Edinburgh Courant

The Edinburgh Courant was a broadsheet newspaper from the 18th century. It was published out of Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. Its first issue was dated February 14–19, 1705 and was sold for a penny. It was Scotland's first regional newspaper and it was produced twice weekly for five years, thereafter continuing as the Scots Courant until April 1720.

History

In 1718, the Edinburgh Evening Courant began publication, being first printed by John McQueen or McEwen on the Royal Mile then passing to his protege, Alexander Kincaid in 1735.[1] It survived until the Edinburgh Evening News came into existence in 1873.

It was founded by James Watson (who had also published the Edinburgh Gazette from 1700)[2] and had its main printing office was at Craigs Close at 170 High Street on the Royal Mile, the premises generally being known as the King's Printing House.[3]

In 1725, during the time of the Scottish Malt Tax riots, rival political factions used – or at least attempted to use – newspapers including the Edinburgh Evening Courant and the Caledonian Mercury as their "mouthpieces", as a letter from the then book trade apprentice Andrew Millar indicates. Millar was apprenticed to James McEuen, who had been printer, editor, and principal bookseller of The Edinburgh Evening Courant since 1718.[4]

Editors

Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, and then based at Moubray House, was its editor in the early 18th century. James Hannay, Naval History writer, was its editor from 1860 to 1864.[5]

Archives

Images of the newspaper have been digitalized and can be viewed through Ancestry.com, with a subscription.[6]

References
  1. Alexander Kincaid. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
  2. Dictionary of National Biography: James Watson (d.1722)
  3. "(190) – Scottish Post Office Directories > Towns > Edinburgh > 1805-1834 – Post Office annual directory > 1832–1833 – Scottish Directories – National Library of Scotland".
  4. "The manuscripts, Letter from Andrew Millar to Robert Wodrow". Andrew Millar Project. UK: University of Edinburgh. 15 July 1725. Retrieved 2016-06-03. See footnotes 10 and 14.
  5. Taylor, D. J. (2004). "Hannay, James (1827–1873), writer.". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/12213. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. "Edinburgh Courant (Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland)". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 28 April 2019.


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