People in the News
Bristol's newspaper history features many larger-than-life characters, from hot-heads and hustlers to people whose honesty got them into trouble.
Some of the first editors were printers, publishing newspapers to supplement their income. Felix Farley, the original publisher of Felix Farley's Bristol Journal used his paper to promote several other business ventures. He was only one of a remarkable extended family running Bristol papers at various times. Unusually for this period, many of the Farley women ran papers, too.
Another 18th century editor, Andrew Hook, launched The Oracle in 1742; he was in debtors' prison at the time!
Early 19th century radical James Acland ended up in prison, too - for libel. His Bristolian paper outraged the city fathers with its (mostly true) accusations of council corruption and secrecy.
In Victorian times, Joseph Leech started the Bristol Times. A man of ferocious integrity, Leech defended several libel actions, and nearly fought a duel. Less controversially, he travelled incognito to church services in and around Bristol and wrote popular and amusing "reviews" of them.
John Latimer, another Victorian editor (Bristol Mercury) also wrote the Annals of Bristol, a series of gossipy, funny but factually accurate history books which are still consulted by historians to this day.
Notable 20th century Bristol journalists would have to include editor Eric Price who in the 1960s turned the declining Western Daily Press into a very successful title once more. And Bristolians will always owe a debt to the Evening Post's Jim Facey, a brilliant photographer; many of his haunting images of the city during the Second World War are now in the Bristol Record Office.
Some of the first editors were printers, publishing newspapers to supplement their income. Felix Farley, the original publisher of Felix Farley's Bristol Journal used his paper to promote several other business ventures. He was only one of a remarkable extended family running Bristol papers at various times. Unusually for this period, many of the Farley women ran papers, too.
Another 18th century editor, Andrew Hook, launched The Oracle in 1742; he was in debtors' prison at the time!
Early 19th century radical James Acland ended up in prison, too - for libel. His Bristolian paper outraged the city fathers with its (mostly true) accusations of council corruption and secrecy.
In Victorian times, Joseph Leech started the Bristol Times. A man of ferocious integrity, Leech defended several libel actions, and nearly fought a duel. Less controversially, he travelled incognito to church services in and around Bristol and wrote popular and amusing "reviews" of them.
John Latimer, another Victorian editor (Bristol Mercury) also wrote the Annals of Bristol, a series of gossipy, funny but factually accurate history books which are still consulted by historians to this day.
Notable 20th century Bristol journalists would have to include editor Eric Price who in the 1960s turned the declining Western Daily Press into a very successful title once more. And Bristolians will always owe a debt to the Evening Post's Jim Facey, a brilliant photographer; many of his haunting images of the city during the Second World War are now in the Bristol Record Office.