THE daily paper for Furness, Millom and South Cumbria made a recent name change to The Mail and a century-old document explains why this is just the latest in a series of developments in the newspaper industry.

Barrow Archive and Local Studies Library has a copy of the 1911 booklet in its collection and we present information from it thanks to archivist Susan Benson.

The booklet was produced for the Barrow News and Mail, printed and publishers in 1911 and the front cover described the company's products as a "virgin field for advertisers" and the "best means of reaching the masses".

It noted: "The Barrow News commenced its existence on the 4th of January, 1881, and in less than 12 months secured for itself a larger circulation and greater popularity than that enjoyed by other local newspapers.

"In 1883 it was found expedient to commence a sister journal at Dalton and in 1885 the Ulverston News was started.

"This was followed, a year or two later, by the commencement of the Millom News and the Grange and Cartmel News and later still the Carnforth News came into existence, thus making a series of six weekly newspapers issued from the News offices at Barrow, and localised so as to concentrate all features of local interest for each district in the columns of the special issues for each.

"Each district paper has its own branch office and reporting staff.

"The Barrow Times and the Barrow Daily Times came into the market and was bought up by the Barrow News, as was also the Ulverston Mirror, and old-established paper in North Lonsdale, together with with North Lonsdale Mirror, the Grange Visitor and the Carnforth Weekley News.

"All these several properties are affiliated and incorporated with the News series of newspapers and the result was the securing not only a very wide range of circulation but of commanding journalistic influence throughout an extensive district."

As the population of the Barrow district grew, the Barrow News publishers took the gamble that the time was right for a daily newspaper.

The North-Western Daily Mail was first published on January 1 in 1898.

It noted: "At that time, to most people, our new venture was looked upon as a risk enterprise and especially so as four daily papers had previously been started in Barrow, all of which came to grief.

"We took a different view of the situation.

"At the time Barrow was emerging from a somewhat unstable position to one of commanding importance in the commercial and industrial world.

"It was also obvious that Barrow - being geographically in a position isolated to a great extent from the rest of the country - offered facilities for the production of a daily journal, which, if properly taken advantage of, would lead to success.

"We achieved that success by a careful study of the requirements and interests of the district through which the North Western Daily Mail soon gained a large circulation - and that in a much shorter space of time than we thought possible.

"In less than 18 months the North Western Daily Mail achieved commercial success and since then has become a good paying property on its own basis."

Papers were printed and despatched daily at 4.pm and 6.45pm and on Friday at 10pm for the weeklies.

The booklet noted: "One of our machines, a three-reel rotary, prints, cuts, folds and counts into dozens the 12-page News at a running speed of from 20,000 to 24,000 copies per hours."

Because Furness had drawn in new workers and their families from all over the British isles - and had later exported skilled miners, engineers and shipbuilders all arounnd the workd - the newspapers followed them.

The booklet noted: "The News enjoys a postal circulation which ranks as one of the largest of any provincial newspaper.

"Copies are sent weekly to all parts of the English speaking world; quite a number go to all parts of South Africa and in the far away Island of St Helena we have two regular subscribers."