12 S.X. APRIL 8, 1922.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 261 LONDON, APRIL 8, 1922. CONTENTS. No. 208. NOTES : ' Gloucester Journal,' 1722-1922, 261 The Loss of H.M.S. Tiger, 264 William Clyburne, 266 Westminster and St. Martin's-in-the-Fields ' Dear Ally Croaker ' The King's Printing House, Thames Street, 1653. 268 Exhibitions of Automata in London, 269 Signatures of British Officers serving in the Netherlands, 270. QUERIES : Did Lord Byron make a Tour in Corsica in 1821 ' The Fly-flsher's Entomology,' by Alfred Ronalds, 270 Delaplace " Old Richard "Clerk of the Peace. Mid- dlesex. 1693 Oscar Wilde Fleet Marriages: Registers- Early Suffolk MSS. Dorothy Pocock of Bradley Court. Chieveley. Berks. 271 Giraldus Cambrensis Heraldic and Genealogical Societies in America Ledbury. Hereford Pedwardine Family North of Walkeringham Lackland Family " Dutch Hand-coloured Prints " Old Christmas Carol. 272 "The King's Standinge" in Richmond Park John Abercrombie, Horticulturist Richard Reynolds- George and John Maddeson Mark Akenside Epitaphs on Sportsmen Keats Query Reference wanted Author wanted. 273. REPLIES : Early Victorian Literature. 273 Cap of Main- tenance, 275 John Frederick Smith, Novelist, 276 Colonel Montre'sor of Belmont. 277 Pallone, an Italian Game Identification of Flag The Troutbeck Pedigree, 278 The Steam Packet Edward Stephenson Tercentenary Handlist of Newspapers English Army Slang, 279. NOTES ON BOOKS :' Johnsonian Gleanings.' Part III. ' Journal of the Travels of Father Samuel Fritz ' ' The Oxford University Press.' 'GLOUCESTER JOURNAL,' 1722-1922. PART I. THE RAIKES FAMILY (1722-1802). THE attainment of a continuous life of 200 years for a newspaper is still of rare occur- rence and will be so for some time to come.
- N. & Q.' has long been the repository
for records of the Press, and the celebration of the bicentenary of the Gloucester Journal, which with its issue of April 8 will com- plete its 200th year, is worthy to be added to them. In consequence of certain special cir- cumstances the event is of more than ordinary interest, and in one particular unique, a word advisedly used with caution. There is certainly only one instance of two papers founded jointly by the same printers which have been published continuously under the same title for two centuries. In 1720 the Northampton Mercury was established by Robert Raikes and William Dicey, who also, in 1722, founded the Gloucester Journal, and in both cases the papers enjoy a prosperous existence in 1922 under their original titles. In gathering particulars of the history of the Gloucester Journal it occurred to me to sift the available information concerning the provincial Press prior to 1723, and having regard to the more trustworthy data given in * N. & Q.' in recent years, a chronological list of such papers has been attempted. There has been much mis- understanding in dating papers, too great reliance being placed on numbers of volumes and issues. Though the facts connected with the age of the Gloucester Journal are unimpeachable, anyone who dated it from the numbering of the volumes between 1872 and 1892 would, as I have shown in
- N. & Q.' (11 S. xi. 317), be sadly led astray.
Even in 1920 and 1921 there has been some curious manipulation of the Roman numerals. The following is as complete a list of provincial papers established before 1723 is I have found it possible to compile, and I offer it with due reservation. The years given are calculated from the numbers of the earliest copies known. It may perhaps confute the oft-repeated statement that cathedral cities are " slow," for it will be observed that such towns take pride of place, not only in point of date, but in number, compared with other more rapid (?) centres ! 1701. Norwich Post. (No. 348 is dated April 24- May 1, 1708, and 1701 is correct only so far as the number can be relied upon.) 1702. Bristol Post-Boy. (No. 91 dated Aug. 12, 1704.) 1706. Norwich Post-Man. (No. 68 dated April 10, 1708.) Norwich Gazette. (No. 134 dated April 9, 1709.) 1707. Joe Bliss's Exeter Post-Boy. (No. 211 dated May 4, 1711.) Continued as ' The Protestant Mercury, or Exeter Post-Boy,' 1715.) 1708. The Protestant's Packet (later ' Norwich Weekly Mercury'). 1709. Worcester Post-Man. In progress as ' Berrow's Worcester Journal.' 1710. Nottingham Weekly Courant. No. 1, Nov. 27. Nottingham Post. (No. 42, dated July 11- 18, 1711.) 1712. Liverpool Courant. (No. 18, dated July 16- 18.) 1713. Bristol Post-Man, No. 24, July 15. (This is the present ' Bristol Times and Mirror.') Stamford Mercury. (Though the date of first publication was long stated as 1695, the correct date is 1713. The present ' Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford
