Rudhall 3/1785 to 7/1787, J.Rudhall 8/1787 to 4/1788, J.Rudhall and Co. 4/1788 to 5/1790, J.Rudhall 5/1790 to 11/1790, T.Cole 11/1790 to 2/1792, J.Rudhall 3/1792 to 12/1800.
BRISTOL CHRONICLE; OR UNIVERSAL MERCANTILE REGISTER
Published weekly by John Grabham 1/1760; John Grabham and William Pine 3/1760 to 12/1760; William Pine from 1/1761. When the Bristol Weekly Intelligencer ceased publication in 1758 the number of newspapers printed in Bristol was reduced to two, and the Bristol Chronicle, which was issued on Saturdays, was probably started to fill the gap.
Continued as Bristol Chronical and Mercantile Register.
5/1/1760 (Vol.I No.1) to 11/7/1761 (Vol.II No.80) (Bristol Central Library)
There are many numbering errors.
BRISTOL CHRONICLE AND MERCANTILE REGISTER
Published weekly by William Pine.
Possibly later replaced by the Bristol Gazette and Public Advertiser.
7/11/1761 (Vol.II No.96) only. (Bristol Central Library)
BRISTOL GAZETTE AND PUBLIC ADVERTISER
Published weekly by William Pine to 25/12/1794, then by William Pine & Son.
Founded in 1767, the Gazette differed from its contemporaries in that it was published weekly on Thursdays instead of Saturday. Its end is particularly obscure and it is presumed that publication ceased in 1872.
24/12/1767 (Vol.I No.19) to 26/12/1799 ((Vol.XXXVIII No.1682) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library).
20/12/1770 (No.176) to 22/6/1797 odd issues only (Newspaper Library, Colindale).
Number 1204 is used four times and 459 is used three times: the following numbers are used twice: 205, 210, 320, 380, 389-396, 334, 457, 458, 661, 669. 1159, 1167-1175, 1179, 1196, 1209, 1213, 1216, 1219, 1231, 1235, 1244, 1263, 1267, 1292, 1333, 1341, 1384, 1388, 1390, 1408, 1415, 1416, 1431, 1433, 1434, 1502, 1670. The following numbers are not used: 202, 324, 351-354, 403, 404, 483, 515-520, 1372, 1392, 1527-1560.
BONNER AND MIDDLETON'S BRISTOL JOURNAL
The first issue of this newspaper founded by Samuel Bonner and Richard Middleton appeared in August 1774, at a time when three other Bristol newspapers were flourishing. Like thwo other of its contemporaries, it was issued on a Saturday. It had a long history retaining its original title until December 1803. It then continued as Fenley and Sheppard's Bristol Journal until April 1804 when it became the Mirror which it stayed until January 1811 when it changed to the Bristol Mirror before being incorporated with the Bristol Times (founded 1839) in January 1865 to form the Bristol Times and Mirror.
1/10/1774 (Vol.I No.4) to 27/12/1800 (Vol.XXVII No.1373) almost complete. (Bristol Central Library)
24/12/1774 to 27/12/1800 incomplete (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
The following numbers are used twice: 310-313, 318, 892-894, 1180-1189, 1294. The following numbers are not used: 284-287, 363, 707, 897, 898, 976, 1046-1048, 1068, 1255, 1256.
SARAH FARLEY'S BRISTOL JOURNAL
This newspaper originally founded by the Farley brothers in 1748, has a continuous history of 60 years and was probably second only in popularity to Felix Farley's Bristol Journal. It was a continuation of the Bristol Journal and was published weekly by G.& W.Routh until 1/1785, then by William Routh until 5/1791, then by W.Routh and J.Cassin 5/1791, then W.Routh and H.Peach 9/1791 then William Routh from 6/1793. Continued until 1806 when it was renamed the Mercantile and General Intelligencer, renamed Western Star and Bristol Mercantile Gazette in 1807 and ceased publication in 1808.
19/7/1777 (Vol.LXII No.3195) to 21/12/1799 (Vol.LXXXIV No.4356) reasonably complete. (Bristol Central Library)
3/3/1781 (No.3383) to 8/10/1796 (No.4189) odd numbers (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
3/8/1793 only (Burney Collection, British Museum)
Number 3448 is used three times. Numbers 3210, 3997, 3440-3443, 3445-3447, 3449, 3566, 3578, 3919, 3926, 4098-4111 are used twice. Numbers 3220, 3573-3578, 3635, 3927, 4080-4093 are not used.
