The first edition of the Sheffield Register was published in
Sheffield by Joseph
Gales on 9th June 1787. Gales pioneered the idea of a newspaper
which gave extensive coverage to local issues while reporting on major
national stories. Unlike most provincial newspapers, the Sheffield
Register did not rely on copying articles that had first appeared
in London journals.
Joseph Gales attempted to educate his readers.
He published extracts from the work of radical reformers such as Tom
Paine, William Godwin, Joseph
Priestley, Richard Price and John
Horne Tooke in the newspaper. In 1792 Gales began producing the
fortnightly, Sheffield Patriot, a journal that attempted to
deal with political issues in more depth than the Sheffield Register.
The newspapers published by Gales both educated and reflected the
views of the artisans and small manufacturers in the area. In 1791
the newspaper gave support to those people who opposed the enclosure
of 6,000 acres of land in Sheffield without compensation to holders
of common rights.
At the end of 1791 Gales helped form the Sheffield Constitutional
Society. This was the very first artisan political society. Speeches
made at public meetings held by the organisation was published in
great detail in the Sheffield Register.
By May 1794 the Sheffield Register was selling over 2,000 copies
a week. Such a large circulation was extremely unusual for a provincial
newspaper in the 18th century. Sheffield
was now seen as the most radical town in Britain.
Joseph Gales wrote articles in the Sheffield
Register attacking the arrest of reformers such as Thomas
Muir, Thomas Fyshe Palmer, William
Skirving, Joseph Gerrald and Maurice
Margarot had been found guilty of sedition and had been sentenced
to between seven and fourteen years transportation. He also mounted
a campaign against the suspension of habeas
corpus. Gales was now considered a dangerous man and was charged
with conspiracy. Aware that he would not receive a fair trial, Gales
decided to flee the country. After publishing the last edition of
the Sheffield Register on 27th
June, 1794, Gales escaped to Germany.
(1)
Joseph Gales, the Sheffield Register (20th June, 1794)
Reader, if thou art a husband or a father, a wife or a mother, look
at thy own fire-side - look at thy own ties of affection at home,
then ask thy heart if it beats in unison to the glory of war, and
if the money so thrown away might not be better applied.
(2) Joseph Gales,
the Sheffield Register (27th June, 1794)
I have committed no crime but in these persecuting days, it is a sufficient
crime to have printed a newspaper which has boldly dared to doubt
the infallibility of ministers, and to investigate the justice and
policy of their measures.
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