Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 10.djvu/350

 284 NOTES AND QUERIES. . x. APRIL is, 1922. Gaol, and in 1783 began his campaign for the promotion of Sunday schools in the country. Attention was attracted to each of these by means of his notices in the Gloucester Journal and the influence which thus resulted. In 1776 (July 8), the price of the paper was raised to 3d., in 1789 (Aug. 3) to 3%d. For the first time for more than 60 years the price was again printed, appearing after the imprint on the back page. In 1793 (April 15) the number of columns was increased from four to five and the type-measure of the page to 18| by 13, and in consequence the editor raised the price (April 22) to 4cL and this was printed on the date-line below the title for the first time. In 1797 the Stamp Duty was again increased and the harassed editor was obliged to charge (July 10) Qd. On April 12, 1802, Raises, being then 67, issued his farewell notice to his customers in the form of an address, where, curiously enough, he speaks of the paper having been established in 1721. The first paragraph, as an example of the expression of the time, is worth printing : THE Property of the GLOUCESTER JOURNAL being immediately to be transferred to another Person, B. RAIKES, with the deepest Sense of grateful Respect, begs Leave to make his Acknow- ledgements for the distinguished Favour by which, from its commencement, in One Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty-One, it has been uniformly honoured. The candid Interpretation of his Conduct which he has on all Occasions ex- perienced, must ever inspire Feelings of peculiar Obligation ; nor can he cease to cherish the nattering Remembrance of the Support he owes to Characters of the first Consideration, no less than to the Community in general. It is said that Raikes received an annuity of 500 on the joint lives of himself and his wife (d. 1828), the value of the business being placed at 1,500 a year. The annuity is also said to have been 300. Raikes died suddenly on April 5, 1811, leaving two sons, neither of whom had entered the business. With his retirement the first period of ownership of 80 years terminated. PART II. THE WALKER FAMILY (1802-1871 ). The Gloucester Journal was sold to David Walker, who had for many years printed the Hereford Journal, and his name appears for the first time on the issue of April 19, 1802. Shortly after the office was removed to Westgate Street, and for over 90 years the paper was published from that address. In 1809 the new owner was obliged, in con- sequence of "a prodigious increase in the cost of paper, as well as in the materials of printing," to increase the price of the Journal (June 12) from Qd. to Q^d. David Walker soon began to improve the appear- ance of the paper, and on Dec. 31, 1810, gave notice that the following week's paper would be printed "with beautiful New Types, from the celebrated Foundery of Messrs. Wilson of Glasgow," and the issue of Jan. 7, 1811, was also embellished with a new heading, the first real change since 1754. At this date the paper was made tip of 12| columns of advertisements and 7 of general news. On Jan. 30, 1814, the price was printed for the first time in Arabic figures instead of in words. The year of Waterloo saw the climax in the price of the paper, for on Sept. 4, 1815, it was raised to Id., which continued for twenty-one years. In 1816 David Walker took into partner- ship his two sons, Alexander and David Mowbray Walker, the latter of whom was destined to do much for the reputation of the Journal. The fourth, and last, change in the day of issue took place in 1826, and on July 1 the paper, was issued on Saturday. David Walker died Feb. 15, 1831, aged 71, his sons succeeding him as owners. In 1835 (April 11), the next chief enlarge- ment of the Journal took place, the columns being increased to six and the type-measure to 24in. by 18J, which was necessitated owing to the success of the paper, and, in the editor's words, " to that thirst for in- formation which seems now to be daily increasing." Early in the year may be noticed a new development in expressions of editorial opinion on political affairs, and the short comments which were at first printed quickly grew into our recognized " leaders." The first reduction in price made for over 114 years was announced on Sept. 10, 1836, the next week's issue being 5d. instead of Id. The senior partner, Alexander Walker, died May 26, 1838, and his brother, David Mowbray Walker, became sole proprietor. At this time the circulation of the Journal was stated to be an average of just over 2,000 a week. In 1845 (Oct. 4), the paper was printed on a sheet measuring 27 by 21, with seven columns to the page, an awkward size. The repeal of the Stamp Act in 1855 enabled the copies not sent by post to be sold at4d., and in 1861 (Oct. 19), this was reduced to 3d. In 1870 stamped copies were charged 3%d. On Oct. 26,