The Scotsman (newspaper)
Dates
- Existence: 1817-.
Biography
The Scotsman newspaper was founded in 1817 as a weekly, including national and international as well as local news. In its first issue, William Ritchie and Charles Maclaren the joint editors, pledged 'impartiality, firmness and independence'. Six years later, in 1823, the newspaper was sufficiently well established to warrant twice weekly publication. The end of Newspaper Stamp Duty in 1855 saw the appearance of The Daily Scotsman alongside the weekly paper. Five years later, The Daily Scotsman became simply The Scotsman and, in 1877, the twice-weekly issue was stopped. The business was soon to support another sister publication was the appearance of The Evening Dispatch in 1886. This newspaper merged with the Evening News in 1963 when the Dispatch title was dropped.
The first office occupied by 'The Scotsman' was in the High Street, Edinburgh. By 1860, this had become inadequate and the business was transferred to premises immediately to the north in Cockburn Street, then in the course of formation. With the establishment of the 'Evening Dispatch' in 1886 these offices proved inadequate. In the 1890s, the widening and reconstruction of North Bridge enabled the proprietors to purchase the necessary extra space. The business moved to its North Bridge premises in 1905.