BYGONES: Old Tizer was a rail guide with adverts

During the January of 1849 there was a virtual revolution under way in Hungary continuing from the previous year. There was much bloodshed.

In one incident, an armed group of Romanians slaughtered approximately 600 unarmed Hungarian civilians. Other events in the world at that time included the abolition of the Corn Laws in Britain while in the following month on February 28, 1849 the very first Gold Rush prospectors journeyed from the east coast of America to San Francisco in search of good fortune.

France issued its very first postage stamp on January 8, 1849. That is nearly 170 years ago. Back home in England three days earlier, the Oswestry Advertizer is published for the first time. (Shrewsbury published its first newspaper, it appears, in 1772).

The idea behind the original Advertizer was allied to the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway Company. The original Advertizer was a completely different format to that of today. Part of it was a railway guide and it was known as The Oswestry Advertizer and Railway Guide with just ten pages and a size of six by nine inches.

The printer and publisher was a Mr Samuel Roberts. He lived on the Bailey Head. With those early copies, Roberts it appears was confident with a circulation of a thousand newspapers. (Today there are comfortably more than 20,000 followers).

Many would be circulated within a 10-mile radius of Oswestry to farmers, landowners etc with auctioneers and maybe a few delivered to notable businesses in towns and villages close by.

I am under the impression the initial copies were published on a monthly basis and were free of charge until issue number five when one ‘old’ penny was charged. The emphasis by this pioneering publisher of the newspaper was seemingly on advertising and installing enthusiasm for this with local businesses in Oswestry and the neighbouring area.

The main vocation of Samuel Roberts was of being a bookseller and obviously he would advertise his books in the Advertizer in any available space. It seems that he was not deemed a proficient journalist. However, he must be commended for establishing a local newspaper that is still in existence in 2018. Quite an achievement!

In the very first issues of the Advertizer the main theme seems to be about local adverts about the railway, the carriers, the coaches, shops and schools. In 1849 was the opening of the Cross and Powis Hall Markets. Interestingly, the Advertizer did not report on this. It seems it was more interested in advertisements than local news.

This, however, did gradually change as time went on. The first news articles to appear in this fledgling Oswestry newspaper were the reports of the local court cases etc.

Returning to the first edition of the Advertizer: it was segregated into a number of various sections. In addition to the title page there were no less than nine sides of newsprint. A couple of these were occupied by the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway with information regarding timetable schedules etc.

As it happened, there was no existing line to the south of Oswestry at that time. In the second edition of the Advertizer there was information regarding coach services to places such as Ellesmere, Welshpool, Newtown and Bangor. (The coaches obviously being pulled by equine means!).

Also in the local Oswestry newspaper was reference to the Almanack of the month. Referral to the saints days and days of significance were informing the readers. There was also gardening with weather hints while astronomical details were mentioned. The remaining pages were filled with adverts of local and national references, Post Office announcements, Editor’s column, information regarding carriers and fairs and the circuits relating to the courts.

When the Advertizer was initially launched in 1849, newspapers were subject to stamp duty. This was paid on each individual copy. Nevertheless as a result papers did receive favoured rates from the Post Office.

About 170 years ago, a first class train journey between Oswestry and Chester had a fare of six shillings (30p). A ticket for a second class passenger would cost a little over four shillings (Just exceeding 20p) with third class about half the cost of second class.

The journey would probably have taken about an hour longer than today. (Obviously the train journey to Chester would begin at Oswestry Station rather than that of Gobowen today). From what I can gather, speed of travel was not that crucial but on the other hand, efficiency was. Passengers were urged to book their tickets on time as the booking office practice was most strict.

In 1849, the rail network was showing a sure and gradual expansion in Britain. Roads were also being slowly developed making it easier for 19th century commuters to travel between towns etc.

However, villages at that time were not enjoying the same luxury. Villages close to Oswestry that did benefit were Rednal, Gobowen, Whittington and Preesgweene. Of course, they were fortunate to be sited along the railway route.

The villages situated to the south and west of Oswestry were not so fortunate. They had to rely on a carrier service that only operated once a week for their connection with market day in Oswestry.

Places such as Knockin, Meifod, Llansilin and Llansantffraid had to experience this inconvenience. Llanfyllin and Llanrhaeadr fared a little better with carriers operating from Oswestry on a Saturday as well as Wednesday.

As regards other villages, Llandrinio had a collection point for the carriers from the Albion, Llangedwyn from the George, Knockin and Kinnerley from the Three Tuns, West Felton from the Horseshoe and Llanfechain from the White Horse.

Unfortunately, many of these pubs utilised by the carriers in Oswestry no longer exist. In many cases, demolition was the order of the day, which I will mention in another account.

So what advertisements adorned the pages of the very first Oswestry Advertizer? (It is interesting to note the Advertizer was originally spelt with an “s” rather than a “z”. (I am just wondering what year the spelling was changed and what was the reason for this).

There was reference to a school in Willow Street run by a Miss Jackson, an annual tea meeting of the Wesleyan Sunday School and the Temperance & General Provident Institution.

Another advert referred to Mr Wynne’s Black Gate Commercial School. The education promoted in the fledgling newspaper included Reading, Writing, Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, Mensuration (Geometry), Gauging and Book-keeping etc. Fifteen shillings (75p) was the quarterly fee for this edification inclusive of stationery etc.

In Cross Street was a confectioner advertising an adequate supply of Ornamental Sponge, Plum and various other cakes promoting them as ‘Twelfth Night’ cakes. There was a boot and shoe dealer in Oswestry encouraging people to buy his products who had gout and other foot problems. He was emphasising that his footwear would allow them more comfort.