Mortons of Horncastle
Encyclopedia
Mortons of Horncastle Ltd is a publishing company based in Horncastle in East Lindsey
, Lincolnshire
, England.
in 1887. WK Morton died in 1935, and the company eventually collapsed, being bought by Market Rasen
journalist Charles Edward Sharpe in the late 1950s. It then printed the Horncastle News and the Market Rasen Mail
.
In 1980 it started the Louth Leader and in 1985, the Skegness News. In 1999, it divided into three companies - the media and print companies, and Mortons Motorcycle Media Ltd.
In February 2001 the company sold its newspaper division, the Lincolnshire Independent Newspaper Group to Welland Valley Newspapers. Its former titles, and those of the former Lincoln Standard Group, are now owned by Johnston Press
to concentrate purely on magazine publishing.
Now specialising in classic motorcycle magazines, the company publish 23 titles. They employ around 250 staff including printers, journalists and graphics designers and achieved the Investors in People
standard in 1997.
, first published in 1897 it is Britain's oldest and best selling rail title.
Magazines it produces include:
, a student newspaper.
East Lindsey
East Lindsey is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England. The council is based in Manby near Louth, and other major settlements in the district include Alford, Spilsby, Mablethorpe, Skegness, Horncastle and Chapel St Leonards....
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England.
History
At the age of 21, WK Morton bought the Horncastle-based printing company owned by D Cousans. He started the Horncastle NewsHorncastle News
Horncastle News is a weekly newspaper which serves Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England and the surrounding area.It was founded in 1885 by William Kirkham Morton, who already owned a printing and stationery business in the town....
in 1887. WK Morton died in 1935, and the company eventually collapsed, being bought by Market Rasen
Market Rasen
Market Rasen is a town and civil parish within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the River Rase northeast of Lincoln, east of Gainsborough and southwest of Grimsby. According to the 2001 census, it has a population of 3,200....
journalist Charles Edward Sharpe in the late 1950s. It then printed the Horncastle News and the Market Rasen Mail
Market Rasen Mail
Market Rasen Mail is a weekly newspaper which serves Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, England and the surrounding area.It was founded in 1856 by Richard Hackett , the son of a local farmer. At the age of 18, Richard Hacket was working as an apprentice to a printer in Queen Street, Market Rasen...
.
In 1980 it started the Louth Leader and in 1985, the Skegness News. In 1999, it divided into three companies - the media and print companies, and Mortons Motorcycle Media Ltd.
In February 2001 the company sold its newspaper division, the Lincolnshire Independent Newspaper Group to Welland Valley Newspapers. Its former titles, and those of the former Lincoln Standard Group, are now owned by Johnston Press
Johnston Press
Johnston Press plc is a newspaper publishing company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. Its flagship titles are The Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post; it also operates many other newspapers around the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is the second-largest publisher...
to concentrate purely on magazine publishing.
Now specialising in classic motorcycle magazines, the company publish 23 titles. They employ around 250 staff including printers, journalists and graphics designers and achieved the Investors in People
Investors in People
Launched in 1991 Investors in People is a business improvement tool administered by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ....
standard in 1997.
Mortons Media Group Ltd
This division is the hub of the company, with well-established enthusiast magazines concentrating on motorcycling, railways, gardening, traction engines and now classic American cars with the addition of 'Classic American' magazine in November 2009. The most recent addition to the Mortons group of magazines is The Railway MagazineThe Railway Magazine
The Railway Magazine is a monthly British railway magazine, aimed at the railway enthusiast market, that has been published in London since July 1897. it has been, for three years running, the railway magazine with the largest circulation in the U.K., having a monthly average sale during 2009 of...
, first published in 1897 it is Britain's oldest and best selling rail title.
Magazines it produces include:
- Classic Bike GuideClassic Bike Guide-History:Launched in 1991 and edited by Frank Westworth, Classic Bike Guide mainly features original specification British motorcycles with occasional articles on foreign marques and one-off 'specials'...
- The Classic MotorCycleThe Classic MotorCycleThe Classic MotorCycle is a UK motorcycle magazine. Established in 1903 as The MotorCycle, the title has changed hands several times, as it was published by IPC Business Press between 1981 and 1983 and launched in its current form by East Midland Allied Press in 1984. Purchased in 1998 by Mortons...
- Old Bike Mart
- Classic Motorcycle Mechanics
- Classic Racer
- Classic Dirt Bike
- RealClassic
- Motorcycle Monthly
- Motorcycle Sport & Leisure
- Classic Scooterist Scene
- ScooteringScootering (British magazine)Scootering is a British magazine published by the Morton's Media Group, and covers classic motorscooters, especially Vespa and Lambretta, the people who ride them, and products of interest to scooterists....
- Twist & Go
- Aviation Classics
- Heritage CommercialsHeritage commercialsHeritage Commercials is a British magazine for classic and vintage commercial vehicle enthusiasts. It is published by Mortons Media Group.The magazine typically contains historical information as well as coverage of vehicle preservation efforts. The illustration shows a Thornycroft Antar tractor....
- Old Glory
- Tractor Magazine
- Heritage Railway
- Rail Express
- The Railway MagazineThe Railway MagazineThe Railway Magazine is a monthly British railway magazine, aimed at the railway enthusiast market, that has been published in London since July 1897. it has been, for three years running, the railway magazine with the largest circulation in the U.K., having a monthly average sale during 2009 of...
- Classic American
- Kitchen Garden
- Towpath Talk
- Wrights Farming Register
- Classic Bike Mechaniker
Mortons Print Ltd
This division produces newspapers and one-off print jobs for company brochures and sales literature. The company began in 1968. It prints the Newark Advertiser, since it bought the Newark printing press in 2002. It also prints The JournalThe Journal (student newspaper)
The Journal is an independent, fortnightly, local newspaper produced by students at seven major higher and further education institutes in Edinburgh...
, a student newspaper.