Latest news with #NewsLetter
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Digital collection of oldest English-language daily paper News Letter now available
From today, copies from across three centuries of the title will be accessible to the public for the first time. First published in September 1737, the News Letter will mark its 288th anniversary as the oldest continuously published English-language daily paper this year. The Northern Ireland Office has worked in partnership with the British Library and Findmypast to expand the online collection of the historic publication on the British Newspaper Archive dating to the late 18th, early 19th and 20th centuries. Announcing the launch, Secretary of State Hilary Benn visited the British Library in London to view the new additions to the online archive. The British Library provided originals of the News Letter in microfilm and newspaper format, which were digitised by the online platform Findmypast. Mr Benn said: 'It was wonderful to be able to view the newly digitised editions of the Belfast News Letter at the British Library in London using the online archive. 'Bringing Northern Ireland's newspaper heritage to a global audience will encourage research, exploration and appreciation of Northern Ireland's rich political and cultural history. 'This UK Government project has opened up a unique resource to readers and researchers in nations around the world with historic links to Northern Ireland, including the US.' The archive is available online through the British Newspaper Archive and on Findmypast and can be viewed freely at the British Library sites in London and Yorkshire, as well as at any library or by any private individual around the world with a subscription. Lee Wilkinson, managing director of DC Thomson History, which owns Findmypast and the British Newspaper Archive, said: 'Over the past 15 years, through our unique relationship with the British Library, we have been able to bring millions of these key historical records to communities across the globe so that families and researchers alike can uncover and understand their heritage.' British Library chief Rebecca Lawrence said: 'Digitising all known surviving copies of the News Letter and making them available online preserves a vital piece of heritage and opens up the archive to researchers around the world.' National World founder David Montgomery said: 'Digitising the News Letter is an important step in preserving the paper's iconic history of covering news from Northern Ireland and across the world for three centuries. By making historic copies of the paper available, we can recognise its continuing role in delivering quality journalism on stories that matter to its community.'
The Independent
03-03-2025
- General
- The Independent
Digital collection of oldest English language daily newspaper to be boosted
Historic editions of the world's oldest English language daily newspaper still in circulation are to be digitised by the Government. The News Letter, first published in September 1737, will this year mark its 288th anniversary as the oldest continuously published English language daily paper. The Northern Ireland Office is working in partnership with the British Library and FindMyPast to expand the online collection of the publication in the British Newspaper Archive. The digitisation will make copies from the 18th to the 20th centuries of the Belfast title accessible online for the first time. Originals of the News Letter are being provided in microfilm and newspaper format by the British Library to be digitised by the online platform Findmypast, which has spent nearly 15 years working on a collaborative project to digitise the British Library's vast newspaper collection. Secretary of State Hilary Benn visited Belfast's Linen Hall Library to view historic copies of the News Letter. Mr Benn said: 'The News Letter's status as the longest-running continuously published English language daily newspaper in the world is an important part of Northern Ireland's unique cultural heritage. 'As set out in the Safeguarding the Union command paper, the UK Government is committed to digitising these historical archives to promote the richness of Northern Ireland's traditions around the world, including in nations with historic ties, such as the United States. 'This will also ensure that these precious historical records are preserved and accessible for generations to come.' Sarah Bush, managing director of Findmypast and the British Newspaper Archive, said: 'Alongside the British Library, we're delighted to make this unique and culturally important title available to be searched and viewed on Findmypast and the British Newspaper Archive, offering a fascinating window into centuries of Northern Ireland's history as it happened.' Beth Gaskell, lead curator of news and moving image at the British Library, said: 'We are thrilled to be collaborating with Findmypast and the UK Government to build on the existing collection of the News Letter available through the British Newspaper Archive.' David Montgomery, executive chairman of the News Letter's owners, National World plc, said: 'For four centuries The News Letter has been in the front line of local and global news and opinion – it was already in its 40th year when it covered the US Declaration of Independence. 'The digital archive is an eternal reminder of that crucial, continuing role of reliable independent journalism.' The digitisation project will see Findmypast digitise pages of the Belfast News Letter using specialist microfilm scanners, which scan thousands of newspaper pages every day, in its studio at the British Library's facility in Boston Spa. This ensures the faithful reproduction of the newspaper as it once appeared and enables online searching of the newspaper by name, keyword, date, or specific location. The digitisation process will be completed this spring. Once online, people will be able to access the editions free of charge by visiting libraries with a subscription to Findmypast, including the British Library's sites in St Pancras, London and Boston Spa, Yorkshire. They will also be accessible to people around the world with a subscription to the Findmypast or British Newspaper Archive websites.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Belfast News Letter editions from 1700s to be digitised
Editions of the Belfast News Letter from the 18th to the 20th centuries are to be digitised as part of a new project. Contemporary reports of events, such as the Irish Parliament winning legislative independence from Britain in 1782 and the formation of the Orange Order in 1795, will be available. It's part of a UK government project and will mean copies from three centuries will be available online. Secretary of State Hilary Benn said the newspaper is "an important part of Northern Ireland's unique cultural heritage". The News Letter, first published in September 1737, will mark its 288th anniversary this year as the oldest English language daily paper still in circulation. On a visit to the Linen Hall Library to look at historic copies of the paper, Benn said: "The UK Government is committed to digitising these historical archives to promote the richness of Northern Ireland's traditions around the world, including in nations with historic ties, such as the United States. "This will also ensure that these precious historical records are preserved and accessible for generations to come." David Montgomery, executive chairman of the News Letter's owners, National World plc, said the paper has been in "the frontline of local and global news and opinion" for four centuries. "It was already in its 40th year when it covered the US Declaration of Independence," he added. "In the 1990s it and other Northern Ireland papers helped pave the pathway to peace." The Northern Ireland Office is working in partnership with the British Library and FindMyPast for the project. Sarah Bush, from Findmypast, said the project offers "a fascinating window into centuries of Northern Ireland's history as it happened". The process will be completed in spring 2025 and will then be available free from some libraries with a subscription to Findmypast.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Belfast News Letter editions from 1700s to be digitised
Editions of the Belfast News Letter from the 18th to the 20th centuries are to be digitised as part of a new project. Contemporary reports of events, such as the Irish Parliament winning legislative independence from Britain in 1782 and the formation of the Orange Order in 1795, will be available. It's part of a UK government project and will mean copies from three centuries will be available online. Secretary of State Hilary Benn said the newspaper is "an important part of Northern Ireland's unique cultural heritage". The News Letter, first published in September 1737, will mark its 288th anniversary this year as the oldest English language daily paper still in circulation. On a visit to the Linen Hall Library to look at historic copies of the paper, Benn said: "The UK Government is committed to digitising these historical archives to promote the richness of Northern Ireland's traditions around the world, including in nations with historic ties, such as the United States. "This will also ensure that these precious historical records are preserved and accessible for generations to come." David Montgomery, executive chairman of the News Letter's owners, National World plc, said the paper has been in "the frontline of local and global news and opinion" for four centuries. "It was already in its 40th year when it covered the US Declaration of Independence," he added. "In the 1990s it and other Northern Ireland papers helped pave the pathway to peace." The Northern Ireland Office is working in partnership with the British Library and FindMyPast for the project. Sarah Bush, from Findmypast, said the project offers "a fascinating window into centuries of Northern Ireland's history as it happened". The process will be completed in spring 2025 and will then be available free from some libraries with a subscription to Findmypast.
