The Bucks Herald was first published in Aylesbury in 1832 by Henry Thomas Ryde and originally comprised 4 pages costing 7d. Representing Conservative interests in the county of Buckinghamshire, it was an ardent supporter of the Established Church. It faced competition from the Bucks Gazette and later the Bucks Chronicle and all three papers indulged in mud-slinging episodes in an attempt to discredit their rivals.

The Herald changed ownership on 19th January 1856 when William Reed took over. He reduced the price from 4pence halfpenny at that time to 4d stamped and 3d unstamped and increased the size of the paper from 6 pages to 8 pages. To reassure its readers, the new management set out its intentions thus:

“The principles on which The Bucks Herald has hitherto been conducted will remain unchanged. As the ONLY Conservative Newspaper in the county, it will staunchly advocate Conservative progress, and will be ever found warmly attached to our Institutions in Church and State."

There would be “articles on the Political and Leading topics of the day” and agriculture, commerce and the native industry of the county would receive special attention. Foreign and domestic news for the week would sit alongside “copious and impartial reports” of local and district intelligence and news of Church matters.

A further change of ownership to the De Frayne family did not affect the Herald’s political orientation and the paper remained in the family’s hands into the 20th century.