BEE AND SKETCHLEY'S WEEKLY ADVERTISER
Published weekly on Mondays by J.Sketchley.
27/10/1777 (Vol.I No.1) to 30/12/1777 (Vol.I No.10) (Bristol Central Library).
CONSTITUTIONAL CHRONICLE
Published weekly by Hill and Blagden.
7/12/1780 (No.1) to 4/4/1782 (No.69) incomplete. (Newspaper Library Colindale)
20/12/1781 (Vol.II No.55) and 17/1/1782 (Vol.II No.59) only (Bristol Central Library)
BRISTOL MERCURY
This paper was first published in 1790, under the proprietorship of William Bulgin and Robert Rosser, at a time when four other papers were being printed in the city. It was begun in response to numerous expressions of opinion in favour of a Monday paper. Continued as an independent title until 1909 when the Bristol Times and Mirror acquired its copyright.
1/3/1790 (Vol.I No.1) to 26/2/1798 (Vol.VIII No.418) incomplete. (Bristol Central Library).
PART 2 - GLOUCESTERSHIRE
CIRENCESTER POST OR GLOUCESTERSHIRE MERCURY
Published by Thomas Hinton.
16/3/1719 (No.18) to 1/6/1719 and 25/7/1720 only (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
18/4/1720 only (Bingham Public Library, Cirencester)
GLOUCESTER JOURNAL
Founded in 1722 by the partnership of Robert Raikes and William Dicy, who were already proprietors of a Northampton newspaper. Raikes became the sole owner in 1725 and carried on the paper until his death in 1757 when it passed to his son Robert. In 1802 he sold out to David Walker, owner of the Hereford Journal. Walker's two sons joined him in the business in 1816 and one of them David Mowbray Walker remained owner until his death in 1871. The paper passed into the same ownership as the daily Gloucester paper, The Citizen, in 1879.
Published on Mondays by Robert Raikes.
9/4/1722 (No.1) to 1757 odd copies, then almost complete to 1800. (Gloucester Divisional Library)
1722 to 1760 incomplete (Major A.W. Clifford, Campden Hill Road, London)
1727 to 1729, 1744 and 1745 odd numbers only (Burney Collection, British Museum)
28/12/1725 (No.195) to 30/4/1787 very incomplete (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
17/2/1734 only (Bodleian, Oxford)
6/5/1722 to 31/12/1722 and 13/5/1725 (Press Club, London)
2/3/1728 to 16/4/1734 odd numbers only (Bristol Central Library)
CIRENCESTER FLYING POST AND WEEKLY MISCELLANY
Published weekly by G.Hill and J.Davis, by 1742 by Thomas Hill & Co.
No.29 is known to have been dated 7/7/1741.
5/10/1741 to 6/2/1744 (Bingham Public Library, Cirencester)
THE GLOUCESTER GAZETTE AND SOUTH WALES, WORCESTER AND WILTSHIRE GENERAL ADVERTISER
Printed by S.Harward.
8/7/1784 (Vol.2 No.100) only (Gloucester Divisional Library)
THE GLOUCESTER GAZETTE (Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Cirencester, Painswick, Stroud, Hampton, Tetbury, Dursley, Monmouth and South Wales General Advertiser)
Printed by John Pytt.
13/4/1792 to 18/11/1796 (Gloucester Divisional Library)
PART 3 - SOMERSET
TAUNTON JOURNAL
First published Friday 21/5/1725 by William Norris.
24/9/1725 (No.20) to 1/10/1725 and 3/12/1725 (No.30) to 29/12/1727 (No.138) incomplete. (Somerset Record Office, Taunton)
BATH JOURNAL
First Published Monday 27/2/1743-4. Became Boddely's Bath Journal in 1756. On 3/1/1757 it was 'printed for John Keene, brother-in-law of Mr.Thomas Boddely deceased'. Title reverted to Bath Journal 8/3/1773. It became Keene's Bath Journal in January 1822 and was absorbed by the Bath Herald in March 1916.
