CP (Charles Prestwich) Scott (1846-1932) joined the Manchester Guardian on 9 February 1871. Scott's appointment was made to the paper when he was in his second year at the University of Oxford. His cousin, John Edward Taylor, then proprietor of the newspaper, offered Scott a position after being impressed by his essays. Scott became editor of the Guardian less than a year later in January 1872. He was aged just 25 years, and despite his youth he gained a reputation for strictness.
Under Scott's editorship the Guardian rose to national and international recognition. The newspaper published social investigations on subjects including housing and working class health and it became a moral force in world politics: Scott supported Gladstone's home-rule policy, opposed South African War and prepared opinion for reforms of Liberal administrations.
Following the death of John Edward Taylor's son in 1905, Scott purchased the Guardian, becoming both the editor and owner. An enthusiastic cyclist, Scott was often seen cycling from his home in Fallowfield to the office in Cross Street even as an elderly man. Scott retired as editor in 1929 and received the Freedom of the City of Manchester in 1930. He died in Manchester on 1 January 1932.
The GNM Archive is home to a variety of records including documents and artefacts relating to CP Scott. The collection includes photographs, correspondence, a wooden page turner gift from Boer prisoners of war, and a personal letter from Winston Churchill accompanying his book 'The World Crisis, 1911-1914'.
Further records are also held at The John Rylands University Library, University of Manchester. The Library holds much of the earlier archive of The Guardian, and further information can be found on the website.
CP Scott is also the focus of GNM Education's Resource of the Month, and further information about Scott's stance on the Boer War is now available on the website.
Further details about this collection and others held in the Guardian Archive can be found on the Guardian Archive Catalogue.
Researchers interested in making an appointment to consult the GNM Archive collection should contact the archive team.