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The Sphere: An Illustrated Newspaper for the Home and, later, The Sphere: The Empire's Illustrated Weekly, was a British newspaper, published by London Illustrated Newspapers weekly from 27 January 1900 until the closure of the paper on 27 June 1964.

Background

The first issue came out at the height of the Boer War and was a product of that conflict and the public appetite for images. At the time, it was in direct competition with The Graphic and Illustrated London News, and evidence of this rivalry can be seen in the latter's publication shortly after of a new illustrated paper entitled The Spear in an attempt to confuse readers. During World War I, the weekly issues were called 'war numbers' and over two hundred appeared between 1914 and 1919. In all, it totalled 3,343 issues, plus a special supplement issued in January 1965, entitled Winston Churchill: A Memorial Tribute.

The Sphere was founded by Clement Shorter (1857–1926), who also founded Tatler in the following year.^[1] It covered general news stories from the UK and around the world; much of the overseas news features were reported in detail as the title was targeted at British citizens living in the colonies.

It was similar to the Illustrated London News, another paper containing many graphic illustrations. Those featured in The Sphere were by renowned artists including W. G. Whitaker and Montague Dawson. Other illustrators included Sidney Paget, Henry Matthew Brock, Fortunino Matania, Ernest Prater, Edmund Blampied, Victor Coverley-Price and Claude Grahame Muncaster (1903–1974); photographers included Christina Broom (1862–1939); and writers included Bryher, Eleanour Sinclair Rohde, and Michael Wolff,^[2] and Balkans war heroine Dr Caroline Matthews.^[3] Thomas Hardy's short story A Changed Man was first published in The Sphere, in two instalments in the 21 and 28 April 1900 editions. During World War I the newspaper was bought by the shipping magnate John Ellerman.^[4] The Sphere was very popular during World War II.

The British Library and the National Library of Scotland hold copies of the entire publication run of this newspaper. The Sphere is searchable on the British Newspaper Archive.

In popular culture

In the film Three Faces East (1930), set in England during WWI, Frances Hawtree (Constance Bennett) peruses a copy of The Sphere.

References

^ Caroline Zilboorg, ‘Shorter, Clement King (1857–1926)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 1 Jan 2008
^ ODNB
^ "Obituary - Dr. Caroline Matthews". The British Medical Journal. 30 April 1927. p. 819.
^ W. D. Rubinstein, ‘Ellerman, Sir John Reeves, first baronet (1862–1933)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006, accessed 1 Jan 2008

Sources

External links

Illustration of trench system from the Sphere magazine, Scran ID: 000-000-475-242-C, National Library of Scotland

[1] Caroline Zilboorg, ‘Shorter, Clement King (1857–1926)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 1 Jan 2008

[2] ODNB

[3] "Obituary - Dr. Caroline Matthews". The British Medical Journal. 30 April 1927. p. 819.

[4] W. D. Rubinstein, ‘Ellerman, Sir John Reeves, first baronet (1862–1933)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006, accessed 1 Jan 2008

