Since launching a few years ago, IslandNewspapers.ca would have been more accurately named without the final “s,” as The Guardian was the only newspaper you’d find there.

That all changed this week with the introduction of Haszard’s Gazette – “Farmer’s Journal and Commercial Advertiser” – covering the years from 1851 to 1857, a period that predates The Guardian by almost 40 years.

Here’s how it’s described there:

Haszard’s Gazette was established by James D. Haszard in 1851. Haszard had previously been the Queen’s Printer, and, on being displaced from this office by Edward Whelan, he immediately began the publication of his own paper, Haszard’s Gazette. He published it himself until 1853, when he retired in favour of his son, George T. Haszard. Several other publishers and editors followed. Haszard’s Gazette printed some foreign and local news, fiction, anecdotes and advertisements. It was largely nonpolitical, but its viewpoint did vary under its different editors Reform, biblical instruction in the schools and temperance were all discussed in Haszard’s Gazette. In March of 1857, Haszard’s Gazette was merged with the Protector and Christian Witness.

It’s a welcome addition to the almost 70 years of The Guardian now digitized and searchable, and I encourage you to take it out for a ride.