Skip to content

British Illustrated Periodicals, 1869-1970

  • Home
  • Series
  • British Illustrated Periodicals, 1869-1970
British Illustrated Periodicals Trial Series

What's Inside

Collections
Volumes
Documents
Pages

Introduction

Founded in 1842, The Illustrated London News (ILN) became a pioneer in global print media, not only constituting the first illustrated magazine in the world but also, in 1855, printing the first colour newspaper. With time, the ILN acquired and launched several other publications, which produced some of the most remarkable media content of the 19th and 20th centuries, and documented key events and developments in both British and global history. Arranged into carefully curated collections, and incorporating more than a million images, British Illustrated Periodicals, 1869-1970 includes material from nine of these ‘sister’ titles: The Graphic (1869-1932); Sporting and Dramatic News (1874-1970); The Sketch (1893-1959); The Sphere (1900-1964); The Tatler (1901-1965); The Bystander (1903-1940); Illustrated War News (1914-1918, and 1939); Britannia and Eve (1929-1957); and London Life (1965-1966).   

Spanning over a hundred years of the ILN’s history, these titles cover a wide variety of topics, from High Society in the late Victorian era to the World Wars; and from international sports to the cultural milieu of Britain’s ‘Swinging Sixties’. Prominent contributors to these publications include celebrated illustrator Louis Wain (famous for his anthropomorphic and psychedelic depictions of cats); crime novelist Agatha Christie (creator of the popular Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot detective stories), and writer Bram Stoker (author of the acclaimed gothic horror, Dracula). Due to their eclectic nature, these collections yield crucial material for researchers and students working in many disciplines, such as politics, history, art history, gender studies, and war studies. Encompassing a diverse range of media forms (including satirical cartoons, art deco illustrations, and photography), they reveal valuable insights into the development of contemporary print culture, in Britain and abroad.

Register your Interest

Dates Covered

1869-1970

Contributors

  • Illustrated London News

Collections

Britannia and Eve Front Cover, 1956

Licensed to access Britannia and Eve, 1926-1957

Contributor: Illustrated London News Contents: 30 Volumes, 354 Documents (35,520 Pages)
Formed in 1929 following a merger between Eve: The Lady’s Pictorial and Britannia (established in 1926 and 1928, respectively), Britannia and...

Licensed to access The Bystander, 1903-1940 Coming Soon

Contributor: Illustrated London News
Launched under the auspices of George Holt Thomas (the son of social reformer William Luson Thomas) in 1903, The Bystander...

Licensed to access The Graphic, 1869-1932 Coming Soon

Contributor: Illustrated London News
Initially a competitor of the Illustrated London News (ILN), and eventually becoming one of the ILN’s ‘sister’ publications, The Graphic first...
Sporting photographs of horse racing, and rugby under the title ‘The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News’, 1939

Licensed to access The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 1874-1970

Contributor: Illustrated London News Contents: 97 Volumes, 3870 Documents (169,230 Pages)
After its establishment in 1874, The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News became one of several “sister” publications to The Illustrated...

Licensed to access Illustrated War News, 1914-1918 & 1939 Coming Soon

Contributor: Illustrated London News
Originally released during the First World War, The Illustrated War News was an offshoot of The Illustrated London News (ILN), and...
Geraldine Chaplin, Actress

Licensed to access London Life, 1965-1966

Contributor: Illustrated London News Contents: 2 Volumes, 63 Documents (4,008 Pages)
Launched in 1965, London Life was one of several titles owned by The Illustrated London News (ILN). A reincarnation of...
Illustrations of British High Society from The Sketch, 1965

Licensed to access The Sketch, 1893-1958

Contributor: Illustrated London News Contents: 64 Volumes, 2670 Documents (146,052 Pages)
First published in 1893, The Sketch belonged to a series of periodicals under the ownership of The Illustrated London News (ILN)....

Licensed to access The Sphere, 1900-1964 Coming Soon

Contributor: Illustrated London News
Established in 1900 and in circulation until 1964, The Sphere remained under the ownership of The Illustrated London News (ILN) for...
Front Cover of The Tatler, 1959

Licensed to access The Tatler, 1901-1965

Contributor: Illustrated London News Contents: 65 Volumes, 3277 Documents (213,211 Pages)
From its establishment in 1901 until 1968, The Tatler was one of various publications owned by The Illustrated London News...
Back to Top