Bath Chronicle
Front cover, 2 October 2014
TypeWeekly newspaper
FormatTabloid
Owner(s)Reach plc
EditorEmma Slee
Founded1760
LanguageEnglish
HeadquartersBath, Somerset
Circulation2,852 (as of 2023)[1]
ISSN1356-0069
Websitebathchronicle.co.uk

The Bath Chronicle is a weekly newspaper, first published under various titles before 1760[2] in Bath, England. Prior to September 2007, it was published daily. The Bath Chronicle serves Bath, northern Somerset and west Wiltshire.

History

Name changes

The Bath Journal was published in 1743, and was renamed Boddely's Bath Journal. It was renamed Keene's Bath Journal in January 1822, and was eventually taken over by the Bath Herald in March 1916.[3] The newspaper also originated from the Bath Chronicle and Universal Register taking over from the Bath Advertiser which was published from 1755.[3]

By 1919 it had changed its name to the Bath and Wilts Chronicle as a result of a merger with another paper.[4] The Bath Herald was merged with the Bath Chronicle in 1925[3] to become the Bath Chronicle and Herald, amended in 1936 to Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald.[5][6]

The early 1960s was a time for another minor name change to Bath and Wilts Evening Chronicle.[7] The change took place with the issue of 12 June 1961, but was again changed, with the issue of 1 April 1974 to Bath and West Evening Chronicle, before changing to the Evening Chronicle with the issue of 3 January 1989, remaining with that title until 7 May 1994.[8]

In October 2007, the Bath Chronicle switched from daily to weekly publication, every Thursday.[9]

The paper celebrated its 250th anniversary in October 2010,[10] publishing a special supplement to mark the occasion.[11]

In March 2018, Trinity Mirror's Somerset Live platform began to operate the Bath Chronicle website.[12] In November 2018, Bath Chronicle staff moved from their office of 10 years to space in neighbouring Bath College.[13]

Ownership

In 2012, Local World acquired owner Northcliffe Media from Daily Mail and General Trust.[14] It is published as part of the Bath Newspapers Group.[15] Its circulation reaches the population of Bath and the surrounding areas including parts of Wiltshire and Somerset.

In November 2015, Trinity Mirror took over Local World in a £220 million deal.[16][17]

Associated publications

A series of weekly supplements included the Property Chronicle, the Bath Observer and the Norton Radstock & Frome Observer. The Observer supplements ceased publication in 2008.[18]

Archives

Bath Record Office hold many issues of local titles.[19] Their Georgian Newspaper Project, completed c.2005, provides an index to selected Bath Chronicle editions between 1770 and 1799.[20][21]

In popular culture

The Bath Chronicle appears in the 1963 film 80,000 Suspects and in Saul Dibb's 2008 British film The Duchess.

References

  1. ^ "Bath Chronicle". Audit Bureau of Circulations (UK). 5 February 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  2. ^ "The front page of the earliest known surviving copy of the Bath Chronicle as we know it 1760". Bath in Time - Bath Central Library Collection. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "A chronological hand-list of eighteenth century newspapers published in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset". Fishponds Local History Society. Retrieved 26 February 2007.
  4. ^ "Front page of the Bath and Wilts Chronicle, Saturday September 27, 1919". Bath in Time - Bath Central Library Collection. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Front page of the Bath and Wilts Chronicle and Herald Monday July 28, 1930". Bath in Time - Bath Central Library Collection. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Roger Bannister 4 minute mile edition May 8, 1954". Bath in Time - Bath Central Library Collection. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  7. ^ "The assassination of JFK 23rd November 1963". Bath in Time - Bath Central Library Collection. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  8. ^ British Library catalogue entries
  9. ^ "Bath Chronicle Launch". Goram & Vincent. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  10. ^ "Bath Chronicle celebrates 250 years with old newspapers". BBC Bristol 20 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  11. ^ "Celebrating 250 Years of the Bath Chronicle". Pagesuite.com Date unknown. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  12. ^ Sharman, David (15 February 2018). "Almost 50 jobs at risk as Trinity Mirror unveils online rebrand of seven dailies". HoldtheFrontPage. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  13. ^ "David Sharman". HoldtheFrontPage. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  14. ^ Daily Mail sells regional newspapers to Local World BBC News, 21 November 2012
  15. ^ "The Bath Chronicle". media.info Date unknown. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  16. ^ Buckland, Robert (28 October 2015). "Jobs fears as Bath Chronicle parent group is acquired in £220m deal". Bath Business News. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  17. ^ Ponsford, Dominic (10 May 2016). "Editors of Bath Chronicle and Western Daily Press join wave of exits from Local World since Trinity Mirror take over". Press Gazette. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  18. ^ "British Newspapers Online". WordPress & WPSmart British Expat Ltd - Date unknown. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  19. ^ "Newspapers". Bath Record Office. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Georgian Newspaper Project". Bath Record Office. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  21. ^ Straughan, Donald. "Guide to the Georgian Newspaper Project" (PDF). Bath & North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2016 – via Internet Archive.
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