The National Register--it was first published in January of 1808--was a weekly newspaper, released on Sundays by John Browne Bell. He was the estranged son of famous publisher John Bell, and had some involvement in the popular, well-known magazine La Belle Assemblee, until his estrangement. The National Register was his first solo endeavour.
On February 17 of 1808, the Bury and Norwich Post carried an advertisement for The National Register that laid out it aims and goals.
The first issue of the new journal appeared on January 3, 1808, and carried some interesting articles, besides the requisite war, business, and political news.
These items from the Sunday, February 14 edition, show the breadth of stories.
There was also regular news of the king and his family. A week after its inception, The National Register carried these items:
J. B. Bell’s connection with The National Register ended in 1810 when he
was declared bankrupt. Though he failed with The National Register, he
later went on to found the very successful and scandalous—often
scurrilous—The News of the World (it ran from 1843 to 2011).
But
ultimately, The National Register was neither different enough, or
notable enough, to survive. The lack of advertisements may have had
something to do with its demise. Though it is noble to do without such
commerce, there can be no doubt that advertisements attract readers, and
buyers, of any newspaper or journal.
The National Register, after 1810, passed through a variety of hands until it ceased publication in 1823.
'Til next time,
Lesley-Anne
