Nottingham Mercury

Nottingham Mercury was a historic newspaper title associated with Nottingham and the surrounding county. The name was first used by a paper launched on 1 January 1714 by John Collyer. Initially published as The New Mercury, it was soon renamed Nottingham Mercury. Its stated purpose was to provide an alternative political and editorial perspective to William Ayscough’s Weekly Courant. The first incarnation was short-lived and appears to have ceased publication around 1727. The title was revived in 1825 when Jonathan Dunn began publishing a Nottingham Mercury from offices on South Parade in Nottingham. This second newspaper operated in a competitive local press environment shaped partly by political affiliation. The Nottingham Journal represented Tory and Church-and-King positions, while the Nottingham Review was associated with Liberal principles. The Mercury was intended to promote Whig values connected with the Nottingham Corporation. Its political identity therefore formed an important part of its market positioning, although the paper struggled to attract a sufficiently large readership. The revived title underwent several changes in ownership, publishing responsibility, and name. Under proprietor Thomas Wakefield, it was renamed Nottingham and Newark Mercury. Matthew Henry Barker served as editor from 1827 to 1838. Samuel Bennett succeeded Jonathan Dunn as publisher in 1834, but Bennett died in 1836 and was succeeded by Richard Allen; around this transition the paper reverted to the name Nottingham Mercury. By 1838, its weekly sale was slightly above 1,000 copies. In 1847, Thomas Bailey became sole proprietor. Production was transferred to Mr Forman of the Nottinghamshire Guardian, a change intended to lower production costs and improve the newspaper’s quality. Bailey’s editorial opinions were subsequently regarded by many readers as too moderate. The paper’s circulation declined in a market where rival newspapers had stronger readership. In 1850, the Nottingham Mercury averaged about 625 copies per week, compared with approximately 1,634 for the Nottingham Review and 2,269 for the Nottingham Journal. The title experienced a further crisis in 1851 when a large body of subscribers withdrew in protest over Bailey’s position on the original error of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill and his prediction that the measure would inevitably fail. The loss of subscribers weakened the business, and the newspaper declared bankruptcy in the following year. The available historical account does not identify a later revival or a continuing modern publication under the same title. Nottingham Mercury is therefore best understood as a defunct local newspaper brand whose history illustrates the importance of political positioning, circulation economics, production arrangements, and proprietor credibility in the nineteenth-century provincial press.

The Nottingham Mercury has two principal historical phases. The first began on 1 January 1714, when John Collyer launched a newspaper at the Hen Cross. The publication initially carried the name The New Mercury, but it was quickly changed to Nottingham Mercury. It was created partly to offer readers an alternative to William Ayscough’s Weekly Courant. This first version did not survive for long and ceased publication around 1727. A second newspaper using the title appeared in 1825. Jonathan Dunn published it from offices on South Parade in Nottingham under the proprietorship of Thomas Wakefield. The paper entered a crowded local newspaper market in which titles were distinguished not only by coverage but also by political outlook. The Nottingham Journal represented Tory and Church-and-King interests, while the Nottingham Review advocated Liberal principles. The Mercury was intended to advance Whig values associated with the Nottingham Corporation. The revived newspaper initially found it difficult to build readership. It was renamed Nottingham and Newark Mercury, reflecting a broader regional ambition, before later returning to Nottingham Mercury. Matthew Henry Barker was editor from 1827 to 1838. Samuel Bennett replaced Jonathan Dunn as publisher in 1834, but Bennett died two years later. Richard Allen then succeeded him, and the title reverted to Nottingham Mercury during this period. By 1838, the paper’s weekly sale was a little over 1,000 copies. In 1847, Thomas Bailey became sole proprietor. Production was transferred to Mr Forman of the Nottinghamshire Guardian, an arrangement presented as a means of reducing costs and improving quality. The paper’s commercial position nevertheless deteriorated. Bailey’s opinions were viewed by readers as excessively moderate, and circulation fell. In 1850, the newspaper averaged 625 copies per week, well below the reported circulation of the Nottingham Review and Nottingham Journal. The decline became more severe in 1851. A substantial body of subscribers withdrew in protest over Bailey’s views concerning the original error of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill and his forecasts about the bill’s failure. This dispute damaged the paper’s relationship with its readership. The Nottingham Mercury declared bankruptcy in 1852. No evidence in the supplied reference indicates that the title continued as a modern newspaper after this event. Its history is consequently that of a short-lived but politically identifiable provincial newspaper, shaped by repeated changes of proprietor, editorial positioning, title, production arrangements, and subscriber support.

