Western Mail (Western Australia)

"The Western Mail", or "Western Mail", was the name of two weekly newspapers published in Perth, Western Australia.

West Australian newspapers

The first "Western Mail" was published between 19 December 1885 and 23 October 1896 as a joint venture by Charles Harper and John Winthrop Hackett Senior, the co-owners of the "The West Australian", the State's major daily paper. It was printed by James Gibbney at the paper's office in St Georges Terrace, Perth.

Considerable numbers of regional and local newspapers in Western Australia in the late 1800s and early 1900s included the word 'Mail' in their names.

West Australian Newspapers management experimented with a variety of formats in the late 1940s and early 1950s, including the "Weekend Mail" for five years (see publication details below).

The paper was renamed to "The Countryman" in 1955, which together with the Rural Press owned "Farm Weekly" are today the two major weekly rural papers in the state.

Western Mail Limited

In 1980 the name was resurrected with a second version, published by Western Mail Limited. The push for a new paper was made by Robert Holmes à Court and Bell Group following his failed takeover attempt of "The Times" (UK).

The venture was wound up in 1988.

Publication details

Western Mail (WA Newspapers)

The "Western Mail". Perth, W.A: West Australian Newspapers.
* Vol. 1, no. 1 (19 December 1885) - Vol. 70, no. 3403 (20 January 1955)

;Days of issues
* Weekly on Thursday 3 July 1919 - 20 January 1955.
* Weekly on Friday 27 September 1912 - 27 June 1919.
* Weekly on Saturday 16 September 1899 - 21 September 1912.
* Weekly on Friday 21 June 1895 - 8 September 1899.
* Weekly on Saturday 19 December. 1885 - 15 June 1895.

;Special Issues and supplement
* Annual Christmas edition - 1908-1955
* State Centenary no. 1929;
* Historical calendar of Western Australia 1829-1929.1929. Centenary number of the "Western Mail", July 1929.
* Centenary of the "West Australian" 1933
* Christmas issue published each year from 1897
* "Countryman's Magazine" (Vol. 1, no. 1 (18 August 1949) - Vol. 2, no. 8 (9 April 1951)
* "Women's Magazine" (21 March 1946 - 23 October 1947).

;Weekend Mail. Perth [W.A.] : West Australian Newspapers Ltd.
* Known as "Weekend Mail - TV" from 5 September 1959 to 1960.
* Vol. 1, no. 1 (22 January 1955)-v. 6, no. 290 (30 July 1960).
* Weekly on Saturday.
* Annual supplement: "Weekend Mail Annual" (1955-1960)

Western Mail (Western Mail Ltd)

The "Western Mail", Perth, W.A : Western Mail Ltd., 1980-1988.
* Vol. 1, no. 1 (8 November 1980) - no. 374 (31 December - 3 January 1988).
* Weekly on Saturday.

Note on sources

Most dates are derived from the entries in the State reference Library catalogue
* [http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/search/tWestern+mail+%28Perth%2C+W.A.+%3A+1980%29/twestern+mail+perth+w+a+1980/-2%2C-1%2C0%2CB/frameset&FF=twestern+mail+perth+w+a+1980&1%2C1%2C Western Mail 1980]
* [http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/search/tWestern+mail+%28Perth%2C+W.A.+%3A+1980%29/twestern+mail+perth+w+a+1980/-2%2C-1%2C0%2CB/frameset&FF=twestern+mail+perth+w+a+1885&10%2C%2C10 Western Mail 1885]

References

*"Western Mail - history of the newspaper" first published photographs on 23 July 1897. - first printed in - "West Australian", 5 January 1933 (Centenary issue), p.5, 21 then further printed in - Countryman (Perth, W.A.), 12 December 1985, p.1

*"Countryman - 100 years history of the newspaper formerly named the Western Mail"; Countryman (Perth, W.A), 12 December 1985, p.3

* Murphy, Fffion and Richard Nile (1990) "The Gate of dreams: the Western Mail Annuals, 1897-1955". Fremantle, W.A: Fremantle Arts Centre Press ISBN 0949206849

*"Twentieth century impressions of Western Australia"(2000)Perth, W.A.: Hesperian Press ISBN 0859052699 Facsimile of original edition:(1901) Perth, W.A.:Thiel. pp.168-174 "A history of the "West Australian" and the "Western Mail" newspapers, its premises and staff". The section ncludes photographs of J.W. Hackett, editor; J.W.E. Archdeacon, chief of staff; Charles Harper, MLA; J.S. Nanson, assistant editor; J. Gibbney, publisher; also a group photograph of journalists.

*"Western Mail - history of the newspaper" and "first publishes photographs on 23 July 1897" in "West Australian", 5 January 1933 (Centenary issue), p.5, 21.

* Grant, Don (1979) "The Western Mail and other weeklies (1897-1955)" pp. 288-295 in Bennett, Bruce (editor) "The Literature of Western Australia"Nedlands, W.A: University of Western Australia Press for the Education Committee of the 150th Anniversary Celebrations, 1979. ISBN 0855641525

*Cruthers, James, Sir,(1955) "A brief history of the birth of the Weekend mail" "March 1955".