1900 and all that!

Graham finds an old newspaper which makes interesting reading.

I have recently come into possession of a copy of the Daily Express, April 1900. It is not only fascinating to read of the news at that time but also the style of the journalese. I have extracted a few items that I think you will find interesting, and here they are:

The Mullah has been within four days' march of Harrar recently thereby menacing Abyssinia and eventually the Sudan. He has inspired the Ogaden Moslems with fanaticism against the Abyssinian Christians and his position resembles that of Mehdi in the Sudan, ('Plus ca change' then!)

Lecturing before the Institute of Civil Engineers, Sir William Preece, the famous electrician of the Post Office, crystalised in a sentence the latest development of electricity. Wireless telegraphy, he said, has made but small progress because there is no commercial business in it.

An item of interest will be the timing of the measured mile in Welbeck Park, on a private road which the Duke of Portland has considerately allowed cars to use, free of all speed restrictions. It is possible that a speed around forty miles an hour may be attained by some of the "crack" racers as this secluded spot.

LEAGUE DIVISION II. Loughborough 0 Lincoln City 1. In this game at Loughborough yesterday, the only score was a goal to the visitors 15 minutes from the start, which gave them victory by 1 to 0, but they were always the better side. Through carelessness in getting offside, however, the forwards ruined many good opportunities of scoring. (nothing much changes here, either!)

Here are a few prices advertised that seem ludicrous when compared to today:

£ s d

Five shops in East Barking 1,400 00 00

Block of 8 leasehold houses in Poplar 1,875 00 00

Lebanon House, a grand country home and

Estate in Twickenham 8,000 00 00

Bedroom suites from 3 15 00

Brass bedsteads 13 09

Chesterfield settees from 8 00 00

Silver Queen cycles from 10 00

Hearth rugs from 2 06

Shredded Wheat packets 07

Kodak folding pocket camera 2 10 00

Famous West End suits, to measure 1 07 06

Daily Express, 8 page broadsheet One halfpenny

And finally, a piece headed "INTERRUPTED ELOPEMENT"

Our Tenby correspondent telegraphs details of a provincial actress's elopement with the son of a well-known London society couple. The couple were traced to an hotel by the youth's father, who took him back to town, sending the following message to a friend:

"Ran quarry to earth: both in one burrow, Am bringing dog-fox back."

From Graham Forster