Man Walks on the Moon, Inflation Hits 25% and the War is Over – History as it Happened
Read all about it! Exhibition of original newspapers shows how great moments were reported.
For generations we relied on newspapers to bring stories, pictures, opinion and analysis of the world’s greatest, most shocking and transformative events direct to our living rooms.
This year Historic Newspapers, a business born in Wigtown, is staging a special History as it Happened exhibition featuring newspapers from across the decades.
Taking place as part of Wigtown Book Festival, it covers everything from the end of World War II in Europe, through to the lunar landings and on to immense economic shocks like inflation hitting 25%.
Every item on display is an authentic, original newspaper, offering a rare chance to experience history as it was first reported – with the same headlines, tone, and context readers encountered on the day.
Robert May, MD of Historic Newspapers said: “We’re thrilled to bring our archive back to Wigtown and share these incredible artefacts with festival audiences.
“This town is part of our own story – from our beginnings on North Main Street to our present-day archive in nearby Baldoon – so it feels especially fitting to stage this exhibition here. “It’s not only about preserving history, but about experiencing the raw impact of how news shaped the public’s understanding of events, big and small.”
The free exhibition takes place at 11 North Main Street, the building where Historic Newspapers began, until 5 October. It has five themed areas exploring:
- Unchanging History – recurring issues such as the cost of living.
- Surprising History – headlines that got it wrong - political predictions to premature obituaries.
- Contested History – one story, reported differently. For example, the death of Elvis Presley: while the Daily Mirror mourned ‘The King’ with a full-page tribute on 17 August 1977, The Times ran a brief column, devoid of images or fanfare.
- Iconic History – defining front pages that stopped the world in its tracks, such as ‘Man Walks on the Moon’.
- The History of Newspapers – the evolution of design, format, and editorial focus.
Historic Newspapers has the biggest newspaper archive in private ownership with millions of historic editions safely preserved at its archive in Baldoon.
Adrian Turpin, Wigtown Book Festival artistic director, said: “Having been a newspaper journalist for many years I’m excited to have this exhibition taking place as part of our festival.
“Newspapers have kept us informed about the transformative events that shape our world, entertained us with chat and gossip and been a cornerstone of contemporary culture through everything from fashion features to book reviews.
“This is a superb chance to see how they reported the events which shaped our lives, and to see how newspapers themselves were constantly reshaped by changing times.
“It’s great that Historic Newspapers, which began life in the heart of Wigtown and which now has its vast archive just down the road, is displaying some of the precious editions in its care in the building where the company was founded.”
The PDF of the 2025 Wigtown Book Festival programme can be downloaded here, or book your tickets online.
