Berrow’s Worcester Journal

It traces its origins to the 1690 foundation of the Worcester Post Man and thus has a claim to be the oldest newspaper in the world in continuous production (although no copies remain of the Post Man, and it can’t be definitively identified as the same newspaper; the Rutland & Stamford Mercury was founded in 1695, which would make it older than the Journal if the Post Man was a different newspaper). Originally set up in support of the new reign of William III and Mary II after the overthrow of James VII & II, it carried no local news in its earliest days. The Worcester Journal first appeared in 1709 and was taken over by Harvey Berrow, an apothecary, in 1748. Berrow added his name to the title in 1753 to prevent passing-off by competitors. Although his family ceased their connection with the newspaper in 1836, the name was retained.

In the late 1940s the publishing company (by now called George Williams and Berrow’s Ltd) became a public company called Berrow’s Newspapers; the News of the World became the majority shareholder. Reed International took over the company from News International in 1982 and ran it until they left the newspaper publishing business in 1996. It’s now part of Newsquest (South Midlands).

It’s been a freesheet ever since 1987. The launch of a second edition, Berrow’s Worcestershire Journal, extended its coverage from Worcester to cover other parts of the county of Worcestershire in the following year.

The editorial offices have been in Worcester throughout. Since 1965 they’ve been in Hylton Road, on the right (west) bank of the Severn opposite the racecourse.

It has no website of its own. News is covered by the website of the Worcester News; a sub-site (link given below) gives a potted history of the Journal.

It comes out on Thursdays. An e-edition’s available through the website, though you have to register for it.