The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 1874-1970 - Key Data

After its establishment in 1874, The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News became one of several “sister” publications to The Illustrated London News (ILN). Known as Sport and Country from 1943, and Farm and Country from 1957 until the release of its last issue in 1970, this magazine concentrated on sports, hunting, and agriculture. Though it developed a particularly strong focus on farming, it also printed articles on theatre, literature, and music, with contributions from some of the country’s most prominent writers and artists. Boasting nearly 223,000 images from more than 4,200 issues (dated between February 1874 and December 1970), the magazine constitutes the second-largest collection in British Illustrated Periodicals, 1869-1970.

For almost a century, The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News reported on sports, rural life, and the leisure activities of Britain’s landowning classes. For example, it featured articles on foxhunting, shooting, polo, yachting, and golf, as well as the annual Oxford-Cambridge boat race. It also provided readers with frequent updates from the world of horse racing, including events at Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby. However, over time, its coverage evolved significantly: whilst earlier issues printed and discussed work by celebrated authors such as Bram Stoker and distinguished playwrights such as Noel Coward, later editions highlighted the gradual modernisation of farming, and the development of new agricultural machinery and digital technology. Due to both its eclectic coverage and longevity, The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News provides key material for students and researchers of the history of sport, the history of Britain’s countryside, and the history of science and technology.