ARTICLES 30. THE GOLD COAST PRESS: 1822-c 1930, AND THE ANGLO-AFRICAN PRESS: 1825-c 1930- THE CHRONOLOGIES by K.A.B. Jones-Quartey* The history of the West African Press goes back to the very beginning of the 19th Century; the history of what we must call the Anglo-African Press - and in which, for convenience here, we include a number of American anti-slavery journals - started not much later. under official auspices, in 1801 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with the then Gold Coast Settlements, Lagos Colony, and Gambia following progressively later.' Meanwhile, in Britain, as far as the records show, periodicals directly concerned with West African affairs began publication in or about 1825. In English-speaking West Africa journalism began, The present writer has been engaged for some years in compiling comprehensive chronologies of the press in and of West Africa, that is, both the one established and managed in the various countries of the Guinea Coast itself, and the one established abroad but dealing with this area. published for the first time: that of the Gold Coast Press from 1822 to circa 1931; a second, the one including the early English and American periodicals concerned with Africa and with the Anti-Slavery movement, is being reproduced for the second time (on this occasion), as amended and augmented from its first public appearance in 1959.3 One of these chronologies is here The object of the present publication is two-fold: first, to present to students * Professor K.A.B. Jones-Qua rtey is Acting Director of the Institute of Adult Education. See: Christopher Fyfe, "The Sierra Leone Press in the Nineteenth Century", in Sierra Leone Studies, June 1957; K.A.B. Jones-Qua rtey, articles in Sierra Leorte Studies for June 1958, Dec. 1959, and Dec. 1960. "Anglo-African Journals and Journalists.....", in Trans- Jones-Qua rtey, actions of the Historical Society of Ghana, Vol.IV, P t . l, 1959 (which is hereby superceded), Other items bf information on the early West African Press not indicated in the above article can be found in the articles listed in these footnotes. Jones-Quartey, op.cit., pp. 55-6. ARTICLES 31 and researchers in the field of West African political, economic, and social develop- ments from the beginning of the 19th to the first third of the 20th Century, a vital, source of information not hitherto sufficiently exploited; and secondly, to invite a response from those with knowledge of this field, a response in the form of possible further correction as well as augmentation of the material. The chronologies here presented have been worked out separately. The Anglo- African Press list has been compiled from Cardinally Bibliography of the Gold Coast (1931) and records at the library of the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Royal African Society, Northumberland Avenue, London, checked with the British Union- Catalogue of Periodicals/* and further checked with other scattered sources both private and public. Secondly, the chronology of the Gold Coast Press has in turn been compiled from the following: J. Magnus Sampson's pamphlet sketch, A Brief History of Gold Coast Journalism (1934 , out of print, and extremely rare)^, the Colonial Office Blue Books covering the period, J.B. Anaman's almanacs and handbooks, records and collections0 at the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, and the British Museum Newspaper Library at Colindale, north London; the Ghana National Archives, Accra, and its sub- branch at Cape Coast; the private collection of old newspapers and books at the Methodist Book Depot headquarters office, Cape Coast; the Balme Library and the library of the Institute of African Studies, of the University of Ghana, Legon; and the National Archives of Sierra Leone, the bulk of which is lodged at the University College of Sierra Leone in Freetown. Scattered references and odd collections of these papers may also be found in Copenhagen, The Hague, Basle, Bern, and the U.S.; also at the headquarters of the missionary societies in Britain and on the European Continent. Chronologies of the Sierra Leone Press (the earliest of the West African English- language journals), and of Nigeria and the others, will be published, it is intended, at a later date. The Anglo-African and Gold Coast lists now follow: 4. Mr. R.J. Hoy, Deputy Librarian (1960) of the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, first called the author's attention to the Union-Catalogue. 