EARLY ADVERTISEMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1933, Page 14

EARLY ADVERTISEMENTS

USE OF NEWSPAPERS

THE FiRST IN 1647

"There is some doubt as to whether the first newspaper published in Kiigland appeared in. 15S8 or 1022, but the lirst newspaper' advertisement appeared on March 28, 1C47, 286 years ago," said Rotariau E. 11. Whiting, when addressing the Wanganui Rotary Club recently, reports the "Chronicle."

''It was an advertisement endeavouring' to sell a book that liad been published, and described it as follows:— 'A book, applauded by the clergy of England, culled tho Divine 'Right ■of Churcli Government.' About five years later ti poet took newspaper space in an endea-your to sell his product. Iv tho Crosby Bocords, the commonplace books of AVilliam Blundell, a diarist, there is an interesting comment on the lack of advertising facilities in 1659. The comment says: 'It would be very expedient if each parish or village had some place such as church or . smithy, wherein to publish (by papers posted up) the wants of buyers and sellers.'. , ;

"In. tho sixty-sceo'iuT issue. of the London Gazette, published early in 1000, thero appeared the lirst advertising supplement. Notice sit its appearance was heralded with tJlc following announcement:—' An advertisement: Being daily prest to tho publication of books, medicines, and other things not properly tho business of a paper" of intelligence, this is to notify, one-e. for rill, that we will not charge the Ga.^tte with advertisements, unless they L'O matters of State, but that a paper o£ advertisements will be forwith printed apart, and recommended to the publick by another hand.'

"A few months later, in October, HjCil), there appeared an advertisement ill tlie Gazette suggesting that space should be taken iv the advertising supplement by sufferers from . tho grelit fire, in order to advertise articles lost or found, or changes of addresses. It was"as follows: —'Such as have settled in now habitations since the late fire, tind "desire for the convenience of their correspondence to publish the place of their present abode,, or to give notice of goods lost or found, may repair to the Corner-house in Bloomsbury, on the east side of tiio Great Square, before the house of the Bight Honourable the Lord Treasurer, where there is care taken for the receipt and publication of such advertisements.'

"Tho early newspaper advertisements, with tho exception .of formal, notices, were for'either books,or ' quack' medicines. Some eight years previously, in IGjB, there appeared the first trade advertisement, and it was for acommodity that is still extensively advertised today—tea. It was then being introduced into England and placed on the market with the following advertisement which appeared in September of that year-I—' That excellent; and by all physitians approved, China drink, called l>.y the Cluneans' tc.ha, .by other nations tfiy, alias tee, is sold at the Sullanc's Head, a cophce-house in Sweetlings Rents, by the Royal Exchange, London.' ■

"As time wont, on, advertising very, very slowly developed. In fact, it was only from towards the end of last century with the introduction of. laboursaving machinery that manufacturers realised that they must advertise to sell their outputs.. Turning.back the newspaper files of thirty years ago, one finds that tea and.patent medicines were still the main classes of goods advertised." .