Banbury Guardian
Encyclopedia
The Banbury Guardian is a local tabloid newspaper
published in Banbury
, Oxfordshire
. It serves north Oxfordshire, southwest Northamptonshire
and southeast Warwickshire
. Its sister paper, The Banbury & District Review, is a free weekly tabloid.
In 1822 William Potts moved from Daventry
to Banbury where he traded as a printer and bookseller. Potts supported the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
, and on 5 April 1838 he launched The Guardian, or Monthly Poor Law Register to
William Potts increased the frequency of publication to weekly from 1843 and changed its name to the Banbury Guardian on 4 May 1853. He remained its owner and editor until his death on 4 March 1867.
Upon William's death his son John Potts took over as owner and manager. When John Potts died in 1892 his newspaper published an obituary commemorating him as an "urbane and conscientious chief". John's successor was his son, another William Potts (1868–1949), who edited the paper until 1947.
The younger William Potts was also a local historian, publishing in his lifetime four historical booklets plus a booklet in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Potts also spent 50 years researching a full history of Banbury. He completed the first draft by 1939, but paper for printing was rationed during the Second World War
and for several years thereafter, preventing its publication. Potts spent the years immediately after the war revising and condensing his draft to comply with rationing limits, but had not completed this revision by the time of his death.
Potts was succeeded as Banbury Guardian editor by Edward Clark, the first holder of that post not from the Potts family. Clark also took over Potts' history project, finally publishing it in 1958 as History of Banbury: Story of the Development of a Country Town. Clark went on to prepare a revised, expanded second edition that was published in 1978. Since 2002 the younger William Potts has been commemorated by an Oxfordshire Blue Plaque at 16 Parsons Street, Banbury.
On 25 March 2010 the Banbury Guardian converted from broadsheet to tabloid format.
and the surrounding area, usually on a Friday. It contains news, as well as job, car and other adverts. It is distributed by the same company as the Banbury Guardian newspaper
. It was formerly named the Banbury Citizen, then the Banbury & District Citizen.
of Edinburgh
now owns the Banbury Guardian. In the 21st century its circulation, like that of most British local and regional newspapers, is falling. From January to June 2009 its sales fell 12% to 14,895 per week.
is a free, weekly, newspaper published by Newsquest Oxfordshire
.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. It serves north Oxfordshire, southwest Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
and southeast Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. Its sister paper, The Banbury & District Review, is a free weekly tabloid.
History
The Banbury Guardian was owned and edited by three generations of the same family for its first 109 years of publication.In 1822 William Potts moved from Daventry
Daventry
Daventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
to Banbury where he traded as a printer and bookseller. Potts supported the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
, and on 5 April 1838 he launched The Guardian, or Monthly Poor Law Register to
"disabuse the public mind when unfounded reports, likely to create alarm, and excite suspicion are circulated by those who, from the situations they occupy, may be supposed to possess better information than do the public generally."
William Potts increased the frequency of publication to weekly from 1843 and changed its name to the Banbury Guardian on 4 May 1853. He remained its owner and editor until his death on 4 March 1867.
Upon William's death his son John Potts took over as owner and manager. When John Potts died in 1892 his newspaper published an obituary commemorating him as an "urbane and conscientious chief". John's successor was his son, another William Potts (1868–1949), who edited the paper until 1947.
The younger William Potts was also a local historian, publishing in his lifetime four historical booklets plus a booklet in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Potts also spent 50 years researching a full history of Banbury. He completed the first draft by 1939, but paper for printing was rationed during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and for several years thereafter, preventing its publication. Potts spent the years immediately after the war revising and condensing his draft to comply with rationing limits, but had not completed this revision by the time of his death.
Potts was succeeded as Banbury Guardian editor by Edward Clark, the first holder of that post not from the Potts family. Clark also took over Potts' history project, finally publishing it in 1958 as History of Banbury: Story of the Development of a Country Town. Clark went on to prepare a revised, expanded second edition that was published in 1978. Since 2002 the younger William Potts has been commemorated by an Oxfordshire Blue Plaque at 16 Parsons Street, Banbury.
On 25 March 2010 the Banbury Guardian converted from broadsheet to tabloid format.
The Banbury & District Review
The Banbury & District Review is the local, weekly, free newspaper distributed to BanburyBanbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
and the surrounding area, usually on a Friday. It contains news, as well as job, car and other adverts. It is distributed by the same company as the Banbury Guardian newspaper
Banbury Guardian newspaper
The Banbury Guardian is a local tabloid newspaper published in Banbury, Oxfordshire. It serves north Oxfordshire, southwest Northamptonshire and southeast Warwickshire...
. It was formerly named the Banbury Citizen, then the Banbury & District Citizen.
Current status
Johnston PressJohnston Press
Johnston Press plc is a newspaper publishing company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. Its flagship titles are The Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post; it also operates many other newspapers around the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is the second-largest publisher...
of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
now owns the Banbury Guardian. In the 21st century its circulation, like that of most British local and regional newspapers, is falling. From January to June 2009 its sales fell 12% to 14,895 per week.
Competition
The Banbury CakeBanbury Cake (newspaper)
The Banbury Cake is a free, weekly, newspaper published by Newsquest Oxfordshire. It is distributed to houses in Banbury and the surrounding area, usually on a Thursday. It contains local news, sport, entertainment news, gossip; as well as job, car and other adverts. Its offices are in Banbury High...
is a free, weekly, newspaper published by Newsquest Oxfordshire
Oxford Mail
Oxford Mail is a daily tabloid newspaper in Oxford, England owned by Newsquest. It is published six days a week. It is a sister paper to the weekly tabloid The Oxford Times.-History:...
.