DC Thomson Timelime

1816 1801

On September 20, 1816, shortly after Waterloo had been fought and won, the first Dundee Courier is printed by T. Colville and Son from premises at Keys Close.

The first issue of The Dundee Weekly Advertiser is published by Dr. Robert Stewart, one of Dundee’s leading surgeons, from premises at 9 New Inn Entry. The Dundee Weekly Advertiser, the first proper newspaper to be printed in Dundee, appears on January 16, 1801, and contains eight pages, with three columns of type to each page.

1801

1816

The printing press used in the production of the first Dundee Advertiser and Dundee Courier was mainly of wooden construction. It was operated by a man and boy who could produce no more than 200 copies per hour.

1817 William Thomson II is born at Pittenweem, Fife, on June 5, 1817.

His father William I was drowned when his merchant ship Christian went down with all hands in a storm in the North Sea in 1828.

1817

1838 William Thomson II, having been apprenticed as a draper in Fife, moves to Dundee and commences his own business in Union Street.

He quickly prospers and moves his venture to Reform Street (below) and establishes a home in an adjoining property.

1838

1849 The success of his business allows William II the opportunity to purchase a 50% share in the sailing ship “Catherine.”

1849

1828 John Leng is born.

140 compositors were employed by John Leng to hand-set the pages for the various papers. The illustration, left, shows a hand-set version of “greetings.” A nimblefingered compositor could average 2000 letters per hour.

1855 1850 William’s stake in shipping increases with the purchase of shares in another five vessels.

1850

1851 John Leng (below) is taken on as editor of the Dundee Weekly Advertiser by the proprietors, Dundee solicitors William Neish and James Pattullo.

1851

The Weekly News is the first penny weekly paper in Scotland. It first appears on May 12, 1855, and proves a success, selling throughout Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

1855

1859

1859 Dundee’s first permanent daily newspaper, The Daily Argus is launched by Robert Park (above left) in 1859.

Park also launched The Weekly News.

1860

William Thomson III is born.

He is the first of three sons born to William Thomson II and Margaret Couper.

1859

From 1859 The People’s Journal (established 1858) is printed at John Leng’s new publishing offices in Bank Street.

1859

1862 1861

David Couper Thomson, second son of William Thomson II is born at 6 Reform Street, Dundee.

1860 1861

1861 The Dundee Courier becomes a daily paper on April 22, 1861, when it is printed in conjunction with the Daily Argus becoming known as The Dundee Courier & Daily Argus.

William Thomson II increases his stake in shipping and by 1876 there are 28 vessels in his fleet of merchant ships. These Thomson clippers are a forerunner of what was to become The Thomson Line.

The Strathtay, first of the Thomson steamships begins operating in 1871.

1862

1884

1872

The Courier Office moves to new premises at North Lindsay Street. In celebration, the employees are treated to a steamer trip to Perth.

1864 Frederick Thomson, third son of William Thomson II is born.

1864

1866 1869 1872

1866

William Thomson II opens a woollen merchant’s business in Euclid Crescent, Dundee, and takes a financial interest in The Dundee Courier.

David Couper Thomson is made partner in W. & D. C. Thomson and is given authority over the printing and publishing aspects of the company.

Later his younger brother Frederick joins the company.

1877

1884

1877 1869 The People’s Friend is first published as a monthly family magazine in association with The People’s Journal.

The magazine becomes a weekly in 1870.

John Leng’s Evening Telegraph first appears on March 13, 1877. The paper begins with two editions but as printing speeds improve there are eventually seven editions. The “Tele” has the largest circulation of any Scottish evening paper outwith Glasgow and Edinburgh.

1896

1886 William Thomson II takes full control of The Courier business. The picture below shows William II seated, Frederick seated, right.

Behind, left, is William III and right David Couper Thomson.

1886

1889

1905

On October 9, 1896, William Thomson II died at his home in Newport, in his eightieth year. His life had been one long period of active and wellsustained industry.

1896

D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd., is established to manage the newspaper side of the business.

1899 The Thomson Line has established a reputation for safe delivery of live cattle from the newly opened Carolina Port cattle depot in Dundee. This is invaluable during the Boer War when several ships are chartered to deliver horses and mules to South Africa.

1899

1905

1889 John Leng had been approached several times to stand for Parliament, but he refuses until 1889, when he contests Dundee, and wins.

He is re-elected in 1892, 1895 and 1900.

1905 The Evening Telegraph & Post appears as a merger of the two evening papers.

1900 W. & D.C. Thomson produce The Evening Post as a rival to Leng’s Evening Telegraph.

1917 On August 18, 1917, the first Sporting Post is issued.

The Saturday paper prints the results and summaries of the day’s main sporting events.

1906 John Leng dies on a visit to California.

The Thomson and Leng companies merge their publishing empires with the Thomson family in the majority.

1913

The Glasgow office moves to new premises at Port Dundas Road.

1906 1907

1910

D.C.Thomson opens a Manchester office at 135 Chapel Street.

1913 1914

1910 1907

Shortly before World War I the shipping line is acquired by its operating partners, Cairns, Noble & Co., who have represented the Thomson Line at Newcastle for nearly 30 years.

My Weekly, a new letter-press magazine for women, appears in April 1910.

1914 The Post Sunday Special, a development of The Saturday Post, is published on October 4, 1914.

1917

1922 1918 Conrad Gerald Thomson, DCT’s only son dies.

Brian Harold Thomson, first son of W. Harold Thomson is born.

1917 1918

Derek Ballance Thomson, third son of W. Harold Thomson is born.

1919 The Post Sunday Special becomes The Sunday Post on January 19, 1919.

The title was to become a huge publishing success and “the best read paper in its circulation area.”