5/3/1743-4 (No.2) to 1800 imperfect (Bath Reference Library)
28/3/1748 to 20/3/1749 complete (Somerset Record Office, Taunton)
9/4/1744 (No.7) to 23/3/1747 very incomplete; and 1/10/1753, 29/11/1756 and 30/12/1756.; and 6/2/1792 (No.2509) to 6/8/1792 incomplete (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
24/9/1753 and 24/1/1757 to 12/12/1757 (Bodleian, Oxford)
16/9/1745 to 21/9/1747; 18/9/1749 to 25/5/1752 slightly incomplete (Library of Congress, Washington DC)
25/3/1745 to 20/3/1749 (Vols. 2-5) (University of Texas Library, Austin)
19/8/1776, 9/1/1792, 31/12/1792 and 7/1/1793 only (Burney Collection, British Library)
WESTERN FLYING POST OR YEOVIL MERCURY
First published Monday 30/7/1744 by Robert Goadby. Amalgamated with the Sherborne Mercury 30/1/1748-9.
22/8/1748 (Vol.5 No.213) only (Western Gazette Boardroom, Yeovil - Framed)
BATH ADVERTISER
First Published Saturday 18/10/1755 by Stephen Martin. Continued as Bath Chronicle and Universal Register 16/10/1760. 18/10/1755 (No.1) to 1/1/1757 (No.64) (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
18/10/1755 to 23/9/1758 (Bath Reference Library)
1755 incomplete (Bristol Central Library)
1/3/1760 to 8/3/1760 only (Press Club, London)
FARLEY'S BATH JOURNAL
First published Monday 27/9/1756 by Samuel Farley, son of Felix and Elizabeth Farley of Bristol. The first issue of this paper was announced in Felix Farley's Bristol Journal 18/9/1756. The existing Bath Journal ammended its title to Boddely's Bath Journal as a result.
11/10/1756 and 18/10/1756 only (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
BODDELY'S BATH JOURNAL
1757-73 see the Bath Journal.
BATH CHRONICLE AND WEEKLY GAZETTE
First published Thursday 16/10/1760 by Cornelius Pope. When he left Bath he sold the paper to William Archer, who in September 1768 took into partnership Richard Cruttwell, the younger brother of William Cruttwell owner of the Sherborne Journal. However, after only one year of partnership Archer retired. On Richard's death in 1799 the paper was taken over by his son, Richard Shuttleworth Cruttwell who managed it until 1830 when he finally sold up. The title Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette was changed to Pope's Bath Chronicle 26/11/1761; it became Archer's Bath Chronicle 4/8/1768; Bath & Bristol Chronicle 29/9/1768; R.Crutwell's Bath & Bristol Chronicle 1/1770; and finally Bath Chronicle 13/9/1770. The newspaper was absorbed by the Bath Weekly Argus in October 1911.
16/10/1760 (no.1) to 20/11/1760 (No.6); 21/10/1762, 16/7/1778, 25/7/1799 only (Bristol Central Library)
17/2/1780, 1/1/1784 to 30/12/1784; 4/1/1787 to 31/12/1789 (Burney Collection, British Museum)
16/10/1762 to 1800 reasonably complete (Bath Reference Library)
22/4/1762 (No.80) and 14/10/1762 (No.105) to 1800 incomplete (Microfilm) and 2/2/1792 (No.1583) to 26/7/1792 odd numbers only (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
1762 to 1800 (Bath Weekly Chronicle & Herald Office files)
24/1/1765 to 26/3/1767 odd numbers only and 3/8/1775 (Bodleian Library, Oxford)
BATH CHRONICLE AND UNIVERSAL REGISTER
This paper was the renamed Bath Advertiser and was first published on Thursdays from 16/10/1760 to compete with the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette. Continued as Martin's Bath Chronicle 15/9/1763.
7/5/1761 only (Press Club, London)
POPE'S BATH CHRONICLE
1761 to 1768 see Bath Chronical and Weekly Gazette.
MARTIN'S BATH CHRONICLE
This paper was the Bath Chronicle and Universal Register renamed. First published 15/9/1763 ceased publication soon after.
No copies traced.
ARCHER'S BATH CHRONICLE
August 1768 to September 1768 see Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette.
BATH AND BRISTOL CHRONICLE
1768 to 1770 see Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette.
R.CRUTTWELL'S BATH AND BRISTOL CHRONICLE
1770 only. See Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette.
BATH CHRONICLE
1770 to 1800 see Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette.
BATH COURANT
First published Saturday 1/5/1773 by Gyde and Salmon.
No copies traced.
BATH GAZETTE
Established 1778, published on Mondays and printed by J.Watts.
