News of the World Archives

[Ken Boyce]

Does anyone know if there is an online archive for the old News of the World Newspaper

Are there any public library portals available in the UK for accesssing old UK national newspaper archives (Manchester?)

Regards

[Ken Boyce]

I’m investigating one of my relatives - the notorious London clairvoyant Mrs Gladys Spearman-Cook. She was the founder of the School of Universal Philosophy & Healing in Kensington and publisher of the Occult Gazette (which I believe is now a Collectors item) in the 1930-50s she, along with other notable persons, were into communicating with things from other worlds. I remember seeing reports of her escapades in the News of the World (at the time like many kids I was not allowed to read that publication).

I’m particularly interested to learn how she progressed from her married name of Spearman (nee Gardner) to Spearman-Cook Who was her husband Reginald C Spearman of 1924 (d&pob & d&pod not known at present) and who was or why Cook – memories of a wartime fling? – she had quite a reputation!

Unfortunately the archive site you quoted doesn't cover the post WW2 period 1945 -1960 period when she was at her scandalous best. I don’t think the Times would have dared to cover such spicy events and the Mirror was still respectable.

Regards

[AnnB]

Hello Ken

I can't help with your puzzle, but I did have a look in The Times for Gladys, and there are a couple of articles about her.......I do hope you haven't inherited too many of her genes ;) I love the following (and I hope you don't mind me quoting this, not many of us can claim such interesting members of the family) -

"August 1st 1972
The date today, according to the School of Universal Philosophy and Healing and its publication Occult Gazette is August 1st 72 A.M. They have decided to "put the record straight and begin completely afresh" with a calender based not on the birth of Christ, but on the birth of Gladys I Spearman-Cook. Mrs Spearman-Cook, in an earlier incarnation in the equinox of Leo some 13,000 years ago, was known as Merope, and was reincarnated (conveniently for those who have already grown accustomed to eliding the century from written dates) in 1900 AD. A. M., of course, stands for After Merope."

Nuff said ;)

Best wishes
Ann

[Mary Young]

try this:-
http://www.uk.olivesoftware.com/Default/Skins/BL/Client.asp?Skin=BL&enter=true
They have NOTW and others
Oh Terry what a wonderful site.
I'm in serious trouble here - I think I'm in love with a RED PARROT|hug|

[Ken Boyce]

Hi Ann
Many thanks for the piece on Gladys Isabelle Spearman-Cook it had me in stitches – never realised she had ever made it beyond the NOTW - I have not let on to the family yet - it is Thanksgiving Sunday (Harvest Festival) this weekend here in Canada and we have c15 family and friends coming to dinner. It should go over well with the turkey, the beer and the wine.
Any more tit-bits in the Times? She died aged 82 in Kensington c2qtr 1982 with the distinction of having 2 entries in the GRO Index We have no details of the funeral or internment - don’t know if she passed on in grace or disgrace! Can’t help feeling there’s an unusual marker somewhere - – she mixed with High Society is there an OB in the Times?
Thanks again it was a tonic after having to make sense out of the c12 entries in the IGI for the 1712 wedding of Ann Perris (a potential forerunner to Gladys) and her spouse Bartholomew Price. The IGI sure is getting more and more cluttered with dubious research
Regards

[AnnB]

Hello Ken

Glad I gave you something to laugh at ;)

There are 4 articles mentioning Gladys. If you send me a PM with your e-mail address, I think I can e-mail you copies.

Best wishes
Ann

[uksearch]

I know it's along time since I worked in Newspapers, so things may have changed, but all newspapers offices used to keep a copy of each edition printed. Try contacting The News Of The Screws themselves.

UK

[Jfremont]

Ken - The SFU library has the Times on microflm from 1785 to 1985 I believe. It would be rather labourous to plough through them I suppose if you don't have a limited time frame. The readers were not busy whenever I visited the university library.

John

[Mutley]

You can join Bedforshire Libraries On Line from abroad and search and download the Times 1785 - 1985 from the Information and Reference Section.

http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/cgi-bin/vlib.sh

[Mary Young]

Thanks for the pointer. I just joined (from UK not abroad) but couldn't access The Times, "Concurrent Usage Limit Reached". Will try again at different time of day!

[Mutley]

Sorry Mary I should have said from the UK or abroad. Many sites of this nature request a UK address but Bedfordshire luckily does not.

I hope you get to look soon, it's fascinating. I have found so much information on my Black Sheep and all sorts of snippets about life then. I am almost as addicted to it as I am to the forum.......

[Mary Young]

Thanks, Mutley. I got in 9 pm GMT. As you say, it's fascinating. Just wish I had some black sheep ;)