The News Letter
Encyclopedia
The News Letter is one of Northern Ireland
's main daily newspapers, published Monday to Saturday. It is the oldest English language
general daily newspaper still in publication in the world, having first been printed in 1737.
The newspaper's editorial stance and readership, while originally republican, is strongly unionist. Its primary competitors are the Belfast Telegraph and the Irish News. The News Letter has changed hands several times since the mid-1990s, and since 2005 is owned by the Johnston Press
holding company Johnston Publishing (NI)
. The full legal title of the newspaper is the "Belfast News Letter" though the word Belfast
does not appear on the masthead any more.
in Belfast. The Joys were a family of Huguenot
descent who added much to eighteenth-century Belfast, noted for their compiling materials for its history. Francis Joy, the father of Henry
and Robert, had come to Belfast early in the century from the County Antrim village of Killead
. In Belfast, he married the daughter of the town sovereign, and set up a practice as an attorney. In 1737, he obtained a small printing-press which was in settlement of a debt, and used it to publish the town’s first newspaper at the sign of ‘The Peacock’ in Bridge Street. The family later bought a paper mill in Ballymena
, and were able to produce enough paper not only for their own publication but for the whole province of Ulster
.
Originally published three times weekly, it became daily in 1855. The title is now located in the Boucher Road industrial estate in the south of Belfast.
The Belfast News Letter published news of the American Declaration of Independence in its August 23, 1776 edition. According to the newspaper's owners:
However the London Chronicle
was the first to print the Declaration in full in its August 15–17, 1776 edition.
Before the partition of Ireland
in 1922, the News Letter was distributed island-wide.
and Guardian Media Group
. It also prints the Ulster-Scots Agency
publication, The Ulster-Scot
.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
's main daily newspapers, published Monday to Saturday. It is the oldest English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
general daily newspaper still in publication in the world, having first been printed in 1737.
The newspaper's editorial stance and readership, while originally republican, is strongly unionist. Its primary competitors are the Belfast Telegraph and the Irish News. The News Letter has changed hands several times since the mid-1990s, and since 2005 is owned by the 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...
holding company Johnston Publishing (NI)
Johnston Publishing (NI)
Johnston Publishing is a large newspaper group in Northern Ireland consisting of Mortons Newspapers and the News Letter, and is a holding company of Johnston Press...
. The full legal title of the newspaper is the "Belfast News Letter" though the word Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
does not appear on the masthead any more.
History
Founded in 1737, the News Letter was printed in Joy's EntryThe Belfast Entries
The Belfast Entries are a series of historical narrow alleyways in the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland, mostly in the vicinity of High Street and Ann Street. When the town was first laid out, these alleyways serviced dense residential and commercial development...
in Belfast. The Joys were a family of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
descent who added much to eighteenth-century Belfast, noted for their compiling materials for its history. Francis Joy, the father of Henry
Henry Joy McCracken
Henry Joy McCracken was an Irish industrialist and a founding member of the Society of the United Irishmen.-History:...
and Robert, had come to Belfast early in the century from the County Antrim village of Killead
Killead
Killead is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is near Aldergrove and Antrim. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 78 people.The village is near Belfast International Airport and is accessed from the A26 Tully Road.-People:...
. In Belfast, he married the daughter of the town sovereign, and set up a practice as an attorney. In 1737, he obtained a small printing-press which was in settlement of a debt, and used it to publish the town’s first newspaper at the sign of ‘The Peacock’ in Bridge Street. The family later bought a paper mill in Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, and were able to produce enough paper not only for their own publication but for the whole province of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
.
Originally published three times weekly, it became daily in 1855. The title is now located in the Boucher Road industrial estate in the south of Belfast.
The Belfast News Letter published news of the American Declaration of Independence in its August 23, 1776 edition. According to the newspaper's owners:
However the London Chronicle
London Chronicle
The London Chronicle was an early family newspaper of Georgian London. It appeared three times a week and contained world and national news, and coverage of artistic, literary, and theatrical events in the capital....
was the first to print the Declaration in full in its August 15–17, 1776 edition.
Before the partition of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1922, the News Letter was distributed island-wide.
Other publications
The paper publishes several weekly and infrequent supplements, such as Farming Life and Catwalk. It also prints many titles for other publishers including Trinity MirrorTrinity Mirror
Trinity Mirror plc is a large British newspaper and magazine publisher. It is Britain's biggest newspaper group, publishing 240 regional papers as well as the national Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People, and the Scottish Sunday Mail and Daily Record. Its headquarters are at Canary Wharf in...
and Guardian Media Group
Guardian Media Group
Guardian Media Group plc is a company of the United Kingdom owning various mass media operations including The Guardian and The Observer. The Group is owned by the Scott Trust. It was founded as the Manchester Guardian Ltd in 1907 when C. P. Scott bought the Manchester Guardian from the estate of...
. It also prints the Ulster-Scots Agency
Ulster-Scots Agency
The Ulster-Scots Agency is a cross-border body in Ireland which seeks "promote the study, conservation and development of Ulster-Scots as a living language; to encourage and develop the full range of its attendant culture; and to promote an understanding of the history of the Ulster-Scots...
publication, The Ulster-Scot
The Ulster-Scot
The Ulster-Scot is a free, monthly publication produced by the Ulster-Scots Agency, published in Northern Ireland. It is a product of incentives to encourage awareness of Ulster heritage and often provided as a supplement with local newspaper The News Letter...
.