Joseph Moses Levy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Moses Levy
|
|
|---|---|
Joseph Moses Levy, by Hubert von Herkomer, exhibited 1888
|
|
| Born | 15 December 1812 London, England
|
| Died | 12 October 1888 (aged 75) Ramsgate, England
|
| Resting place | Balls Pond Road Cemetery |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Bruce Castle School |
| Spouse(s) |
Esther Cohen
(m. 1830) |
| Children | 7, including Edward Levy-Lawson |
Joseph Moses Levy (born December 15, 1812 – died October 12, 1888) was an important British newspaper editor and publisher. He is best known for making The Daily Telegraph a very popular and affordable newspaper.
Contents
Joseph Moses Levy: Newspaper Pioneer
Early Life and Printing Career
Joseph Moses Levy was born in London, England, on December 15, 1812. His parents were Moses Levy and Helena Moses. He went to school at Bruce Castle School. After finishing school, he traveled to Germany to learn all about printing.
When he came back to England, Joseph Levy started his own printing business. It was located on Shoe Lane, a famous street in Fleet Street, London. This area was known for its many newspaper offices.
Becoming a Newspaper Owner
Joseph Levy soon became very involved in the newspaper world. By 1855, he was the main owner of The Sunday Times newspaper. This showed he was already a successful person in the publishing industry.
In the same year, a man named Colonel Arthur Sleigh started a new newspaper called the Daily Telegraph & Courier. Joseph Levy agreed to print this new newspaper for Colonel Sleigh. However, the newspaper did not do very well at first. Colonel Sleigh could not pay his printing bills. Because of this, Joseph Levy took over the newspaper.
The Daily Telegraph's Big Change
In 1855, there were ten newspapers published in London. The Times was the most expensive, costing sevenpence. It sold about 10,000 copies each day. Its main rivals, the Daily News and the Morning Post, both cost fivepence.
Joseph Levy had a clever idea. He believed that if he could make a newspaper much cheaper than the others, more people would buy it. He thought this would make the newspaper market much bigger.
A Newspaper for Everyone
Levy decided that his son, Edward Levy-Lawson, and Thornton Leigh Hunt would be the editors. On September 17, 1855, he relaunched the newspaper. He used a catchy slogan: "the largest, best, and cheapest newspaper in the world."
The new Daily Telegraph cost only one penny. This was much cheaper than its competitors. In just a few weeks, it was selling more copies than The Times. By January 1856, Levy proudly announced that they were selling 27,000 copies every day!
Supporting Important Causes
The early Daily Telegraph newspaper supported the Liberal Party. This party believed in progress and change. The newspaper also supported important causes. For example, it campaigned against capital punishment, which is the death penalty.
It also pushed for changes in the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament. The newspaper also wanted to stop corporal punishment in the armed forces. Corporal punishment meant physically punishing soldiers.
Levy's Daily Involvement
Joseph Levy was very involved in running the Daily Telegraph. He did not just manage the business side. He also wrote reviews about theatre shows and art exhibitions for the newspaper. He was truly dedicated to its success.
Later Life and Family
Joseph Levy lived at 51 Grosvenor Street in London for most of his life. He married Esther Cohen in 1830. They had seven children together. Six of these children were with Esther Cohen.
His son, Edward Levy-Lawson, later owned the Daily Telegraph completely. Edward made the newspaper even more successful. Edward Levy-Lawson was also the grandfather of Maj. Hon. Sir John Spencer Coke.
Joseph Moses Levy passed away at his home in Ramsgate, Kent, on October 12, 1888.
