Give the Boy a Tip – Newsboys’ Greetings

      

[1] The full newsbag of a US carrier boy, 1904.

 NEWSBOYS   In England and Europe, at the turn of each year, local newspaper boys go out on a special round to wish their customer’s a Happy New Year. Every home address they deliver their papers to is visited — satisfied custumors may tip them some money.

In the US this is a centuries old tradition too. Since the 1800s a range of American newspaper publishers printed fancy greeting cards, and even booklets, to glorify their newsboys. Printed matter under titles as Newsboys’ Greetings or Carrier’s Address, often worded in rhyme.

Recently, Brown University Library in Providence, Rhode Island, put a lovely collection of them online HERE — with full bibliographical notes and comments.

[2] Cover of The Newsboys’ Greeting, 1912 — Saturday Globe, Utica, N.Y.

[3] Saturday Globe, 1912, interior.

[4] Newport Daily News, 1888.

[5] Newport Daily News, 1888.

[6] The Indianapolis Sentinel, 1885.

[7] New Year’s Address by the Carriers of The Sun, New York, N.Y., 1847.

[8] The Sun, 1847 (interior pages).

[9] The Salem Observer, 1890.

[10] The New York Herald, 1840 (detail).

[11] A.F. Goldsmith Company, Salem, Mass., 1911.

[12] The boy-child image. New Year Greeting. The Carriers to the Patrons and Friends of the Syracuse Sunday Times, 1887.

[13] The strongman-image. The Home News – Bronx and Manhattan, New York, N.Y., ca. 1940.

[14] The Evening Star, 1904. ‘…So many United States newspapers are and were called Evening Star that location of this one is unknown; reference to cold weather indicates it probably was not in the south…’ — (Brown University Library).

[15] Newport Mercury (Newport, R.I.), 1859. ‘Your most obedient ma’am! Your servant, sir!’ (detail).

Images courtesy of Brown University Library