“The Oxford Gazette”, first issued on November 7, 1665, is considered to be England’s first newspaper.
Published in Oxford, where the royal court had moved to escape the great plague, which was wreaking havoc in London.
Charles II ordered a newspaper to be printed at the University Press. It was published on Mondays and Thursdays and posted to subscribers.
Samuel Pepys, diarist, described the two-column newspaper as ‘very pretty, full of newes, and no folly in it’.
“The Oxford Gazette” had become “The London Gazette” on February 1, 1666, and is still published as a court journal, containing records of honours, official appointments, names of bankrupts, and public notices.
© Times of U