SA Newspapers: Week-End Newspapers

The Chronicle newspaper (originally South Australian Weekly Chronicle) was established in 1858 by John Barrow as an adjunct to the Advertiser and competitor to the Adelaide Observer. It was originally intended as weekend reading, but after the Second World War focused increasingly on rural readers and agricultural topics. The women's pages of the twentieth century, written by Eleanor Barbour and Mary Broughton, were especially popular with readers. From 1902 a four-page photographic supplement was included. Photographic supplements were included intermittently from October 1895.

The Sunday Mail (originally titled the Mail) was founded in 1912 by Clarence Moody. By 1923 it had been purchased by News Limited. It developed a strong sporting focus, with an emphasis on football and horse-racing. In 1923 it was bought by News Ltd and moved to North Terrace. The popular ‘Possum’s pages’ began in 1921, followed in 1924 by the first children’s comic, May Gibbs’ ‘Bib and Bub’. After the Second World War, the Mail developed into the newspaper with which we are now familiar. Its circulation increased from an original 15,000, to 213,000 by 1962. Until 1972 the Sunday Mail was printed on Saturday nights.

The Observer was established by John Stephens with a country readership in mind. Stephens claimed it would be apolitical, and this was largely the case throughout the Observer’s long life. In 1845 Stephens also purchased the Register, and the Observer became a weekly summary of the Register’s daily news. Many articles were simply copied from the daily title. By 1852 the Observer appeared in two editions. First was an early country edition sent to Burra and other country places on Fridays. A second 'town edition' appeared on Saturday morning. As the rail network spread through the 1870s, the delivery of city newspapers to the country eroded the need for the country weekly summary and the focus of the Observer changed to week-end leisure reading. While still summarising the week's news, it included literature, a 'ladies column', agricultural articles, etc. Adelaide’s earliest women journalists and aspiring writers had work published in the Observer. This included Catherine Helen Spence, Winifred Scott and Ellen Liston. From 1902 a regular four-page photographic supplement was included. Earlier supplements had appeared intermittently since September 1895.

The Sunday Mail (originally titled the Mail) was founded in 1912 by Clarence Moody. By 1923 it had been purchased by News Limited. It developed a strong sporting focus, with an emphasis on football and horse-racing. The popular ‘Possum’s pages’ began in 1921, followed in 1924 by the first children’s comic, May Gibbs’ ‘Bib and Bub’. After the Second World War, the Mail developed into the newspaper we are now familiar with. Its circulation had increased from an original 15,000, to 213,000 by 1962. Until 1972 the Sunday Mail was printed on Saturday nights.

In 1863 the Advertiser purchased Adelaide's first evening newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, and began a new title, the Adelaide Express. This eventually became simply the Express, but varied its title at different periods. As an evening newspaper it contained condensed news from the columns of the morning Advertiser, and brief more recent news items. It also published the literary work of both established and budding writers and poets. In many respects the evening press came into its own during the First World War, as the telegraph for the first time was used to provide continuous updates of the conflict. Through this period Adelaide’s two evening newspapers (the Express and the Journal) published up to four editions per day. In 1923 the weekday publishing rights of both the Express and the rival Journal were purchased by the newly established News. However, the separately published Saturday Express continued until 1929, when it merged with the Register’s Saturday Journal to become the Express and Journal.

The Journal (originally titled Evening Journal) was established by the Register in 1869 as an afternoon newspaper. It summarised the morning headlines and printed sports results. It was also published as competition to the Advertiser’s evening newspaper, the Express. During the First World War the Journal was an important means of disseminating information about the conflict by publishing various editions, including a ‘special cable edition’. The Saturday edition was a larger issue with week-end reading matter, including sports and humour. The Journal was a place where hopeful writers and poets might have their work published. In 1923 the weekday publishing rights of both the Journal and the rival Express were purchased by the newly established News. However, the separately published Saturday Journal continued until 1929, when it merged with the Advertiser’s Saturday Express to become the Express and Journal.

The Saturday Mail was an offshoot of the (Sunday) Mail, published by Clarence Moody. This was one of three titles Moody founded in 1912, the third being the Sporting Mail. Early issues of the Saturday Mail were largely devoted to sport, the theatre, cinema news and short stories. The advent of the First World War saw a major change to reporting, with ongoing updates as news of events poured down the telegraph lines. In 1915 Herbert Syme took over the Mail newspapers.

This was a short-lived Port Pirie week-end newspaper. It ceased with the outbreak of the First World War.

