Political Register
Encyclopedia
The Political Register was a weekly newspaper founded by William Cobbett
in 1802 and ceased publication in 1835, the year of his death.
Originally propounding Tory
views, and costing a shilling, Cobbett changed his editorial line to embrace radicalism, such as advocating widening the suffrage. It had a large circulation for that time of 6,000 copies.
The government was alarmed by its radicalism and tried to prevent mass circulation by adding stamp duty
on all newspapers putting them out of reach of all but the wealthiest. From November 1816 Cobbett also published the Register in a cheap 2d. pamphlet, which kept political comment but evaded stamp duty by excising news. The price of the paper gave it the nickname "Tuppenny Trash", nevertheless it soon gained a circulation of 40,000.
Cobbett began publishing Parliamentary Debates as a supplement to his Political Register in 1802. At the time it was illegal to report the proceeding of Parliament, only its ultimate decisions. He eventually extended his reportage back in time with the Parliamentary History. Cobbett's reports were printed by Thomas Curson Hansard
from 1809. In 1812, with his business suffering, Cobbett sold the Debates section to Hansard.
The Register ceased publication in 1836, the year after Cobbett's death.
William Cobbett
William Cobbett was an English pamphleteer, farmer and journalist, who was born in Farnham, Surrey. He believed that reforming Parliament and abolishing the rotten boroughs would help to end the poverty of farm labourers, and he attacked the borough-mongers, sinecurists and "tax-eaters" relentlessly...
in 1802 and ceased publication in 1835, the year of his death.
Originally propounding Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
views, and costing a shilling, Cobbett changed his editorial line to embrace radicalism, such as advocating widening the suffrage. It had a large circulation for that time of 6,000 copies.
The government was alarmed by its radicalism and tried to prevent mass circulation by adding stamp duty
Stamp duty in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, stamp duty is a form of tax charged on instruments , and requires a physical stamp to be attached to or impressed upon the instrument in question. The more modern versions of the tax no longer require a physical stamp.The scope of stamp duty has been reduced dramatically in...
on all newspapers putting them out of reach of all but the wealthiest. From November 1816 Cobbett also published the Register in a cheap 2d. pamphlet, which kept political comment but evaded stamp duty by excising news. The price of the paper gave it the nickname "Tuppenny Trash", nevertheless it soon gained a circulation of 40,000.
Cobbett began publishing Parliamentary Debates as a supplement to his Political Register in 1802. At the time it was illegal to report the proceeding of Parliament, only its ultimate decisions. He eventually extended his reportage back in time with the Parliamentary History. Cobbett's reports were printed by Thomas Curson Hansard
Thomas Curson Hansard
Thomas Curson Hansard was the son of the printer Luke Hansard.In 1803, he established a press of his own in Paternoster Row. In the same year, William Cobbett, a newspaperman, began to print the Parliamentary Debates...
from 1809. In 1812, with his business suffering, Cobbett sold the Debates section to Hansard.
The Register ceased publication in 1836, the year after Cobbett's death.
External links
- Political Register's entry on the Spartacus website
- Sample image of Cobett's Political Register at The British Library website. Accessed May 2009