Sherborne Mercury

History

The Sherborne Mercury was first issued in February 1737, published by Henry Bettinson in Sherborne, a town in Dorset. Another newspaper, the Western Flying Post, was first issued issue in 1743, founded by Robert Goadby in Yeovil, a town in Somerset. In 1749, the publications merged, with the resulting newspaper printed in Sherborne—the first combined issue was dated January 30. Subsequently, it was published under a series of names, as outlined in a below section.

In 1867, the newspaper (then operating under Western Flying Post naming) merged with the Western Gazette, which had been founded in 1863 in Yeovil.

The Sherborne Mercury was a hugely influential newspaper, particularly as its news coverage and distribution went well beyond that of the boundaries of Dorset. Before any newspaper was published in Cornwall, the Sherborne Mercury had many subscribers and distribution throughout Cornwall, as far west as Penzance, It covered many Cornish news items, and was read by key businessmen and members of the professional class in the county.

The hawkers, news boys and news carriers were known as Sherbornes. This name was also applied to hawkers and carriers of other regional and local newspapers in the West Country.

Archive copies of this local paper can be found in the County Archives offices of the aforementioned Dorset and Cornwall, along with Wiltshire and Devon, testament to its historical importance as a newspaper of record in the West Country. It remains a popular source for genealogists and local historians. The Newspapers.com archive site also includes many editions of the paper.

Naming

Names of the newspaper, starting in 1749 when the Sherborne Mercury and Western Flying Post merged, included the following (bold text indicates prominent wording of the masthead):

• The Western Flying-Post; or, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury (1749, Mondays)
• The Western Flying-Post; or, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury: and General Advertiser (1765, Mondays)
• The Sherborne Journal (1774, Thursdays)
• The Sherborne Journal, and Western Advertiser (1780, Thursdays)
• The Dorchester and Sherborne Journal, and Western Advertiser (1791, Fridays)
• The Western Flying Post, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury, and General Advertiser for Dorset, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall (1827, Saturdays)
• The Western Flying Post, Sherborne Mercury and Yeovil Times. General Advertiser for Somerset, Dorset, Wilts, Devon, and Cornwall (1851, Tuesdays)
• The Western Flying Post, Yeovil Times and Sherborne Mercury. General Advertiser for Somerset, Dorset, Wilts, Devon, and Cornwall (1856, Tuesdays)
• The Western Flying Post, Yeovil. — flanked by Yeovil and Somerset Times. and Sherborne and Dorset Mercury. (1857, Tuesdays)
• Western Flying Post, Yeovil. — flanked by Yeovil and Somerset Times. and Sherborne and Dorset Mercury. (1859, Tuesdays)
• The Western Flying Post, Yeovil and Somerset Times, Sherborne and Dorset Mercury, Yeovil (1860, Tuesdays)

Notes

References

References

1. "Historical Newspapers: sherborne".
2. (28 January 1961). "The Newspapers of Somerset". Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier.
3. (6 June 1986). "Letters to the Editor". Western Gazette.
4. (4 July 1987). "Letters to the Editor". Western Gazette.
5. (December 18, 1936). "The Western Gazette: Newspaper History". [[Western Gazette]].
6. (6 February 1749). "(masthead)". The Western Flying-Post; or, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury.
7. (2 December 1765). "(masthead)". The Western Flying-Post; or, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury: and General Advertiser.
8. (20 January 1774). "(masthead)". The Sherborne Journal.
9. (31 August 1780). "(masthead)". The Sherborne Journal, and Western Advertiser.
10. (14 January 1791). "(masthead)". The Dorchester and Sherborne Journal, and Western Advertiser.
11. (27 January 1827). "(masthead)". The Western Flying Post, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury, and General Advertiser for Dorset, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall.
12. (8 July 1851). "(masthead)". The Western Flying Post, Sherborne Mercury and Yeovil Times. General Advertiser for Somerset, Dorset, Wilts, Devon, and Cornwall.
13. (20 May 1856). "(masthead)". The Western Flying Post, Yeovil Times and Sherborne Mercury. General Advertiser for Somerset, Dorset, Wilts, Devon, and Cornwall.
14. (6 January 1857). "(masthead)". The Western Flying Post, Yeovil.
15. (3 May 1859). "(masthead)". Western Flying Post, Yeovil.
16. (3 July 1860). "(masthead)". The Western Flying Post, Yeovil and Somerset Times, Sherborne and Dorset Mercury, Yeovil.