8/6/1778 only (Bristol Central Library)
SALMON'S MERCURY
First published Saturday 21/11/1778 by J.Salmon. This was more in the nature of a miscellany, or magazine, than a newspaper. Continued as Salmon's Mercury and General Advertiser. J.Salmon was the partner of Salmon and Gyde who founded the Bath Courant in 1773.
21/11/1778 (No.1) to 5/12/1778 (No.3) (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
SALMON'S MERCURY AND GENERAL ADVERTISER
This was a continuation of Salmon's Mercury. Having got into trouble over libel the publication's title was changed to Salmon's Mercury or Entertaining Repository.
12/12/1778 (No.4) to 9/4/1779 (No.21) (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
SALMON'S MERCURY OR ENTERTAINING REPOSITORY
This was a continuation of Salmon's Mercury and General Advertiser. With No.33 of 2/7/1779 publication date moved from Saturday to Friday. No.52 begins volume II and No.105 volume III.
16/4/1779 (No.22) to 11/5/1781 (No.130) (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
BATH HERALD AND GENERAL ADVERTISER
First published Saturday 3/3/1792 and printed for W.Meyler by R.Paddock. It made its appearance simultaneously with the Bath Register and Western Advertiser with which it amalgamated on 5/10/1793 under the title Bath Herald and Register. William Meyler remained editor but the name Register was dropped in 1800. The Bath Herald amalgamated with the Bath Express in 1862 becoming the Bath Express and County Herald. It was bought by William Lewis in 1870 and the title Bath Herald was readopted in 1876. In 1897 it absorbed the Bath and Cheltenham Gazette, absorbed the Bath Journal in 1916 and amalgamated with the Bath Chronicle in 1925 to become the Bath Chronicle and Herald, which title was amended to Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald in 1936.
3/8/1793 and 21/1/1797 only (Burney Collection, British Museum)
10/3/1792 (No.2) to 26/5/1792 (No.13) incomplete (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
3/3/1792 (No.1) to 10/9/1796 complete (Bath Reference Library)
3/3/1792, 8/9/1792 and 3/4/1793 only (Bristol Central Library)
BATH REGISTER AND WESTERN ADVERTISER
First published on Saturday 3/3/1792 by J.Johnson. This paper appeared on the same day as the Bath Herald with which it amalgamated under the title of Bath Herald and Register on 5/10/1793.
3/3/1792 to 28/9/1793 almost complete (Bath reference Library)
10/3/1792 (No.2) to 14/9/1793 (No.81) complete (Newspaper Library, Colindale)
19/5/1792 only (Bristol Central Library)
TAUNTON HERALD AND WEEKLY ADVERTISER
First published Saturday 2/3/1793 by Thomas Norris who met an untimely death while bathing in the Tone at French Weir, Taunton on 15/8/1802. Ceased with issue of 23/6/1797.
No copies traced.
Anon, Tercentenary Handlist of English and Welsh Newspapers, Magazines and Reviews (1902)
Bath Libraries, Bath Guides, Directories and Newspapers (Bath, 1973)
British Library Board, Catalogue of the Newspaper Library Colindale Vol.2 - England & Wales - (London, 1975).
L.E.J.Brooke, Somerset Newspapers 1725 - 1960 (Yeovil, 1960).
R.S.Crane & F.B.Kaye, Census of British Newspapers and Periodicals 1620 - 1800 (1927).
G.A.Cranfield, A Hand-List of English Provincial Newspapers and Periodicals 1700 -1760, (Cambridge, 1952).
Dawsons of Pall Mall, Handlist of English and Welsh Newspapers 1620 - 1920 Section I, (1920).
E.Green, Bibliotheca Somersetensis, 2 vols. (1902).
J.Gibson, Local Newspapers 1750 -1920 - England & Wales, C.I. & I.O.M. A Select Location List - (Birmingham 1991).
W.S.Haugh (ed), Early Bristol Newspapers - A detailed catalogue of Bristol Newspapers published up to and including the year 1800 in the Bristol Reference Library, (Bristol, 1956). Piece B21662 at the Bristol Central Library with additional notation.
R.T. Milford & D.M.Sutherland, A Catalogue of English Newspapers and Periodicals in the Bodleian Library 1622 - 1800
K.K.Weed & R.P.Bond, Studies of British Newspapers and Periodicals from their beginning to 1800 - A Bibliography (1946).