Manchester and the World
The Manchester Guardian was intimately bound up with Manchester’s history. Launched in 1821 by a group of cotton manufacturers and industrialists interested in political reform, the Guardian was a liberal progressive voice at a time when the industrial north was leading the country’s prosperity. Its founder, John Edward Taylor, was present at the Peterloo Massacre, which cemented the newspaper’s reformist credentials.
In August 1959, there was a chorus of disapproval when the Guardian dropped ‘Manchester’ from its title. For many years, most sales were outside of the city. Overseas sales were substantial too. The Guardian Weekly, launched in 1919, remains a popular ‘foreign’ language news magazine around the world today.
Manchester 28 April 1821
John Edward Taylor was the founder and first editor of the Manchester Guardian. This legal agreement records the names of 11 men who each contributed £100 towards the launch costs.
Ref. GDN/260/42
Manchester Guardian, 2 October 1926
This beautifully illustrated supplement celebrated Manchester’s industrial and civic achievements. The stylised front cover shows the role of manufacturing and the Ship Canal in Manchester’s prosperity.
Ref. GDN/251
Cape Town, 22 August 1959
Mr Hamer, originally a Manchester man, laments the loss of ‘Manchester’ from the masthead. The second page lists all the things the city means to him from Peterloo, the ship canal and Albert Square to the Manchester Guardian.
Ref. GDN/223/38/28
Fajara, Gambia, 22 August 1959
Mr Blyth poetically congratulates the Manchester Guardian on its new name. As an international reader, he adds a request for a report on the next ‘Roses’ cricket match.
Ref. GDN 223/38/29
The Guardian, 1965
This promotional brochure from the 1960s demonstrates the Guardian’s global network of reporters. Correspondents were posted to cities ranging from Paris, Bonn, Geneva and New York.
Ref. Ayerst Papers Box 30
