How our own history stated
The Oxford Time on its 100th birthday surveys the history it has recorded, the clash of personalities, the transformation brought about by energy and enterprise. The adaptation of established institutions – and the problems that challenge us in this part of England which we think of as unique, this Oxford.
The Oxford times was founded y Joseph Plowman at a time when there were already two weekly papers in Oxford, the Chronicle and the Journal. Oxford has always been Liberal and the Oxford Times heralded no political departure but it was essentially a commercial venture and claimed not to follow the party line.
IT appeared with the following announcement: “We belong to no party as a party; we by no means pin our faiths to any set of men, or any dogmatic formularies of political action, and with every disposition and intention to support the great Constitutional Party of England, both in Church and State, we are by no means prepared to pledge that support through thick and thin and under all or any circumstances but while upholding to the utmost extent of our means the Protestant and established religious principles of the country our columns will be free from anything like bigotry, in-tolerance or oppression.”
The announcement went on: “In issuing our first number of ‘The Oxford Times an Midland Counties Advertiser’ we must throw ourselves on the kind indulgence of our friends the public generally and trust they will overlook those deficiencies which are unavoidable in commencing a new undertaking.
“Intelligence and advertising have poured in so copiously that even with the addition of Supplement decided upon almost at the last moment, we have been unable to carry out our wishes and to avail ourselves of the many communications which have been forwarded to us for insertion. We shall be better prepared for the future. Our arrangements will be more matured and therefore, in this instance we trust our friends will take the will for the deed.”
Prominent in the news columns was “Metropolitan Gossip” (“We allow our Gossiper full latitude in the expression of his opinions without undertaking any Editorial responsibility for them “) which consisted largely of comments on snippets from other people.
Foreign news headlines included “Mature riots in Naples.” And “ A Mexican Outrage”, there were several items about Garibaldi; and the national news included an article on ‘The Condemned Murders in Kirkdale Gaol”
Local news covered a good deal of sport, including a riffle match between Banbury and Oxford and a cricket match between the College Servants and the Citizens. More than a column was devoted to Oxford races, which were remarkable for their pageantry.
“The course on each side of the Grandstand was lined with equipages ‘horsed’ in a style which betokened that their owners were not of the plebeian order” the report said. “Amongst the many turn-outs was a magnificent ‘four-in-hand’ driven by Lord Abingdon. The Lord High Steward of the City of Oxford.”
There was news from Abingdon, Bicester, Witney and Priors hard-wicke, with an Abingdon paragraph, under the heading “Theatre” reading: During the past week a party of strolling actors have been nightly performing in a booth erected in the Bury-Lane to the evident satisfaction of a certain class of playgoers who are ever ready to patronise the drama.”
The Witney “intelligence” included the announcement that the “Corn Returns Office this ancient building build in the year 1593. In the days of Good Queen Bess’ six years before her death is now being rapidly demolished to make room for a Corn Exchange. It is reported that the ‘Virgin Queen’ honoured the old edifice by reposing there one night during a provincial tour.”
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Topic: How The Oxford Times started (Read 1567 times)