5. Also inadequate, and not to be used as reference for the earliest Gold Coast news- papers, whose names, chronology, e t c ., are wrongly given by Sampson. A copy of this pamphlet is to be found at the Ghana National Archives, Cape Coast branch. 6. See: Jones-Quartey, "Press-Archives Research as an Approach to West African History", Research Review, Vol . 2, N o . l, Michaelmas 1965; pp. 52-6. U* * ARTICLES First known Date of Issue 1825 Anglo-African Journals: 1825-c. 1930 Name and Serialization Anti-Slavery Monthly Reporter Vols.]_324 (i.e. nos. 1-72) continued in 1831 as Anti-Slavery Reporter 4_68(i.e. nos. 73-113); later, in 32. Last known Date of Issue 1830 1836, July 1837 " The British Emancipator, 1-61, then in 1840, Jan. 10 1840 " British & Foreign Anti-Slavery Reporter, 1-6158, in 1846 " Anti-Slavery Reporter, N.S., 1-7 3Ser. 1-22, 4Ser. 1-29; in 1910 " Anti-Slavery Reporter & Aborigines' Friend, 5Ser. 1-34, 6Ser. 1 Anti-Slavery Record Vol.1, nos. 1-15 Anti-Slavery Record (American Anti- Slavery Society, New York), Vols. 1-3 1845, Dec. 1909 1833, June 6 1837, Dec. Anti-Slavery Examiner (American Anti-Slavery Society) Vols. 1-14 1845 Colonial Gazette, Nos. 1-424 1905, Nov. 18 Colonial Magazine, Vols. 1-8 N.S. Vol.1, Continued in 1843 as_ Fisher's Colonial Magazine (N.S.) Vols. 2-4; N.(3)S. Vols. 1-2 1842, Dec. 1845 1832 1835 1836 1838 1840 ARTICLES First known Date of Issue Name and Serialization 1840 1840 1841 1 8 42 1844 1847 1850 1852 1853 1859 1862 1865 1869 1880 1891 African Colonizer Colonial Magazine & Commercial Maritime Journal Friend of Africa The Friend of Africa (Journal of the Society for the Extinction of the Slave Trade) The Friend of the African The Colonial Intelligencer or Friend, later Aborigines' Friend & Colonial Intelligencer Church Missionary Gleaner Anti-Slavery Advocate The Anti-Slavery Watchman Church Missionary Intelligencer African Times Vols. 1-43 (Nos. 1-495) Sierra Leone Journal Anglo-Colonial, 1-2 Africa West African Gazette 33. Last known Date of Issue 1841 1846 1843 1845 1866 1856 1861 1854 1906 1902, Dec. 1866 ? 1884 ? -*- * k k f * y * •* 4 * <*f : * ARTICLES First known Date of Issue 1892 1895 1899 1900 1900 1900 1901 1901 1901 1901 1902 1902 1903 Name and Serialization West African Review of Mining, Finance & Commerce, V o l. 1-41 No.1-632), later merged into African World & CapeJCairo Express African Critic, later The Critic British Empire Review West Africa 34. Last known Date of Issue 1914 1939 1906, Dec. West African Traders Review, 1-8 1904 African Journal of Commerce 1913, Dec. ? West African Gazette, Vol.1 West African News, later African News Gold Coast Globe & Ashanti Argus, later Anglo-African Argus & Gold Coast Globe African Affairs - Journal of the African Society; Contd. irt 1935 as Journal of the Royal African Society Bournville Works Magazine African World 1902 1904 ? 1944 Current ? West African Mail (Liverpool) later, ih_ 1907, Oct. 1907 " African Mail, 1-6 1913 ARTICLES First known Date of Issue 1903 1905 1905 1905 1906 1907 1912 1912 1913 1914 1917 1920 1921 1921 35. Last known Date of Issue Current Current .1914 1937/June/July 1927 1910 1920 1914, Aug. 1921, Dec. 1919, Dec. Current 1920, Dec. Name and Serialization African World Annual Africa African Engineering Tropical Life (& Stock Farming) Vols. 1-33 (Nos. 1-376) Church Missionary Review Colonial Office Journal, 1-3 Contd. as Colonial Journal, 4-13 (iv) African Times & Orient. Review 1-2; N.S. I1"2 2, Jan. 1917 - Oct.1918 Bank of West Africa Ltd., Staff Bulletin, No. 1-10 African Journal of Commerce African Telegraph & Gold Coast Mirror* (discont'd between Feb. 1915 & Dec. 1918) West Africa Africa & Orient. Review 1-12 Journal of the Gold Coast Agricultural & Commercial Society African Industries 1-2110 1930, Mar, * The African Telegraph and Gold Coast Mifror was, apparently more so than most of the above, a child of borh worlds. It was printed in London in technical perfection, but was sponsored in Accra, and was lav[shly illustrated with pictures from the then Gold Coast while at the same time carrying a wide coverage of West African affairs. Samples can be found at the Cape Coast Archives. ARTICLES First known Date of Issue 1922 1924 1924 1925 1927 1928 1928 1931 Name and Serialization Elder Dempster Magazine, later Elder's Review, later West African Review 36. Last known Date of Issue 1960 Empire Cotton Growing Review 1939, Oct The Golden Shore Gold Coast Review 1 ~52 ? 