Diocesan Magazines
Encyclopedia
From the 1860s onwards a steadily increasing number of British diocese
s, especially in the Church of England
, began issuing publications containing a variety of news, comment and educational articles relating to their work. Similar examples were eventually added by a number of Roman Catholic dioceses and by various ecclesiastical denominations overseas.
(also incidentally the locale of some of the earliest parish magazine
s), during the episcopate of bishop John Lonsdale
. However there had also been a short-lived Oxford Parochial Magazine within the diocese of Oxford
.
During the Victorian era such publications were frequently named as the Diocesan Gazette or simply as the Diocesan Magazine. From the early 20th century many dioceses also began to produce shorter monthly news bulletins or leaflets, often designed for possible inclusion as an insert within the local parish magazine
.
Occasionally the introduction of a new diocesan gazette might attract scepticism or controversy: in London diocese there were complaints of early high-handed techniques being used in efforts to increase their circulation.
Typical contents of the earlier magazines would include a pastoral letter from a bishop or another senior clergyman; theological reflections; particulars of the bishop’s engagements during the coming month; comments on recent national or local news; details of forthcoming events and meetings; and particulars of recent clerical appointments. They were not always well regarded: one writer commented regarding diocesan leaflets in 1949: Unfortunately, most of these must be classed as dull productions and some … contribute little to the Christian cause and may even have a negative influence. As with the parish magazine the trouble seems to be a style of writing and a format which repels rather than attracts. But there is some excuse for the Diocesan Leaflet as many of them are written primarily for the clergy, to give them news of conferences, retreats and other events … It would be better to supply the clergy with their news in mimeograph form and devote all the Leaflet space to news of interest to the laity .
There was some gradual increase in the use of engravings and photographs, particularly after the technological improvements in the 1890s, including halftone
reproduction of illustrations and the introduction of offset
printing.
Surviving examples of many of these publications can often be traced in libraries or in the episcopal collections held by the local county record office
or county archive service (which today usually serves as the principal diocesan record office
). Since a lot of them were included as insets within parish magazines of differing dates, many of the back issues surviving today are included within incomplete sets.
BANGOR: Bangor Diocesan Gazette, founded under bishop John Charles Jones
, 1954. Discontinued 19??, Nexus, online diocesan magazine, current.
BATH & WELLS: Ruridecanal Diocesan and Parish Magazine, 1883-c1917.. Manna, quarterly magazine launched Sep 2010 including online version .
BIRMINGHAM: Diocesan Magazine 1905, the year of the creation of the diocese. Appeared initially as the Worcester & Birmingham Diocesan Magazine,
BLACKBURN: See, diocesan newsletter, current 2010s.
BRADFORD:
BRISTOL: Diocesan Magazine, operational by 1899
CANTERBURY: Diocesan Gazette, commenced 1892
CARLISLE: Diocesan Gazette, commenced 1896 (volume 34 by 1930; issues 1898-1941 held in Cumbria Record Office, Carlisle; discontinued 19??. Carlisle Diocesan News/The News (four-page magazine insert, by 1960s-date). The Way (originally The Way in Cumbria), a colour newspaper of Carlisle diocese but subsequently expanded to include other denominations within the county, three times yearly (Easter, Summer & Christmas), c1994-date)
CHELMSFORD:
CHESTER: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1891
CHICHESTER: Diocesan Magazine
COVENTRY:
DERBY:
DURHAM: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1887 . The Bishoprick magazine by c1924 (volume 28 reached by 1953).
ELY: Ely Ensign (discontinued 2007; discussed at Diocesan Synod 10 March 2007).
EXETER: Exeter Diocesan Gazette, some monthly examples, 1902-1911 in Devon Record Office. Exeter Diocesan leaflet 1949-1982, monthly, since discontinued. Replaced by Exeter Diocesan News 1983-date, monthly, still in progress, see county library list. Exeter Diocesan Magazine (operational by 2009)
Information from online catalogues of Devon Record Office, Exeter.
