The Newspaper 100 Years Ago

It has often been said, and rightly so, about many things, that they simply don’t make things they way they were.

These days you buy something, use for a bit, then throw it out and buy a new one when it breaks. Back then, things were MADE to last.

Having decided it was time to browse Trove again, I decided to see what a newspaper from 100 years ago looked like, and how it compared with today’s.

I chose to look at The Mount Barker Courier, which is the local paper for the area of South Australia that my family grew up in, and this issue is dated 23 October 1914. So it’s over 100 years ago.

I made it to the front page, and was instantly engrossed with all the adverts. You’ll see everything from cocoa, to corsets, gas to insurance, saddles and harnesses, a bronchitis cure, as well as gates, pianos, pig troughs, Ford cars, and even mustard.

See for yourself … (click here for a larger view)

Isn’t is beautiful.

I’m pleased to say that Mount Barker Courier, which is now known as The Courier, is STILL going … 101 years later. In a comparison of the old and new, you can see their current issue online. And maybe it’s just me, but I feel that there’s just no class to newspapers these days!

Please note, I have only used the Mount Barker Courier as an example. I was not meaning to pick on them specifically, but rather use them as an example of the difference bin the style of newspapers from back then and now.