History scholars, students and enthusiasts alike can browse, search and read over 14,000 issues of four of Britain’s most influential illustrated newspapers, published between 1842 to 2003 on the Exact Editions platform: The Illustrated London News, The Illustrated War News, The Graphic & The Sphere.

The four titles, which offer a unique window into Victorian and Edwardian society and document the defining events of the 20th century, are intricately intertwined as historic competitors and collaborators in the realm of illustrated journalism.

Click here to see a ‘Historic View’, which provides a glimpse into the archives circa 100 years ago.

IP-authenticated, multi-user subscriptions to these dynamic resources are available via subscription to libraries internationally. A powerful search function allows readers to instantly locate references to key historical events and figures, while every page includes advanced accessibility features such as a ‘Read Aloud’ option and a plain text version for enhanced readability.

The Illustrated London News (1842–2003)

The ILN was a revolution in journalism and defined visual reporting of the era through its vivid chronicling of the lives and times of royals, politicians and society at large.

Library subscriptions here.

The Graphic (1869–1932)

The Graphic was first created as a direct rival to the ILN under the guidance of social reformer William Luson Thomas. Its issues captured authentic scenes across London, the wider UK and around the world, reflecting Britain’s attitude to empire and society.

Library subscriptions here.

The Illustrated War News (1914–1918)

The Illustrated War News, originally published as a supplement to the ILN, was established during the First World War to provide focused, detailed visual coverage of the conflict.

Library subscriptions here.

The Sphere (1900–1904)

The Sphere was subsequently created as a rival to both the ILN and The Graphic at the height of the Boer war, with extensive coverage of world events to aim the publication at British subjects overseas.

Library subscriptions here.

Gary Thorpe from Consolidated Archives Holding Ltd (CAHL) commented: “Our collaboration with Exact Editions has breathed new life into these pioneering titles. It’s a unique opportunity for us to reach the platform’s engaged audience of librarians around the world. Subscribers to the archives will experience British history as it unfolded during a period of unprecedented social, political and technological change.”

Daryl Rayner, Managing Director of Exact Editions, said: “These titles are so much more than newspapers; they are fascinating visual chronicles of over 160 years of history. The platform’s search function can be used to pinpoint references at the click of a button; something that would have taken weeks with physical archives. We are delighted to have transformed these important historical materials to such useable and discoverable resources.”

Rebecca Hamilton from the Victorian Popular Fiction Association remarked on the archiving project: “This is absolutely fantastic and very important work.”

More than 80 articles spanning the subjects of military history, royal history, social history and more are also freely available to browse in the ‘History from an Era of Illustrated News’ resource here.

About Us

With a high-quality interface and advanced search functions, Exact Editions’ digital publishing platform provides a user-friendly and straightforward reading experience.

Digital subscriptions are all available for individuals from the Exact Editions shop and for institutions from the Exact Editions institutional shop. Click here to request a free institutional trial to a wide range of digital magazines.