The Cornish & Devon Post came into the ownership of Tindle Newspapers in 1986, since which time the paper’s involvement with the community as a whole has been developed to its present high level. A typical example of the close relationship of the ‘Post’ with its readers is illustrated by the fact that over the past 16 years over £110,000 has been raised by the joint efforts of the paper’s staff and those who read it for Children’s Hospice South West, which helps children with life limiting diseases and conditions.
It was on April 19, 1856, that No. 1 of the ‘Launceston Weekly News and Cornwall and Devon Advertiser,’ the forerunner of the ‘Cornish & Devon Post,’ which was printed and published by John Brimell at Broad Street, Launceston, made its appearance, and with it began the modern newspaper era in Launceston and surrounding district.
It was not the town’s first newspaper, but it was the first successful one. The first actual newspaper which the borough saw was ‘The Launceston Examiner’ published by William Maddox which appeared for about six months in 1844.
In December 1877, the Cornish & Devon Post banner was adopted on the amalgamation of the East Cornwall Times and Launceston Weekly News titles. The change of title matched the wider role the newspaper was intended to play as its circulation expanded.
The first issue of the new publication was, according to its imprint, “printed and published by William Lydra Powell for the proprietors, W S Cater and Co at their Machine Printing Works, Westgate Street, Launceston, in the Parish of Saint Mary Magdalene, in the Borough of Dunheved, otherwise Launceston, in the County of Cornwall” where it still thrives today.
Astute enough to see their opportunity and to plan accordingly, the producers of the new paper, which as they hoped ‘sold like hot cakes’ were able to announce with pride that “arrangements are completed for printing the paper by steam power.” Prior to that, the machine was turned by relays of men!
With eight pages and priced at 1d (one penny), it still gave plenty of national and international news. Now in its 152nd year, the Cornish & Devon Post can fairly be described as an institution looked upon fondly by its readers as ‘OUR PAPER.’
Apart from the Cornish & Devon Post, the series includes the Holsworthy Post and Bude & Stratton Post. It is now, naturally, being produced by up-to-date technology. The Cornish & Devon is now based at Tindle House in Westgate Street but it once occupied much smaller premises opposite St Mary’s Church — a building which later became a photographer’s shop and studio.