First issue of the Daily Universal Register published
- When
- 1785–1788
- Where
- London
- Episodes
- 2
The Daily Universal Register, precursor to The Times, was founded in London by John Walter on 1 January 1785. Walter, formerly an insurance clerk, established the publication after his employer's bankruptcy. The paper operated under this title until 1788, when it was renamed following 940 editions.
Episodes
- First Issue of the Daily Universal Register
John Walter published the first issue of the Daily Universal Register in London on 1 January 1785, following his unemployment.
- Renaming to The Times
After 940 editions, the Daily Universal Register changed its title to The Times on 1 January 1788.
Background and detail
Background. John Walter founded the newspaper in London on 1 January 1785. By the end of 1784 he had lost his job after the insurance company for which he worked went bankrupt, with losses attributed to a Jamaican hurricane. The Daily Universal Register was the publication he established under this title.
Publication Details. The first issue was published on 1 January 1785. Walter served as the editor. The publication maintained the title Daily Universal Register until 1 January 1788, when it changed its name to The Times after completing 940 editions. This transition marked the end of the initial phase of the newspaper's history.
Historical Context. The Daily Universal Register is recognized as the origin of The Times, a British daily national newspaper based in London. The publication's early years, from 1785 to 1788, are documented in historical archives and scholarly works, such as Stanley Morison's history of the paper, which covers the period 1785–1841.
People involved
- John Walter · Founder and Editor
Sources
- The Times Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-27
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.