The Wells Journal is celebrating being 150 today.

On August 2, 1851, the very first edition was published.

To celebrate, a special edition of the paper was printed, with an exact copy of that historic first edition.

Assistant editor Michael Chamberlain is proud of the paper’s achievement.

He said: “In the last 150 years there have been so many changes in the world at large, to say nothing of those in the world of weekly newspapers.

“To have been in existence for one-and-a-half centuries is in itself no mean achievement, and the fact that the Wells Journal is more in demand today than ever before illustrates the efforts and the devotion of those responsible for its production.

“The Journal has certainly travelled a long way since the day that type for its first edition was set by hand and run off on a small hand press under the watchful eye of Samuel Backhouse, the first proprietor, who was so much a Victorian entrepreneur.

“Since those pioneering days the Wells Journal has changed its appearance many times, but in all those changes it has played a role in supporting, and often initiating, development of considerable local importance.”

Do you have a story for us?
Ring the HoldTheFrontPage newsdesk on
0116 227 3122/3121, or to e-mail us now – click here