Category:The Boy's Own Paper

Title: The Boy’s Own Paper

Editor: James Macaulay

Publisher: Religious Tract Society

The Boy’s Own Paper was a weekly periodical which ran from January 1879 until 1914 when it became a monthly and continued publication until February 1967. The journal was aimed toward young men and boys, in a hope to lure them away from the popular “Penny Dreadfuls.” It serialized what were viewed as healthier articles and fiction for teenage boys. It became the longest-lived boy’s magazine and, for the last decade of the 19th century, enjoyed the largest circulation for a boy’s periodical in Britain.^[1]

The BOP, as it was commonly called, was unique for being published by a religious society (the RST) but mainly consisting of secular fiction. It owed much of its success to its clever use of the more appealing aspects of the “Dreadfuls,” with a similar appearance, format and low price, costing only a penny an issue, in order to attract readers.^[2] While eliminating the violent and criminal nature of the “Dreadfuls,” it still kept young boys interested with exciting stories and illustrations including varied adventure stories dealing with nature, animals, or travel to exotic locations, as well as many articles about school and sports. The heroes of the BOP were models of social order, fighting for the Queen and her overseas territories, rather than opposing the establishment. They took up a missionary cause and encouraged spreading the good word across the Empire.

Parents approved and encouraged readership of the BOP, while young boys were likewise drawn to it. It managed to reach children of all classes and, although not entirely responsible, did play a big part in combating the “Penny Dreadfuls” of Victorian Britain. Most stories contained within the journal were serialized over many issues to promote consistent readership, but the journal also consisted of games, jokes, anecdotes, competitions and instructions for building models and toys.^[3]

Notes

1. ↑ "Waterloo Directory"(WD)
2. ↑ Dunae, Patrick. "Boys' Literature and the Idea of Empire, 1870-1914." Victorian Studies. 24 (1980). 105-121
3. ↑ "Waterloo Directory" (WD).

Submitted by: Bascom, Rachel: section 1, Winter 2011 and Murphy, Ben: section 1, Winter 2011 and Cox, Kendra: section 1, Fall 2008