Friday 16 February 2018

Two new Irish titles join online British Newspaper Archive

The British Newspaper Archive (BNA) has added The Social Review and The Armagh Standard to its online database of historical Irish newspapers.

The Armagh Standard is now known as the The Ulster Gazette, or the Ulster Gazette and Armagh Standard. It claims to have had the largest readership in the Armagh City and district area since 1844.

The BNA's planned holding for this paper will cover only 1884–1896.

The Social Review was published from Dublin's Nassau Street and was controversially edited and sub-edited by a woman (Annie Colles, previously Ross, nee Sweeney) from 1893 to 1895.

It carried reports of official events at the Castle; reviews of theatre, concert and upper-crust charity events; news of high society weddings and deaths; and announcements and accounts of 'at home' events, soirees and balls hosted by Ireland's well-heeled elite. It also published short stories, fashion and beauty advice, and advertisements for such products and services as fashionable corsets, investment specialists and medical cures. The title was absorbed into the Irish Society newspaper in 1901.

The full run of the paper from 1893 to 1901 is planned for the BNA's holding.

The online holding of both papers will automatically join FindMyPast's Irish Newspaper Collection.