This week at The Archive has been another busy one, as we have added 473,524 brand new pages to our collection, with one brand new title joining us, as well as updates to 23 of our existing titles, with new pages joining the likes of The Tatler and the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. Furthermore, from Banbridge to Buckingham, from Morpeth to Motherwell, from South Shields to Shrewsbury, our updated titles this week hail from across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
So read on to discover more about our new title of the week, which is the South Shropshire Journal, and also to learn more about the stars of one hundred years ago, as featured in the new pages added to The Tatler and the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News this week.
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Our new title this week is the South Shropshire Journal, which hails from the Shropshire market town of Ludlow. Appearing every Friday, this paper provides unique views of Shropshire life, as well as printing readers’ letters and publishing details of properties for sale and for rent in the area.
A sister paper of the Shropshire Star, which is one of the biggest-selling regional newspapers in the UK, the South Shropshire Journal also covers the sport and entertainment news in Ludlow. With approximately 15,000 readers per week, in 2010 the paper absorbed rival title the Ludlow Journal.
That’s it from our new title of the week, but there’s lots more for you to explore in our updated pages. Our biggest update of the week is to Midlands gem the Wolverhampton Express and Star, to which we have added over 71,000 brand new pages, whilst coming in second is Blackpool’s West Lancashire Evening Gazette, with over 47,000 brand new pages joining its ranks this week. Not to be neglected either with large updates is one of our Scottish titles, Dingwall’s North Star and Farmer’s Chronicle, to which we have added over 43,000 brand new pages.
You’ll also find updates to two of our iconic illustrated magazine titles this week, namely to society bible The Tatler, and to sporting and theatre turned farming title the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. Meanwhile, taking in the 18th century, we’ve added new pages to the eminently historical Aris’s Birmingham Gazette, whilst crossing the Irish Sea, new pages have joined County Down’s Banbridge Leader.
Stars from 100 Years Ago
As we welcome over 32,000 brand new pages to The Tatler this week, and over 25,000 brand new pages to the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, we thought we’d delve into these pages to discover more about the stars from yesteryear. Both these titles had a focus on theatre, and as the 20th century progressed, on the cinema, and so we have pulled out some of the stars featured by both titles in 1924, one hundred years ago.
We start with The Tatler, from 24 September 1924, which featured English actress Fay Compton. The magazine describes how Fay Compton had been ‘very busy at the moment…’starring’ in the Ian Hay film, ‘The Happy Ending,” as well as playing the ‘charming heroine’ in Queen’s Theatre production ‘The Claimant.’ The Queen’s Theatre play was ‘grounded on the ‘romance’ of Roger Tichborne,’ whose story you can find out more about here.
Fay Compton (1893-1978) would go on to have an incredibly long career, acting for both film and television, but she was most noted for her stage performances.
We switch to the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News now, which on 26 April 1924 featured English actress José Collins in her role as Nell Gwyn in Gaiety piece ‘Sweet Nell.’ The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News remarked how ‘the only wonder is that the part was not written for Miss José Collins long ago,’ with the new production being written by Louis N. Parker and Reginald Arkell, with music by Harold Fraser-Simson and Ivor Novello.
José Collins (1887-1958), an actress and singer, was the star of many early films, and was most known for her appearances in musical comedies.
Meanwhile on 17 September 1924 The Tatler introduced a ‘new star,’ Margery Hicklin. At the age of ‘nearly nineteen,’ she had taken on the lead role in a new musical comedy ‘Primrose,’ which was playing at the Winter Garden Theatre. This was Hicklin’s ‘first part,’ although she had been performing for some three years. Hicklin would go on to work with composer and pianist George Gershwin.
Back to the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, which on 17 May 1924 pictured a ‘famous screen star in a striking pose: Miss Gloria Swanson.’ The magazine described how the American actress had ‘commenced her film career in comedies, and was given her first dramatic part in one of Cecil E. de Mille’s productions.’ Furthermore, the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News noted how she had caused ‘some sensation with the beauty and lavishness of her costumes,’ with her next appearance due to be in ‘The Shulamite.’
Legendary actress Gloria Swanson (1899-1983) was a star of silent film who transitioned into the ‘talkies,’ gaining three Oscar nominations during the course of her long career.
Our final star of 100 years ago was featured by The Tatler on 16 July 1924, and was ‘American vaudeville actress’ Nora Bayes. The Tatler describes how Nora Bayes was ‘the bright particular star in the new show at the Empire,’ noting how the actress and singer was not only ‘possessed of great dramatic talent,’ but also a specialist in ‘singing syncopated songs, which she does with a fascination all her own.’ Furthermore, The Tatler pictured the star alongside her adopted son, Peter.
Nora Bayes (1880-1928) gained international popularity through her vocal and vaudeville performances, especially during the First World War. She was also noted as being an early media celebrity.
Discover more stars and their stories in the pages of The Archive today.
New Titles
| Title | Years Added |
| South Shropshire Journal | 1987-1988, 1990-1994, 1996-2000 |
Updated Titles
This week we have updated 23 of our existing titles.
You can learn more about each of the titles we add to every week by clicking on their names. On each paper’s title page, you can read a free sample issue, learn more about our current holdings, and our plans for digitisation.
You can keep up to date with all the latest additions by visiting the recently added page. You can even look ahead to see what we’re going to add tomorrow.
