Shropshire Council has announced that a huge collection of historic Shropshire newspapers, dating back to 1772 have been digitised and made available for people to view online, thanks to a project delivered by Shropshire Archives and Shropshire Libraries, in partnership with Findmypast and the British Newspaper Archive.
The collection of local newspapers documents the everyday life of communities, with reports on everything from village fetes and town council meetings to entertainment listings, sporting fixtures and reports on crimes and sentencing.
They also feature details relating to birth, marriage, and deaths, often accompanied by lengthy obituaries and reports on society weddings, so an ideal hunting ground for family historians.
In all, 288,672 images have been added to the British Newspaper Archive. This includes a significant increase in the number of copies of the Shropshire Star and Newport and Market Drayton Advertiser that are already included in the archive, as well as the addition of new titles such as the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Times, the Shropshire Mercury, the Oswestry Herald, Bridgnorth Beacon and many more.
The digitised newspapers are available to view for a subscription fee via the British Newspaper Archive or can be accessed free of charge by visitors to Shropshire Archives or any of the 21 Shropshire Libraries. The addition of the new collection makes it simpler than ever to uncover stories, trace family roots, and connect with the county’s history.
James Owen, Shropshire Council Portfolio holder for Housing and Leisure commented:
“Newspapers are a treasure trove for anyone interested in social, local, and family history, offering vivid insights into the lives, events, and communities of the past. Until now, accessing these records required painstaking searches through fragile originals or scrolling through reels of microfilm.”
More details about the value of historic newspapers will be revealed during a free talk at the Shropshire Archives on Thursday 25 September at 2pm. For details check out https://www.shropshirearchives.org.uk/blog/event/off-the-shelf-newspapers/