Introduction to the Collection
The collection of early, English-language Indian newspapers held by the British Library Newspapers is founded on two, very fine historic collections:- newspapers once part of the British Museum Library and still held today by the British Library Newspapers in Colindale in their original, hard copy format, and
- newspaper holdings from the former India Office Library, which are held in the British Library Newspapers on microfilm only.
All items are consulted in the Newspaper Reading Rooms in Colindale, north west London; some titles may need to be consulted on the Security Tables only in the Main Reading Room. Staff will advise, as appropriate.
Collection highlights include:
- a very rare run of Hicky's Bengal Gazette (1780-1782), complete with Extraordinary issues;
- other rarities, including issues of the Madras paper, The Hircarrah (1794), also with Extraordinary and Supplementary issues;
- substantial runs of Calcutta newspapers including The Bengal Catholic Expositor and the Bengal Hurkaru;
- major runs of Bombay titles as well, notably the Bombay Courier and the Bombay Gazette; and
- a run of almost 50 years of the weekly edition of The Friend of Indiaprison. Six other papers were started in Calcuttabetween 1780 and 1793.