GLOUCESTER: Diocesan Magazine (37 volumes from 1906-1942 at Gloucestershire Archives)
GUILDFORD:
HEREFORD: Diocesan Magazine (dates?) The NEWSpaper (quarterly), 24 pages, current; also “available online in its entirety” .
LEICESTER:
LICHFIELD: Diocesan Magazine, operational before 1868.
LINCOLN: Diocesan Magazine, operational by 1886; still operating in 1970s.
LIVERPOOL: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1882 . Diocesan leaflet, late 1940s, described as a better style … printed in Crown 8vo size instead of the more common quarto size, it has eight pages of good readable type, mostly in double columns, with ample white space between the paragraphs and good titling .
LLANDAFF: Diocesan Magazine, quarterly from March 1899
LONDON: Diocesan Magazine, by 1887
MANCHESTER: Diocesan Magazine Crux (stray issues 1970s; online version current 2010s).
MONMOUTH: Diocesan Newsletter, online .
NEWCASTLE:
NORWICH: Diocesan Gazette, by 1894
OXFORD: Oxford Parochial Magazine, commenced 1860 but disappeared by 1864. The Door, 20th century
PETERBOROUGH:
PORTSMOUTH:
RIPON: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1898;
ROCHESTER: Diocesan Gazette, by 1896
ST ALBANS:
ST ASAPH: Teulu St Asaph, online diocesan magazine, from 2007
ST DAVID’S: Diocesan Gazette & Ruridecanal Chronicle, quarterly from Aug 1900
ST EDMUNDSBURY & IPSWICH: Diocesan Magazine, volume xxi by 1935 so presumably commencing almost from the foundation of the diocese in 1914. Specially commended during the late 1940s as being very well printed, newsy in the right way, and with an excellent cover … Incidentally it carries quite a lot of advertisements and is sold for 2d, a price at which no one can cavil at if value is given . East Anglican Magazine, current, online, No. 118 by November 2011.
SALISBURY:
SHEFFIELD:
SODOR & MAN:
SOUTHWARK:
SOUTHWELL: Diocesan Magazine, by June 1888 . Southwell Diocesan News, leaflet, by 1950s.
SWANSEA & BRECON: Diocesan News, current 2010s.
TRURO: The Church in Cornwall, introduced under bishop Edward White Benson
by 1878; Diocesan Gazette by 1926
WAKEFIELD:
WINCHESTER: Winchester Diocesan Magazine, proposed 1890 and operational by 1899.
WORCESTER: Diocesan Magazine
YORK: Diocesan Magazine, by 1892; still issued in 1970s.
Scotland
Until 2004 the Scottish Episcopal Church
issued as a quarterly newspaper “The Scottish Episcopalian”, which included contributions from all seven dioceses. This has since been replaced by a new publication Inspires http://www.scotland.anglican.org/index.php/news/inspires, which is also available online.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s, especially in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, began issuing publications containing a variety of news, comment and educational articles relating to their work. Similar examples were eventually added by a number of Roman Catholic dioceses and by various ecclesiastical denominations overseas.
Early examples
The earliest regular example was seemingly the Diocesan Magazine introduced in the Anglican diocese of LichfieldDiocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
(also incidentally the locale of some of the earliest parish magazine
Parish Magazine
A parish magazine is a periodical produced by and for an ecclesiastical parish, generally within the Anglican Church. It usually comprises a mixture of religious articles, community contributions and parish notices, including the previous month‘s christenings, marriages and funerals. Magazines...
s), during the episcopate of bishop John Lonsdale
John Lonsdale
The Right Reverend John Lonsdale was the third Principal of King's College London who later served as Bishop of Lichfield....
. However there had also been a short-lived Oxford Parochial Magazine within the diocese of Oxford
Diocese of Oxford
-History:The Diocese of Oxford was created in 1541 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford...
.
