The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record or Government gazettes of the Government of the United Kingdom, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published. The Gazette is not a conventional newspaper offering general news coverage. It does not have a large circulation. Other official newspapers of the UK government are The Edinburgh Gazette and The Belfast Gazette, which, apart from reproducing certain materials of nationwide interest published in The London Gazette, also contain publications specific to Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively. In turn, The London Gazette carries not only notices of UK-wide interest, but also those relating specifically to entities or people in England and Wales. However, certain notices that are only of specific interest to Scotland or Northern Ireland are also required to be published in The London Gazette.
The London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes are published by TSO (The Stationery Office) on behalf of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. They are subject to Crown copyright.
The London Gazette claims to be the oldest surviving English newspaper and the oldest continuously published newspaper in the UK, having been first published on 7 November 1665 as The Oxford Gazette. This claim (to being oldest) is also made by the Stamford Mercury (1712) and Berrow's Worcester Journal (1690).
1665Nov, 7
The London Gazette, the oldest surviving journal, is first published.
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Events on 1665
- 4Mar
Second Anglo-Dutch War
English King Charles II declares war on the Netherlands marking the start of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. - 6Mar
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
The first joint Secretary of the Royal Society, Henry Oldenburg, publishes the first issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. - 12Jun
New Amsterdam
England installs a municipal government in New York City (the former Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam). - 10Dec
Michiel de Ruyter
The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps is founded by Michiel de Ruyter