The ''Nottingham Mercury'' was a newspaper printed in Nottingham.

Eighteenth century

The first paper to use the title ''Nottingham Mercury'' was launched on 1 January 1714 by John Collyer and printed at the Hen Cross. Originally called ''The New Mercury'' it was quickly renamed the ''Nottingham Mercury''. It was published to offer an alternative view to that in William Ayscough’s ''Weekly Courant'' but it only lasted a few years before ceasing publication around 1727.

Nineteenth century

The second paper to use the title started in 1825 when Jonathan Dunn published the ''Nottingham Mercury'' from his offices on South Parade in Nottingham under its proprietor Thomas Wakefield. It struggled to gain readership so was renamed the ''Nottingham and Newark Mercury''. From 1827 to 1838

Matthew Henry Barker Matthew Henry Barker (1790–1846), was an English sailor, journalist, newspaper editor and writer of sea tales. Biography Barker was born in 1790 at Deptford, where his father had attained some distinction as a dissenting minister. At an early a ...

was the editor. The paper was intended to promote the Whig party values of the Nottingham Corporation as the ''

Nottingham Journal The ''Nottingham Journal'' was a newspaper published in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, in the East Midlands in England. During that time, the paper went through several title changes through mergers, take-overs, acquisitions and ownership changes. ...

'' was the representative and exponent of the Tory, Church and King party and the ''Nottingham Review'' was the advocate of Liberal principles. In 1834, Samuel Bennett succeeded Jonathan Dunn as publisher, but he died two years later in 1836 and was succeeded by Richard Allen when it changed its name to the Nottingham Mercury. In 1838 its sale was a little over 1,000 per week. In 1847 Thomas Bailey became the sole proprietor and production was transferred to Mr Forman of the ''Nottingham Guardian'' which reduced the cost and improved the quality. However, Thomas Bailey’s opinions were considered too temperate by his readers. The circulation of the paper declined. In 1850 the Nottingham Mercury had an average weekly run of 625, whereas the ''Nottingham Review'' had 1,634 and the ''

'' 2,269. In 1851 the mass of subscribers withdrew in protest at Bailey's views respecting the original error of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, and his prophecies of its inevitable failure. In the following year the journal declared bankrupt.

References

{{italictitle Mass media in Nottingham Publications established in 1714 Publications disestablished in 1727 Newspapers established in 1825 Publications disestablished in 1852 Daily newspapers published in the United Kingdom Defunct newspapers published in the United Kingdom