The Tatler, published weekly in London, began on 3 July 1901. Clement Shorter, a former editor of the Illustrated London News and founder and editor of The Sphere, was the founder of The Tatler. The title came from Richard Steele’s 1709 literary and social journal of the same name.

This publication focused on society and drama news. Issue 60 of the Newspaper Press Directory describes the paper as ‘an illustrated journal on society, the stage, and sport’, with ‘smart life, smart ladies, and smart work [being] the principal characteristics of the paper’. There is a special note detailing that the publication is ‘lavishly illustrated and splendidly printed’.

If you are interested in the history of the theatre and those who performed on the stage, for instance, this is a useful resource to utilise.

In 1940, The Tatler merged with The Bystander; subsequently, the publication changed its name to The Tatler and Bystander. For a short period of time, from 1965 to 1968, it went by the name of London Life. The original name was restored in 1968. During this time of name changes, the publication had passed through several different owners.