The Express was an evening newspaper which first appeared on 1st September 1846. It was launched as a complementary evening companion to the morning newspaper, the Daily News (1846-1912), which itself had begun publication in January 1846. Both newspapers had a number of subscribing proprietors, and this included Bradbury and Evans, who were also the printers and publishers.

While the two publication shared a great deal of content, the Express was not entirely an evening edition of the Daily News. Its news content was much more condensed, as the Express was only four pages, instead of the eight pages of the Daily News. It contained much more commercial and agricultural information, with news of the daily markets forming an important component, but less space for advertisements.

Like the Daily News, the Express advocated liberal and reformists principles, and regular editorials appeared express support for parliamentary reform and the extension of the franchise. There were a variety of other subjects that occupied the daily editorials, including free trade, anxiety about the interference of the church in education, and a continued interest in the affairs of Railway Companies.

The newspaper was quick to exploit current affairs and events. In 1851 they devoted their Saturday issues to coverage of the Great Exhibition, announcing that ‘Every Saturday afternoon will be published The Exhibition Express …containing every possible information relative to the Great Exhibition of 1851…’ During this period, the Express was selling around 2500 issues a day. It also included extensive coverage of the Crimean War (1853-1856).

While few details of the running of the Express are recorded, it seems likely that they were very similar to the Daily News, about which much more is known. At the time of the launching of the Express, John Forester was editing the Daily News, having taken over from Charles Dickens who left the position after only a few weeks in the job. It is likely that Forester was also the editor of the Express, and likewise Bradbury and Evans were business managers, publishers and printers of both publications.

By mid-December 1847, William King Hales had taken over as the printer and publisher of The Express and The Daily News, a role which he held until 1869. This formed part of the of the changes implemented by Charles Wentworth Dilke, who had become business manager of both papers the previous year.

Ed King - The British Library