I have been trying to identify a missing word from this extract from The Leicester Chronicle dated 26 February 1859. The report describes the opening of the railway from Northampton to Market Harborough on 16 February 1859, and it appears that the information was taken from The Northampton Mercury. The word appears to be "se-sation-" (or "se-satiou-"), which makes no sense to me: ‘There was no flourish of drums and trumpets; not the slightest attempt to get up a se_sation_; not even a handbill to announce that such a ceremony was about to take place; the first train from Harborough to Northampton arrived at about 10.10 am with very few passengers. The first train from Northampton to Harborough left the Northampton station at 11.30 am with a fair number of passengers. A considerable number of spectators had gathered on the bridge to see them off’. Any ideas?
Without having access to the original, my initial thought was sensation. Edited to add: snap, Bay Horse!
This was certainly one of the possible options, although it appears that there may be another letter after the final "n". Having said that, I cannot think of anything better than "sensation".
The original (in the Northampton Mercury of 19 February 1859) clearly says 'not the slightest attempt to get up a sensation ; not even a handbill . . . .' P.S. oops sorry didn't see your post, Bay Horse.
Yes - in the British Newspaper Archive (a subscription site - but you can use it free in Witney library if you register). The same content is available via Findmypast I think, though with a much feebler search engine.
The Northampton Mercury does not feature in the version of the British Library Newspapers Collection that can be used at home - although it does seem to be available in "British Newspapers Archive" library-only version.
I think you might be confusing the 19th Century British Newspapers database (which you can access free from home with an Oxfordshire library ticket) with the newer and more comprehensive British Newspaper Archive (which is free if you're using it in the library). The latter covers a much wider range of dates and titles. See here: http://www. britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/home/NewspaperTitles