James Chalmers

Aberdeen, Scotland, 1713 - 1764

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About MeFounder of the Aberdeen Journal

On 5 January 1748 James Chalmers launched the city’s first newspaper, the Aberdeen Journal. The earliest newspaper to be published north of Edinburgh, it survives today as the Press and Journal, one of the oldest papers in print in the UK. The paper remained in the control of the Chalmers family for 102 years and, by 1832, had the highest circulation of any newspaper in Scotland.

A Family Affair

As a young man James served his apprenticeship under James Nicol, printer to the town and Marischal College, Aberdeen. When Nicol retired, James, then aged 23, successfully applied to become Aberdeen’s official printer. A decade later James launched his newspaper which in 1764 passed to his son, also called James Chalmers. Under the younger James’s guardianship, the paper remained dominant despite growing competition. But it was through the directorship of David Chalmers, grandson of the original founder, that the business enjoyed its greatest expansion and widest readership as it consolidated its political stance.

Success of the Press

The success of the newspaper rested on its ability to embrace both technical and journalistic innovations. In 1830, the Aberdeen Journal became the first Scottish newspaper to use steam for printing. In 1849 the Chalmers family stepped down from their lead role to make way for William Forsyth, an energetic editor who improved the literary content of the paper. The family eventually sold the newspaper in 1876, and 46 years later it combined with the Aberdeen Free Press to become the Press and Journal, which continues to supply the North-East with news.

Wikipedia Biography

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