The good old days

A hundred and eleven years ago would probably seem like a golden age of freedom and power to your common or garden Mail reader.

The happiness that a world free from the EU, hoards of immigrants, grasping public sector workers bathing in bath-tubs of pound coins and being taxed by the hilt to pay for all this would bring the majority of their readership to a joyful judder followed by a blanket of bliss.

Unfortunately - as this story shows - the editorial stance even back in the glory days was one of terrifying forbearance of the future and a desire to suck the happiness of life and replace it with fear of, well everything  really.

As you see - concerns about the drop in population (Would immigration help here maybe???) Cancerous towns, bringing wealth to Northerners and in turn stealing it from the impoverished land-owning families - I believe the Duke of Westminster's family are still trying to come to terms with the loss os cash over a century later.

On a positive note looking into the future they did manage to predict the channel tunnel (first proposed in 1802) so kudos there.

The celebration / commiseration special edition was published on the eve of 1901 and the start of a brave new century, but a lot of worrying stuff was going on in 1900.

The Labour Party was formed, or as today's Mail would have it "First steps to anarchy as the work shy plot to steal companies from under your nose"


The Mines act stops children under 13 working at the coal face;
"Now do-gooders increase the cost of coal - will you freeze this winter?"


Jews fleeing persecution in europe make the east end their home;
"Christians forced out of their own homes to make way for immigrants who refuse to fit in"


Zeppelins make their maiden flights;
"Terror from the skies - flying machines show German scientists have gone too far"


Women start to campaign for the vote;
"Suffragettes: first votes then trousers, where will this madness end?"


The number of horses on the streets of London leads to a massive problem with manure;
"Horse-shit zealots want to tax your hay"


And so it goes on, the unhappy lot of a Daily Mail reader terrified the world's out to get him and his cash. It's unbelievable to think it's possible to keep up that level of anxiety for over one hundred years, it must be exhausting.

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