This was the second newspaper founded by outspoken Ebenezer Ward. Ward’s main intention was to provide a vehicle for his political views, particularly in relation to the highly topical question of land reform. He ambitiously hoped that his newspaper might become a viable opposition to Adelaide's existing weeklies - the Observer and the Chronicle. Horse racing took up more space than any other topic, and included local, interstate and overseas races. Ward was secretary of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia and the newspaper contained many articles dealing with horticulture. From May 1869 a series by EB Heyne, the nursery proprietor, discussed trees suitable for planting in Adelaide's public spaces. Ward was previously theatre critic for the Melbourne Herald and the South Australian contained a regular 'Drama' column. There was also a column titled 'Gleanings for ladies', a mining column, and a serial story.

The Chronicle newspaper (originally South Australian Weekly Chronicle) was established in 1858 by John Barrow as an adjunct to the Advertiser and competitor to the Adelaide Observer. It was originally intended as weekend reading, but after the Second World War focused increasingly on rural readers and agricultural topics. The women's pages of the twentieth century, written by Eleanour Barbour and Mary Broughton, were especially popular with readers.

The Chronicle newspaper (originally South Australian Weekly Chronicle) was established in 1858 by John Barrow as an adjunct to the Advertiser and competitor to the Adelaide Observer. It was originally intended as weekend reading, but after the Second World War focused increasingly on rural readers and agricultural topics. The women's pages of the twentieth century, written by Eleanour Barbour and Mary Broughton, were especially popular with readers.

The Chronicle newspaper (originally the South Australian Weekly Chronicle) was established in 1858 by John Barrow as an adjunct to the Advertiser and competitor to the Adelaide Observer. It was originally intended as weekend reading, but after the Second World War focused increasingly on rural readers and agricultural topics. The women's pages of the twentieth century, written by Eleanour Barbour and Mary Broughton, were especially popular with readers.

This newspaper was started by James Allen as an adjunct to his daily newspaper, the Adelaide Times. The Weekly Dispatch was being published during the Crimean War and contains many articles relating to this event. Allen was declared bankrupt in 1858 and both his newspapers closed. This in part prompted the founding of the Advertiser.

From October 1953 the Advertiser published a Sunday edition. Eventually it was merged with the older Sunday Mail. The coverage was similar to that of the Sunday Mail, with plenty of space given to sport, sections on gardening, social pages (including several pages of photographs), a children's page, and comics. Max Fatchen wrote a column for the back page.

The Sunday Mail (originally titled the Mail) was established by Clarence Moody, in conjunction with the Sporting Mail and Saturday Mail. In May 1923 News Ltd purchased the Mail and moved the newspaper to North Terrace. The Mail had a strong sporting focus, publishing week-end sporting results. Motoring was a feature of the newspaper from the 1920s, as was the advent of commercial radio and aviation. An early focus was given to football and horse-racing, with many fine sporting photographs and articles. 'Possum's Pages' began in 1921, with the first children's comic, May Gibbs' Bib and Bub, added in 1924. This was joined by Ginger Meggs in 1932. Although published as a newspaper for Sunday reading, the Mail was actually printed on Saturday nights until Sunday 5 November 1972. Initially two editions were published, a 'street' edition at 7 pm, followed by a midnight edition which was sold later in the evening and distributed throughout the state on Sunday mornings. Until 1957 the State Library collected only the midnight edition. Country and other sporting results typically appear in the midnight or 'state' edition.

Only one issue of Adelaide's first Sunday newspaper is known to exist. The newspaper planned to be published monthly and ‘advocate the claims of our manufacturers ...’ (p. 1) It was a broadsheet published by W. Stephens in conjunction with the Weekly News. The content was largely horse racing and other sports news. It also contained photographs of Queen Alexandra, and local scenery. Newspapers such as this were largely published as Sunday reading for workers.

This weekly newspaper was published by James Allen as an adjunct to the Adelaide Times. Both newspapers closed through Allen’s bankruptcy in 1858. Very few issues of the Weekly Dispatch are held in the State Library.

The Weekly Mail was published by Frederick Sinnett as an adjunct of his daily Telegraph, Adelaide's first evening paper. Only two issues are known to have survived. These contain the usual news items - in particular a large section of court reports, as well as advertisements and editorial comment. A serial by Catherine Helen Spence, ‘Uphill work’ was later published in this newspaper. The 16 May 1863 issue contains an article expressing concern about the projected cost of building the Adelaide Town Hall, and an editorial against spending money on gas-light decorations to celebrate the marriage of the Prince of Wales.

This newspaper was published by auctioneer and printer Caleb Gurr.