The Bathurst Advocate was a weekly English language broadsheet newspaper published in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.[1]

Cover page of Bathurst Advocate, 5 February 1848

History

This newspaper was first published on 5 February 1848 by Benjamin Isaacs, possibly with financial support from Geoffrey Amos Eagar, an accountant.[2] Isaacs had previously set up two newspapers in Parramatta, New South Wales, as well as one in New Zealand.[2] After 10 issues of the paper had been published, its subscribers numbered 70.[2] Only 87 issues of the paper were published, the last being number 39 of Volume 2, which was published on 29 September 1849.[1] The short life span of the newspaper has been attributed to two libel actions which were brought against the editor in 1849.[2]

During that year the paper regularly published criticisms of the local police, and in particular the Chief Constable, John Davies. A poem published by the paper resulted in a libel action by Davies. In reporting the libel action in the newspaper, Isaacs re-published the verses which had sparked the court action, thus leading to a second action.[2]

Before the libel suits came to court, Isaacs sold the Advocate's press, types and building to William Farrand for £450. Farrand then started up the Bathurst Free Press newspaper, publishing the first issue on 6 October 1849. Isaacs was imprisoned for two months and was fined £40 1s.[2]

Digitisation

The paper has been digitised as part of the Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program of the National Library of Australia.[3][4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Bathurst Advocate (NSW : 1848 - 1849)". Trove Digitised Newspapers. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kirkpatrick, Rod (March 1998). "Read all about it: Bathurst editor jailed for assault". PANPA Bulletin (164): 62.
  3. ↑ Australian Newspapers Digitisation Project
  4. ↑ Brown, Jerelynn (2011). "Tabloids in the State Library of NSW collection: A reflection of life in Australia". Australian Journal of Communication. 38 (2): 107–121.
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