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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: rbell35 on Sunday 09 January 11 22:41 GMT (UK)

Title: Newspapers and their access - England
Post by: rbell35 on Sunday 09 January 11 22:41 GMT (UK)

Seeking information on accessible newspapers for England generally but also specifically for Silkstone, Bretton West, Yorkshire, England for the 1826-30 period. I have already been given some information by readers but most of these have been difficult to access and usually not online! I live in Australia so I guess that automatically presents a problem. Seeking some advice please on on how to proceed. Maybe there are some lateral approaches I can pursue? Thanks in anticipation. Cheers, Rob

Title: Re: Newspapers and their access - England
Post by: mshrmh on Monday 10 January 11 11:11 GMT (UK)

rbell35 - as you've already found many newspaper archives are not online (I'd guess the majority, in fact).

The main collection of online papers is the "Gale" collection of the British Library which is a subscription site, though some libraries offer access. They list the papers covered, so you can tell if they're likely to cover the area of your interest:
http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/dispBasicSearch.do?prodId=BLCS&userGroupName=blcsuser
This is a small selection of the BL's collection:
http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/inrrooms/blnewspapers/newscat/newscat.html

Two of the national newspapers have online archives - both again via a charge or a library, though you may be able to search first.
http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/archive/
http://archive.guardian.co.uk/
(The latter was the Manchester Guardian well into the 20th century so had more coverage of that region).

The British Library and relevant local studies libraries/archives are most likely to have relevant papers - not easy for you I appreciate!

Otherwise you could try Google books & documents - it can be surprising what turns up, though I don't find them easy to use.

Title: Re: Newspapers and their access - England
Post by: andycand on Monday 10 January 11 11:29 GMT (UK)

Hi Rob

The Gale 19th Century British Newspapers (and many other databases) are accessable through the National Library of Australia eResources by Australian residents. You need to apply for a Library card. The link below has information

http://www.nla.gov.au/getalibrarycard

Andy

Title: Re: Newspapers and their access - England
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 10 January 11 11:36 GMT (UK)

I think you can also join this:
http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/onrl/premiums.asp
even if you live in Austalia.

(not sure where the link is though)