About the Archive
Since its first edition on November 29, 1884, the Isle of Wight County Press has been bringing the news to Islanders.
From the smallest tales of village life to two World Wars, pioneering industrialism and international achievements, the County Press has been ever present for more than 130 years.
One of the best read local weekly newspapers in the country, the County Press is proud to have remained independent throughout its history, run by a board of Islanders committed to keeping Islanders informed about their community.
It has become a central part of Island life and its archives give a peerless insight into the Isle of Wight’s history.
Digitising the Archive
The County Press has always offered Islanders the chance to delve into its records, using microfiche in its Pyle Street office and through the Isle of Wight Council county records office.
Now, after 18 months of painstaking work and major investment to convert the pages into a digital format, readers will be able to access those archives online for the first time — using key words to unlock the Island’s past.
In one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by the newspaper, more than 160,000 pages have been scanned from microfilm, covering the period 1884 to 2006.
They have been made available online, alongside editions dating from 2006 to 2013 that were already stored digitally.