1931 West African Medical Journal 1 -TO1 1938, Oct Church Overseas Africa - Journal of International Institute of African Languages & Cultures 1934 Current Books for Africa: Quarterly Bulletin of International Commjttee on Christian Literature for Africa Current . ARTICLES 37. A P P E N D IX 1 NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED IN GHANA: 1857-1957 A.NINETEENTH CENTURY NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES Royal Gold Coast Gazette Monthly Cape Coast April 1822- 1823 Accra Herald - later Fortnightly Accra Sept. 1857- ? 1859 West African Herald Weekly Freetown later Cape Coast ? 1859- ? 1873 FOUNDERS/PROPRIETORS/ EDITORS/ OR OTHER (Semi-Official) Governor Sir Chas. Mac- Carthy (founder) Captain Gordon La ing (one of many editors. Others unknown) Chas Bannerman (Edmund Bannerman) (Robert Hansen) Chas. Bannerman (Edmund Bannerman) Edmund Bannerman Gold Coast Times Fortnightly Cape Coast March 1874-Nov. 1885 James Hutfon Brew NOTE: Names in brackets are those of editors, sub-editors, and/or other subordinate, where principals are known and named. ARTICLES 38. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES FOUNDERS/PROPRI ETORS/ETC. Government Gazette Monthly Accra February 1876-Current Gold Coast Government Gold Coast Assize Monthly Cape Coast Nov.1883-Feb.I884 W.C Niblett ( ?) (English lawyer) Gold Coast News Monthly Cape Coast March ? -Aug. 1885 W.C. Niblett Western Echo Fortnightly Cape Coast Nov. I885-Dec.l887 James Hutton Brew (J.E. Casely Hayfbrd) (Timothy La ing) •fr 72= ** * * r\' Y J- \ * * ARTICLES 39. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES FOUNDERS, ETC. Gold Coast Methodist - Fortnightly Cape Coast ? 1886-Jan.1898 later Gold Coast Methodist Times Methodist Mission (W.T. Coppin) English Metho- (W.M. Canneil) dist Missionaries (S.R.B. Attoh Ahuma) Gold Coast Echo Weekly Cape Coast Jan.1888- ? 1889 J.E. Casely Hayford ? Gold Coast Chronicle Irregular Accra Sept. 1890-Jan.1896 Timothy La ing J.E. Casely Hayford ? Gold Coast People Weekly Cape Coast Oct. 1891-? Aug. 1894-Oct. 1898 ? J. Mensah Sarbah Gold Coast Independent Weekly Accra Mar. 1'895-Jan.1898 Dr. Chas. Easmon A. Cole J. Bright-Davies (editor) (All of Sierra Leonean origin) ARTICLES 40. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES FOUNDERS, ETC. West African Gazette & Gold Coast Chronicle Week!/ Accra Peb.8-Msreh 1896 V/.C. Niblett (John Vanderpuije ?) Gold Coast Chronicle Irregular Accra June 1896- ? 1901 ( + ) ? Gold Coast Observer Daily Accra June 1896 (One issue) ? ? ? Gold Coast Herald Fort rightly Probably Accra Jan. 1896 (One issue) Leslie Mayne (Englishman) ARTICLES 41. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES FOUNDERS, ETC. Gold Coast Express Daily (Irregular) Accra Mar. 1897-Mar.l900(?) Timothy La ing (First attempt at daily newspaper pub- lication) Gold Coast Aborigines Weekly Cape Coast Jan. 1898-June 1909 (?) Attoh Ahuma, K. Egyir Asaam Gold Coast Free Press Occasionally Accra Aug. ? - O c t. 1899 ? ? B. TWENTIETH CENTURY Gold Coast Leader Weekly Cape Coast Dec. 1902- ? 1929 J.E Casely Hayford, Herbert Brown, Attoh Ahuma, John Buckman G. Acquah. (Roles and exact functions undeterminable). ARTICLES 42. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES FOUNDERS, ETC. Gold Coast Advocate Weekly Accra Mar. 1904-Jan.l914 A. Boi Quartey-Papafio Gold Coast Courier Weekly Christiansborg, Aug. 1905-Jan.l907 Timothy La ing Accra Gofd Coast Nation & Aborigines Weekly Cape Coast April 1912- ? ? Attoh Ahuma Gold Coast Youth Magazine Monthly Cape Coast June 1912-(Once) K. Egyir-Asaam ARTICLES 43. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES FOUNDERS, ETC. Young Man's Adviser Fortnightly ? July 1912 - Feb. 1913 ? ? Eastern Star & Akwapim Chronicle Weekly Accra Aug. 1913 -Mar.l925(+) Timothy La ing Voice of The People - Fortnightly later Vox Po^uTT Accra Nov.1917-1939 then until 1948 (?) - T. Kwesi Orgle (Clement Quartey-Papafio) (Timothy La ing) ARTICLES 44. NAME FREQUENCE TOWN DATES FOUNDERS, ETC. ? ? Gold Coasf Independent Weekly Accra July 1918- ? 1955 J . J. Akrong; D . G. Tackle Literary & Social Guide Monthly Probably Accra May 1919- ? 1922 Voice of Africa (?) ? Gold Coast Pfoneer Monthly ? ? ? Feb. 1921- (Once) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ARTICLES 45. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES FOUNDERS, ETC. Gold Coast Times Weekly Cape Coast April 1923- ? ? K. Sekyiama Sunlight Occasionally Aburi ? 1926 ? K. SekyiDjan Gold Coast Catholic Voice Monthly Jan. 1926- ? 1927 Catholic Mission (?) Gold Coast Spectator Weekly Accra Aug. 1927- ? 1955 R.W. Dupigny (?) Alfred J. Ocansey (R.B. Wuta-Ofei) ARTICLES 46. NAME FREQUENCY TOWN DATES POUNDERS, ETC Gold Coast Truth Weekly July 1928- ? ? Gold Coast Daily Telegraph . .. . • Daily n Aug. 1928- ? ? Gold Coast Guardian Daily (?) Salt pond Gold Coast Daily News Daily