1919

1921

1925 William Thomson III dies on January 6, 1925.

The eldest of the three brothers, William had succeeded his father as the controlling influence in the Thomson Line of steamers and in investments.

1922

1925

1917 Frederick Thomson dies at his home, Arnhall, Dundee on September 4, 1917.

1922 1921

The Adventure, the first Thomson paper for boys is introduced on September 17, 1921.

The Rover joins in the fun on March 4, 1922, and The Wizard quickly follows on September 23, 1923.

The Scots Magazine, which was first published in 1739 and which carried the news of major events in Scottish history, is taken over by D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd., in August 1927.

1927

1926

The Dundee Courier & Daily Argus and The Dundee Advertiser amalgamate on May 28, 1926, and are published under the title The Courier & Advertiser

1926

1932 Secrets is launched, and becomes part of the famous Feminine Five.

1927

1930

1932

1930 The Skipper, the latest addition to the stable of boys papers, is introduced on September 6, 1930, and is followed by The Hotspur on September 2, 1933.

1933

1953

1936 The company has an eye on the comic market for some time and The Sunday Post Fun Section, is introduced in 1936, producing a collection of comic characters who become an instant success and pave the way for one of the most successful ventures in publishing history.

1936

After the war, The Topper, a tabloid size comic, appears. The Beezer, of similar proportions, is introduced in 1956.

1937

December 4, 1937, welcomes the birth of a new concept of comics for children.

The Dandy appears and opens a new era for D.C. Thomson publications.

1937

1938

1939

1938 Eight months after The Dandy appears, another megastar arrives. The Beano is launched to a receptive audience on July 30, 1938. Both titles introduce a range of comic characters who are to become universal favourites with children.

1939 One year later on July 22, 1939, the enthusiasm of the comic department produces The Magic.

1953

1954

October 12, 1954, D.C.Thomson, in his 93rd year, dies at his home in Broughty Ferry.

W. Harold Thomson becomes Chairman upon the death of his uncle, David Couper Thomson.

1954

1956 The firm’s first photogravure press, the Albertina, installed at Douglas Street. It transforms the appearance of My Weekly and Bimbo.

1956

1959 The firm takes its first financial interest in commercial television - Southern TV, that produced among other great programmes, “Winston Churchill The Wilderness Years.�

1959 The site at East Kingsway, Dundee, is purchased.

1959

1959

1962

1962 The Kingsway plant opens for business.

1964

The new Goss presses at Kingsway print their first magazine, the record-breaking teen publication Jackie.

1972 The Fetter Lane and Fleet Street oďŹƒces amalgamate at 185/186 Fleet Street.

1974

1964 1965 1972

1965

The business assets of John Leng & Co become part of D.C. Thomson & Co.

1974 The Sunday Post reaches a record sale of one million, seven hundred and seventy four thousand copies per week.

1981 1974

The firm takes a financial interest in Central Television, which makes many popular programmes, including Inspector Morse.

Brian H. Thomson becomes Chairman and Derek B. Thomson, Deputy Chairman.

Both also become Joint Managing Directors.

1974

1981

1987

1987 The firm takes a 30% share in Waterstone’s bookshops.

1992 Colour oset newspaper production begins at Kingsway, and Bank Street production ceases.

1994 The Bank Street premises are sold o, bringing to an end over 120 years of publishing on the site.

News appears on the front page of The Courier.

1992

1989

1993 1989

Book publisher Peter Haddock Ltd bought by D.C.T.

Building commences at Kingsway to accomodate all Dundee newspaper production under one roof.

1993

1994

2000 D.C.T. takes a 40% interest in Parragon Books.

2005 2004 D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd holds its 100th AGM.

1998

2000

1998 Book publisher Geddes and Grosset is bought by D.C.T.

2004

2004 Oor Wullie is voted Scotland’s Top Iconic Figure, ahead of William Wallace and Sean Connery.

Meadowside Children’s Books, owned by D.C.T., sets up business in the Fleet Street offices.

Andrew F. Thomson becomes Chairman and Christopher HW Thomson becomes Deputy Chairman.

Both also become Joint Managing Directors.

2005

2007 Scotland Online purchases findmypast.com

2005

2005 D.C.T. aquires Puzzler Media Group, the UK market leader in puzzle magazines and puzzles.

2006

2007

2006 The Aberdeen Journals Ltd. group of newspapers, including The Press and Journal and Evening Express, is purchased for around ÂŁ125M.

2007 Maw Broon’s Cookbook becomes a literary sensation and Scotland’s fastest-ever selling book.

2007

2008 D.C.T. internet services company Scotland Online is rebranded as brightsolid.

2008

2009

2009 D.C.T. purchases social networking website Friends Reunited for its subsidiary brightsolid for £25M.

2010 Magazines and ‘annuals’ production at West Ward Works and gravure printing at Kingsway concludes.

2010 2011

2011 This England Publishing Ltd. is aquired by D.C.T.

Richard Hall, great-grandson of founding director Frederick Thomson, is appointed a director.

2013 D.C.T. purchases the marketleading wedding magazine Scottish Wedding Directory.

2012

2013

2012

2013

The Courier and The Press and Journal switch from broadsheet to compact.

The 75th birthday of The Beano is marked by a series of activities.

2013 Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay officially open the new £25M Goss printing press at D.C.T.’s Kingsway premises.

2014

Refurbishment of D.C.T.’s Meadowside office is due for completion in 2014.

2014

D.C.T. marks 100 years in Fleet Street with its newly refurbished office at number 186.

2013

2014

2014

2013

2014

D.C.T. partners Abertay and Dundee universities in IDEAScotland and Cisco and UCL in IDEALondon, pioneering digital media, technology and creative industries hubs in Dundee and London.

The Sunday Post, which was launched as The Post Sunday Special in 1914, celebrates its centenary.