History

The Scott Trust was formed in 1936, but the history of the Trust and Guardian Media Group began more than a century earlier with the launch of the Manchester Guardian on May 5, 1821.

The paper was founded by John Edward Taylor to promote the liberal interest in the aftermath of the Peterloo Massacre. Politically, Taylor was a reformer. His newspaper declared that it would ‘zealously enforce the principles of civil and religious Liberty… warmly advocate the cause of Reform… endeavour to assist in the diffusion of just principles of Political Economy and… support, without reference to the party from which they emanate, all serviceable measures’.

The Manchester Guardian was published weekly at a cover price of 7d (old pence). In 1836 it began to be published twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday. When stamp duty on newspapers was abolished in 1855 the paper moved to daily publication at the reduced price of 2d.

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