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|British newspaper (1900–1964)}}
 {{distinguish|The Sphere}}
 {{italic title}}
 [[File:Dya_mar14_sphere1.jpg|thumb|right|An edition of ''The Sphere'' from 1914.]]
-'''''The Sphere''''' (full title: ''The Sphere: An Illustrated Newspaper for the Home'' and, later, ''The Sphere: The Empire's Illustrated Weekly'') was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[newspaper]], published by [[London Illustrated Newspapers]] Ltd. weekly from 27 January 1900 until the closure of the paper on 27 June 1964; the first issue came out at the height of the [[Second Boer War|Boer War]] and was no doubt a product of that conflict and the public appetite for images. At the time, it was in direct competition with ''[[The Graphic]]'' and ''[[Illustrated London News]]'', and evidence of this rivalry can be seen in the latter's publication shortly after of a new illustrated paper entitled ''The Spear'' in an attempt to confuse readers. During [[World War I]], the weekly issues were called 'war numbers' and over two hundred appeared between 1914 and 1919. In all, it totalled 3,343 issues, plus a special supplement issued in December 1964, entitled ''Winston Churchill: A Memorial Tribute''
+'''''The Sphere: An Illustrated Newspaper for the Home''''' and, later, '''''The Sphere: The Empire's Illustrated Weekly''''', was a British newspaper, published by London Illustrated Newspapers weekly from 27 January 1900 until the closure of the paper on 27 June 1964.
+==Background==
-''The Sphere'' was founded by [[Clement King Shorter|Clement Shorter]] (1857–1926), who also founded ''[[Tatler (1901)|Tatler]]'' in the following year.<ref>Caroline Zilboorg, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36076 ‘Shorter, Clement King (1857–1926)’], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 1 Jan 2008</ref> It covered general news stories from the UK and around the world; much of the overseas news features were reported in detail as the title was targeted at British citizens living in the [[colonies]]. It was similar to the ''[[Illustrated London News]]'', another paper containing many graphic illustrations.  Those featured in ''The Sphere'' were by renowned artists including [[W. G. Whitaker]] and [[Montague Dawson]]. Other illustrators included [[Sidney Paget]], [[Henry Matthew Brock]], [[Fortunino Matania]], [[Ernest Prater]], [[Edmund Blampied]] and [[Claude Grahame Muncaster]] (1903–1974); photographers included [[Christina Broom]] (1862–1939); and writers included [[Bryher]], [[Eleanour Sinclair Rohde]], and [[Michael Wolff (journalist)|Michael Wolff]].<ref>[[ODNB]]</ref>
+The first issue came out at the height of the [[Second Boer War|Boer War]] and was a product of that conflict and the public appetite for images. At the time, it was in direct competition with ''[[The Graphic]]'' and ''[[Illustrated London News]]'', and evidence of this rivalry can be seen in the latter's publication shortly after of a new illustrated paper entitled ''The Spear'' in an attempt to confuse readers. During [[World War I]], the weekly issues were called 'war numbers' and over two hundred appeared between 1914 and 1919. In all, it totalled 3,343 issues, plus a special supplement issued in January 1965, entitled ''Winston Churchill: A Memorial Tribute''.
-[[Thomas Hardy]]'s short story ''[[A Changed Man]]'' was first published in ''The Sphere'', in two instalments in the 21 and 28 April 1900 editions. During [[World War I]] the newspaper was bought by the shipping magnate [[John Ellerman]].<ref>W. D. Rubinstein, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32995 ‘Ellerman, Sir John Reeves, first baronet (1862–1933)’], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006, accessed 1 Jan 2008</ref> ''The Sphere'' was very popular during [[World War II]].<ref>[http://www.rarenonfiction.com/si/146a0286.html The Sphere Magazine — The Empire's Illustrated Weekly: January 20, 1945], [http://www.rarenonfiction.com/ rarenonfiction.com].</ref>
+''The Sphere'' was founded by [[Clement King Shorter|Clement Shorter]] (1857–1926), who also founded ''[[Tatler (1901)|Tatler]]'' in the following year.<ref>Caroline Zilboorg, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36076 ‘Shorter, Clement King (1857–1926)’], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 1 Jan 2008</ref> It covered general news stories from the UK and around the world; much of the overseas news features were reported in detail as the title was targeted at British citizens living in the [[colonies]].
+It was similar to the ''[[Illustrated London News]]'', another paper containing many graphic illustrations. Those featured in ''The Sphere'' were by renowned artists including W. G. Whitaker and [[Montague Dawson]]. Other illustrators included [[Sidney Paget]], [[Henry Matthew Brock]], [[Fortunino Matania]], [[Ernest Prater]], [[Edmund Blampied]], Victor Coverley-Price and Claude Grahame Muncaster (1903–1974); photographers included [[Christina Broom]] (1862–1939); and writers included [[Bryher (novelist)|Bryher]], [[Eleanour Sinclair Rohde]], and [[Michael Wolff (journalist)|Michael Wolff]],<ref>[[ODNB]]</ref> and Balkans war heroine Dr [[Caroline Matthews (doctor)|Caroline Matthews]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=30 April 1927|title=Obituary - Dr. Caroline Matthews|page=819|work=The British Medical Journal}}</ref> [[Thomas Hardy]]'s short story ''A Changed Man'' was first published in ''The Sphere'', in two instalments in the 21 and 28 April 1900 editions. During World War I the newspaper was bought by the shipping magnate [[Sir John Ellerman, 2nd Baronet|John Ellerman]].<ref>W. D. Rubinstein, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32995 ‘Ellerman, Sir John Reeves, first baronet (1862–1933)’], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006, accessed 1 Jan 2008</ref> ''The Sphere'' was very popular during [[World War II]].
-The [[British Library]] and the [[National Library of Scotland]] hold copies of the entire publication run of this newspaper.
+The [[British Library]] and the [[National Library of Scotland]] hold copies of the entire publication run of this newspaper. ''The Sphere'' is searchable on the [[British Newspaper Archive]].
+==In popular culture==
+In the film ''[[Three Faces East (1930 film)|Three Faces East]]'' (1930), set in England during [[World War I|WWI]], Frances Hawtree ([[Constance Bennett]]) peruses a copy of ''The Sphere''.
 ==References==
@@ Line 15: / Line 22: @@
 ==Sources==
-* [http://www.ilnpictures.co.uk/showpage.asp?showdocumentid=197 Illustrated London News Picture Library website]
+* [https://www.iln.co.uk/ ''Illustrated London News'' Picture Library website]
-* [http://www.ilnprints.co.uk/information.php?info_id=9 Information on the Illustrated London News Group]
+* [http://www.ilnprints.co.uk/information.php?info_id=9 Information on the ''Illustrated London News'' Group]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/19991008130821/http://www.abdn.ac.uk/english/thsna/illustr/cm.htm Thomas Hardy's ''A Changed Man'']
-* [http://www.bl.uk/collections/victoria.html#s British Library holding]
-* [http://www.abdn.ac.uk/english/thsna/illustr/cm.htm Thomas Hardy's ''A Changed Man'']
-{{Defunct UK newspapers}}
 ==External links==
+{{Commons category}}
 * [http://www.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-000-475-242-C Illustration of trench system from the Sphere magazine], [[Scran]] ID: 000-000-475-242-C, [[National Library of Scotland]]
+{{Defunct UK newspapers}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Sphere}}
-[[Category:Defunct newspapers of the United Kingdom]]
+[[Category:Defunct newspapers published in the United Kingdom]]
 [[Category:Defunct weekly newspapers]]
 [[Category:Weekly newspapers published in the United Kingdom]]
-[[Category:Publications established in 1900]]
+[[Category:Newspapers established in 1900]]
 [[Category:Publications disestablished in 1964]]
 [[Category:1900 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
+[[Category:1964 disestablishments in the United Kingdom]]