During the Victorian era such publications were frequently named as the Diocesan Gazette or simply as the Diocesan Magazine. From the early 20th century many dioceses also began to produce shorter monthly news bulletins or leaflets, often designed for possible inclusion as an insert within the local parish magazine
Parish Magazine
A parish magazine is a periodical produced by and for an ecclesiastical parish, generally within the Anglican Church. It usually comprises a mixture of religious articles, community contributions and parish notices, including the previous month‘s christenings, marriages and funerals. Magazines...
.
Occasionally the introduction of a new diocesan gazette might attract scepticism or controversy: in London diocese there were complaints of early high-handed techniques being used in efforts to increase their circulation.
Format and content
Formats, layouts and titles have however changed over the years to reflect the changing needs and circumstances of the church. Many of the earliest titles have now ceased publication, usually being replaced by new ventures meeting more modern needs. Some of these have now adopted a more popular newspaper-type style.Typical contents of the earlier magazines would include a pastoral letter from a bishop or another senior clergyman; theological reflections; particulars of the bishop’s engagements during the coming month; comments on recent national or local news; details of forthcoming events and meetings; and particulars of recent clerical appointments. They were not always well regarded: one writer commented regarding diocesan leaflets in 1949: Unfortunately, most of these must be classed as dull productions and some … contribute little to the Christian cause and may even have a negative influence. As with the parish magazine the trouble seems to be a style of writing and a format which repels rather than attracts. But there is some excuse for the Diocesan Leaflet as many of them are written primarily for the clergy, to give them news of conferences, retreats and other events … It would be better to supply the clergy with their news in mimeograph form and devote all the Leaflet space to news of interest to the laity .
There was some gradual increase in the use of engravings and photographs, particularly after the technological improvements in the 1890s, including halftone
Halftone
Halftone is the reprographic technique that simulates continuous tone imagery through the use of dots, varying either in size, in shape or in spacing...
reproduction of illustrations and the introduction of offset
Offset
The term offset may refer to:* Carbon offset, a financial instrument aimed at a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions* Offset agreement, trade practice in Aerospace and Defense Industry...
printing.
Surviving examples of many of these publications can often be traced in libraries or in the episcopal collections held by the local county record office
County record office
In the United Kingdom the term county record office usually refers to a local authority repository, also called a County Archives. Such repositories employ specialist staff to administer and conserve the historic and the semi-current records of the parent body...
or county archive service (which today usually serves as the principal diocesan record office
Diocesan record office
Originally within the United Kingdom the title of Diocesan Record Office would frequently have referred to a church-owned diocesan registry or chancery...
). Since a lot of them were included as insets within parish magazines of differing dates, many of the back issues surviving today are included within incomplete sets.
Some past and present periodicals: Anglican dioceses in the UK
England & WalesBANGOR: Bangor Diocesan Gazette, founded under bishop John Charles Jones
John Charles Jones
John Charles Jones was the Anglican Bishop of Bangor from 1943 until his death.Jones was educated at the Grammar School, Carmarthen, Cardiff University and Wadham College, Oxford. He held curacies at Llanelli and Aberystwyth before 11 years in Uganda as a Church Mission Society missionary...
, 1954. Discontinued 19??, Nexus, online diocesan magazine, current.
BATH & WELLS: Ruridecanal Diocesan and Parish Magazine, 1883-c1917.. Manna, quarterly magazine launched Sep 2010 including online version .
BIRMINGHAM: Diocesan Magazine 1905, the year of the creation of the diocese. Appeared initially as the Worcester & Birmingham Diocesan Magazine,
BLACKBURN: See, diocesan newsletter, current 2010s.
BRADFORD:
BRISTOL: Diocesan Magazine, operational by 1899
CANTERBURY: Diocesan Gazette, commenced 1892
CARLISLE: Diocesan Gazette, commenced 1896 (volume 34 by 1930; issues 1898-1941 held in Cumbria Record Office, Carlisle; discontinued 19??. Carlisle Diocesan News/The News (four-page magazine insert, by 1960s-date). The Way (originally The Way in Cumbria), a colour newspaper of Carlisle diocese but subsequently expanded to include other denominations within the county, three times yearly (Easter, Summer & Christmas), c1994-date)
CHELMSFORD:
CHESTER: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1891
CHICHESTER: Diocesan Magazine
COVENTRY:
DERBY:
DURHAM: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1887 . The Bishoprick magazine by c1924 (volume 28 reached by 1953).
