The Market Rasen Mail is a weekly newspaper which serves Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, England and the surrounding area.

Market Rasen Mail
TypeWeekly newspaper
Owner(s)National World
Founder(s)Richard Hackett
Founded1856
Circulation643 (as of 2023)[1]
Websitelincolnshireworld.com

History

edit

It was founded in 1856 by Richard Hackett (1823 – 1892), the son of a local farmer.[2] At the age of 18 Hacket was working as an apprentice to a printer in Queen Street, Market Rasen.[3] After a period as a bookseller in London,[4] he returned to Market Rasen to establish the Market Rasen Weekly Mail and Lincolnshire Advertiser. The first edition was published on 20 September 1856.[5]

 
Office of the Market Rasen Mail on Queen Street, Market Rasen probably in the 1890s with members of the Whittingham family

In about 1870 the newspaper was sold to Thomas Hulme Whittingham. Whittingham edited the paper and installed new printing equipment in his premises on Queen Street. After his death his widow and sons ran the paper until Thomas Baty was taken on as editor in 1905. In 1915 ownership was transferred to the new company Whittingham & Baty Ltd. Baty was succeeded as editor by E. W. Chapman and then C. E. Sharpe.[6]

In 1947 the Mail was bought by the editor Charles Edward "Teddy" Sharpe, who remained associated with the title until he died in 1983. He modernised the business, replacing the Victorian printing presses and expanded it by buying the Horncastle News and the printing company Mortons of Horncastle. In 2001 the Mail was bought by Johnston Press.[7]

2008 Earthquake

edit

One of the biggest stories reported by the paper was the 2008 Lincolnshire earthquake, measuring 5.2 on the Richter Scale, when Market Rasen was at the epicentre. Reporters responded with a multi-media package of articles, videos, eye-witness accounts and reader submissions.[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Market Rasen Mail". Audit Bureau of Circulations (UK). 19 February 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  2. ^ FreeReg. Baptism Registers. Available online: baptism record. Last accessed 5 Nov 2011
  3. ^ Office for National Statistics, London. Census - England & Wales – 1841. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey: HO107/642; Book 7; Folio 37; Page 15 (Lincolnshire, Market Rasen, Enumeration District 2, page 15).
  4. ^ Office for National Statistics, London. Census - England & Wales – 1851. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey: HO107/1605; Folio 64; Page 24 (Surrey, Richmond, Enumeration District 2b, page 24).
  5. ^ Market Rasen Mail (2011), ‘Mail delivered centenary news’, 4 May, page 4.
  6. ^ Sharpe, Teddy (12 May 1956). "The Story of The Mail". The Market Rasen Mail.
  7. ^ "2000 - present". About Mortons - Company dates. Mortons of Horncastle Ltd. Retrieved 21 October 2013. 2001 – Mortons takes the radical step of moving away from local publishing and, in February, sells its Lincolnshire Independent Newspaper group to Johnston Press.
  8. ^ Steed, Michael (27 February 2008). "NEW VIDEO: Massive earthquake hits Rasen". Market Rasen Mail. Retrieved 21 October 2013. and subsequent updates on the same site
edit