Melbourne Advertiser
Encyclopedia
The Melbourne Advertiser was Melbourne
's first newspaper. It was published by John Pascoe Fawkner
, a co-founder of Melbourne. The premier edition appeared on 1 January 1838 handwritten in ink by Fawkner himself and displayed at his hotel.
Ten handwritten weekly editions were published until Fawkner acquired a wooden press and some metal fount from Launceston
. After printing a further seventeen issues he was forced by law to cease due to his failure to register his newspaper. He responded with a legally registered and renamed Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser on 6 February 1839, which became the first newspaper to achieve daily publication in Melbourne.
The paper was renamed The Melbourne Daily News and Port Phillip Patriot from 9 October 1848 and then simply The Melbourne Daily News from November 1848 to 30 June 1851.
The Advertiser was first printed from a shed at the rear of Fawkner's Shakespeare Hotel at the corner of Collins Street
and Market Street
.
The printing press still exists and is stored at the Scienceworks Museum
in Melbourne
.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's first newspaper. It was published by John Pascoe Fawkner
John Pascoe Fawkner
John Pascoe Fawkner was an early pioneer, businessman and politician of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In 1835 he financed a party of free settlers from Van Diemen's Land , to sail to the mainland in his ship, Enterprize...
, a co-founder of Melbourne. The premier edition appeared on 1 January 1838 handwritten in ink by Fawkner himself and displayed at his hotel.
Ten handwritten weekly editions were published until Fawkner acquired a wooden press and some metal fount from Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
. After printing a further seventeen issues he was forced by law to cease due to his failure to register his newspaper. He responded with a legally registered and renamed Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser on 6 February 1839, which became the first newspaper to achieve daily publication in Melbourne.
The paper was renamed The Melbourne Daily News and Port Phillip Patriot from 9 October 1848 and then simply The Melbourne Daily News from November 1848 to 30 June 1851.
The Advertiser was first printed from a shed at the rear of Fawkner's Shakespeare Hotel at the corner of Collins Street
Collins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
and Market Street
Market Street, Melbourne
Market Street is one of the north-south streets in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837....
.
The printing press still exists and is stored at the Scienceworks Museum
Scienceworks Museum (Melbourne)
Scienceworks is a world renowned science museum in Melbourne, Australia. It is a venue of Museum Victoria which administers the cultural and scientific collections of the State of Victoria...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
External links
- Images and transcripts of 16 issues of the Melbourne Advertiser at the State Library of Victoria.