ELY: Ely Ensign (discontinued 2007; discussed at Diocesan Synod 10 March 2007).
EXETER: Exeter Diocesan Gazette, some monthly examples, 1902-1911 in Devon Record Office. Exeter Diocesan leaflet 1949-1982, monthly, since discontinued. Replaced by Exeter Diocesan News 1983-date, monthly, still in progress, see county library list. Exeter Diocesan Magazine (operational by 2009)
Information from online catalogues of Devon Record Office, Exeter.
GLOUCESTER: Diocesan Magazine (37 volumes from 1906-1942 at Gloucestershire Archives)
GUILDFORD:
HEREFORD: Diocesan Magazine (dates?) The NEWSpaper (quarterly), 24 pages, current; also “available online in its entirety” .
LEICESTER:
LICHFIELD: Diocesan Magazine, operational before 1868.
LINCOLN: Diocesan Magazine, operational by 1886; still operating in 1970s.
LIVERPOOL: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1882 . Diocesan leaflet, late 1940s, described as a better style … printed in Crown 8vo size instead of the more common quarto size, it has eight pages of good readable type, mostly in double columns, with ample white space between the paragraphs and good titling .
LLANDAFF: Diocesan Magazine, quarterly from March 1899
LONDON: Diocesan Magazine, by 1887
MANCHESTER: Diocesan Magazine Crux (stray issues 1970s; online version current 2010s).
MONMOUTH: Diocesan Newsletter, online .
NEWCASTLE:
NORWICH: Diocesan Gazette, by 1894
OXFORD: Oxford Parochial Magazine, commenced 1860 but disappeared by 1864. The Door, 20th century
PETERBOROUGH:
PORTSMOUTH:
RIPON: Diocesan Gazette, operational by 1898;
ROCHESTER: Diocesan Gazette, by 1896
ST ALBANS:
ST ASAPH: Teulu St Asaph, online diocesan magazine, from 2007
ST DAVID’S: Diocesan Gazette & Ruridecanal Chronicle, quarterly from Aug 1900
ST EDMUNDSBURY & IPSWICH: Diocesan Magazine, volume xxi by 1935 so presumably commencing almost from the foundation of the diocese in 1914. Specially commended during the late 1940s as being very well printed, newsy in the right way, and with an excellent cover … Incidentally it carries quite a lot of advertisements and is sold for 2d, a price at which no one can cavil at if value is given . East Anglican Magazine, current, online, No. 118 by November 2011.
SALISBURY:
SHEFFIELD:
SODOR & MAN:
SOUTHWARK:
SOUTHWELL: Diocesan Magazine, by June 1888 . Southwell Diocesan News, leaflet, by 1950s.
SWANSEA & BRECON: Diocesan News, current 2010s.
TRURO: The Church in Cornwall, introduced under bishop Edward White Benson
Edward White Benson
Edward White Benson was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883 until his death.-Life:Edward White Benson was born in Highgate, Birmingham, the son of a Birmingham chemical manufacturer. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1852...
by 1878; Diocesan Gazette by 1926
WAKEFIELD:
WINCHESTER: Winchester Diocesan Magazine, proposed 1890 and operational by 1899.
WORCESTER: Diocesan Magazine
YORK: Diocesan Magazine, by 1892; still issued in 1970s.
Scotland
Until 2004 the Scottish Episcopal Church
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
issued as a quarterly newspaper “The Scottish Episcopalian”, which included contributions from all seven dioceses. This has since been replaced by a new publication Inspires http://www.scotland.anglican.org/index.php/news/inspires, which is also available online.