The early years: 1785-1820

Each of the earliest editions of The Times is four pages. Pages 1 and 4 are filled with advertisements covering services and items for sale, schools, want ads, and employment opportunities. The inside spread focuses more on the news, covering military, governmental, commercial, social, and op-ed topics.

As a new publication, the layout evolved over time, but advertisements remained on page one until May 3, 1966, when The Times replaced advertisements on its front page with the news.

Following this arrangement, within a typical issue, one might find:

Pages 1 and 4

Board and Lodging: A gentleman seeks accommodations with a genteel family with no young children or other boarders.
Lost and Found: A reward of two guineas offered for the return of a violin taken by mistake.
Items for sale:
Portable water closets, with hydraulical improvements, suitable for families, shipping, infirmaries, etc.
Theatre tickets: Drury Lane.
Medicine: Paregoric lozenges and remedies for coughs and colds.
Phaeton, “strong, and fit for a journey.”
Education: Mr. Hogg’s Academy on Paddington Green, opens July 25, 1796 and seeks pupils under ten years of age at 20 Guineas per annum
Dancing Instruction: "to expeditiously acquire the most elegant variety of the present favourite Scotch and Irish Steps, with all the fashionable Requisites.”
Sales by Auction: Homes, estates, a vicarage, furniture, live and dead stock, Japan and plated goods, etc.
Announcements of birth, marriage, and death.

Page 2

Reports on the monarchy, like this one describing the queen's 57th birthday celebration, including detailed descriptions of what the guests were wearing.

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