OLD DEVONPORT . UK
www.olddevonport.uk
 

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"THE PLYMOUTH, DEVONPORT AND STONEHOUSE HERALD"

"The Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse Herald" was a Plymouth newspaper, published every Saturday morning at 3 Looe Street, Plymouth, by Messrs Nettleton, Pridham and Company, but was certainly circulated in Devonport.  It was printed by Mr E Nettleton and edited by Mr W Pridham, who in 1837 became the first Superintendent Registrar for the Plymouth Registration District.

It had been launched in either 1821 or 1822 as "The Devonshire Freeholder and General Advertiser" and renamed in 1830 "The Plymouth Herald and Devonshire Free-holder or West of England General Advertiser".  This cumbersome title was very quickly shortened to "The Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse Herald".

Messrs Nettleton and Pridham had two silent partners, Mr William Hole Evans and Mr Richard Hicks but only one reporter.  The paper had no leading article and expressed no political opinions.  It was reputedly a sound investment at first, it being said that the original investment of £800 earned the partners some £25,000 over time.  However, competition from other more politically minded newspaper with  greater influence forced them to reduce the price from seven pence to the totally unprofitable one penny a copy and it folded in 1868, when it was incorporated into "The Western Counties Herald".  The printing machines were sold for £250.

However, it was not quite dead yet, and "The Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse Herald" commenced publication again on Saturday November 20th 1869 under different ownership.  It survived until the last edition was published on Saturday July 29th 1876.