• 1852

  Newspaper declares bankruptcy

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  After subscriber withdrawals and continuing commercial difficulties, the Nottingham Mercury declared bankruptcy.

• 1850

  Circulation falls behind local rivals

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  The reported average weekly run fell to 625 copies, below the figures given for the Nottingham Review and Nottingham Journal.

• 1847

  Thomas Bailey becomes sole proprietor

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas Bailey took sole proprietorship, while production was transferred to Mr Forman of the Nottinghamshire Guardian.

• 1838

  Weekly sale exceeds 1,000 copies

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  The newspaper’s reported weekly sale was slightly above 1,000 copies.

• 1836

  Richard Allen succeeds Samuel Bennett

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  Following Samuel Bennett’s death, Richard Allen became his successor, during a period when the title returned to Nottingham Mercury.

• 1834

  Publisher changes hands

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  Samuel Bennett succeeded Jonathan Dunn as publisher of the newspaper.

• 1827

  Matthew Henry Barker becomes editor

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  Matthew Henry Barker took on the editorship, which he held through 1838.

• 1825

  Title revived in Nottingham

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  Jonathan Dunn began publishing a new Nottingham Mercury from South Parade under proprietor Thomas Wakefield.

• 1727

  First incarnation ends

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  The first Nottingham Mercury ceased publication after operating for only a few years.

• 1714

  First Nottingham Mercury launched

  [1]Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org

  John Collyer launched the first newspaper to use the Nottingham Mercury title on 1 January at the Hen Cross. It began as The New Mercury and was quickly renamed.

A Nottingham-area provincial newspaper positioned at different times as an alternative to competing local papers and, in its nineteenth-century incarnation, as a Whig-oriented publication associated with the values of the Nottingham Corporation.

• Local newspaper · 1714

  Nottingham Mercury

  The principal newspaper title associated with the brand. It appeared in an early eighteenth-century form and was revived in the nineteenth century. The paper provided regional news and commentary while also presenting a political alternative to competing Nottingham titles.

• Newspaper title · 1714

  The New Mercury

  The original name of the newspaper launched by John Collyer in 1714. It was soon changed to Nottingham Mercury and did not remain a separate enduring title.

• Regional newspaper title · 1825

  Nottingham and Newark Mercury

  A nineteenth-century name used for the revived newspaper when it sought to reflect coverage beyond Nottingham itself, including Newark and the surrounding area.

• 1851

  Subscriber withdrawal over editorial positionOther

  Background

  Readers objected to Thomas Bailey’s views concerning the original error of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill and his prediction that the measure would inevitably fail.

  Action taken

  A large body of subscribers withdrew from the newspaper in protest.

  Aftermath

  The loss of subscribers contributed to the newspaper’s financial deterioration and preceded its bankruptcy declaration in 1852.

  Source

• 1847

  Transfer production to reduce costsStrategy

  Background

  Thomas Bailey became sole proprietor while the newspaper faced the operational demands of provincial publishing.

  Action taken

  Production was transferred to Mr Forman of the Nottinghamshire Guardian in an effort to lower costs and improve quality.

  Aftermath

  The production change did not prevent circulation decline, which was later associated with Bailey’s moderate editorial views and the paper’s weak competitive position.

  Source

• 1825

  Revive the title with a regional political positionStrategy

  Background

  The revived paper entered a competitive Nottingham market divided among newspapers with distinct political identities.

  Action taken

  Jonathan Dunn launched a new Nottingham Mercury under Thomas Wakefield’s proprietorship, with an intended Whig orientation associated with Nottingham Corporation values.

  Aftermath

  The paper struggled to attract readers and was later renamed Nottingham and Newark Mercury before returning to Nottingham Mercury.

  Source

• 1714

  Launch an alternative newspaper voiceStrategy

  Background

  The first Nottingham Mercury entered the local press as an alternative to William Ayscough’s Weekly Courant.

  Action taken

  John Collyer launched the paper at the Hen Cross, initially under the name The New Mercury before changing the title.

  Aftermath

  The first incarnation survived only a few years and ceased publication around 1727.

  Source

1. 1Nottingham Mercuryen.wikipedia.org