The Manchester Evening News was established in 1868 by wealthy surgeon and businessman Mitchell Henry in support of his quest for Parliamentary election. The first edition appeared on 10th October 1868, comprised 4 pages and cost a halfpenny. Henry stood as a Liberal candidate campaigning for better health care for the poor but was unsuccessful and thereafter lost interest in the paper. It was sold to John Edward Taylor junior, son of the founder of the Manchester Guardian. In partnership with his brother-in-law, Peter Allen, Taylor ran the Evening News as the evening paper to the Guardian.

Based in the most populous English county in a burgeoning conurbation which was largely Liberal, the EveningNews’ circulation grew and being quick to realise the financial gain to be had from large volume classified advertising, it became highly profitable. It was also the first to utilise a private telegraph link to London and invented the idea of the Stop Press.

By 1939, the Manchester Evening News was the biggest selling provincial evening newspaper in Britain.