Identifying A Phrase From A Newspaper

[Jennykenny]

I have an old cutting about the death of my husband's great-great grandfather, but the name of the newspaper (possibly The Times as he died in London and was quite a wealthy man), has been cut off.
Is it possible to type a phrase from the cutting, (in inverted commas) into a website which would trace the source?

[RATTER15]

Try it and see! Unlikely to produce the result you want though.

[retrocop]

There used to be the National Newspaper archives in Colindale N.W.9.May be they are on line and could help.

[EDDIE51]

Unless the text from the newspaper has been put on line ( unlikely) you will not find it. Do you know the date of the paper?
Googling the full name of the man and the date of death my be more helpful.

[Buenchico]

The British Library's Colindale site closed in 2013, with the newspaper archive eventually planned to move to Boston Spa (but currently under embargo).

The BL now has a new online research facility for newspapers, operated jointly with DC Thompson newspapers (which, regrettably, means that it's a commercial service, charged at £12.95 for a month's access, although it's free to search and there's also a 48-hour pass for £6.95 - both of those also have a limit to the number of 'credits' available):
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

However, despite covering 603 titles, not all newspapers are included and those that are may be limited to certain dates:
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/home/NewspaperTitles

You can also search for newspaper references via the main BL catalogue:
http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?mode=Advanced&ct=AdvancedSearch&;dscnt=0&tab=local_tab&dstmp=1457975965572&vid=BLVU1

[Lie-in King]

If it's any help, perhaps your library membership gives access to the Times
Digital Archive, as mine does? -

"Search the full text of articles, adverts, birth and death notices and images in the Times newspaper from 1785 to 2006."

[Buenchico]

A good point, Lie-in-King. There are loads of research resources available through public libraries. Some require you to visit a library, whereas others can be used from home. I see that The Times digital archive is among those offered by my local library service (and accessible from home):
http://suffolklibraries.co.uk/information-resources/online-reference-resources

[Lie-in King]

Meh. 2009? Suffolk ahead of Sussex? :-)

Here's our list -

https://e-library.eastsussex.gov.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/OPAC/ODBS

[Buenchico]

I see, Lie-in-King, that your library services subscribes to the British Newspaper Archive, whereas ours doesn't. I'll have to hassle them!

At least we've both got the full OED available though, which I use several times per week.

[Lie-in King]

I love the OED Online - the library system is such a valuable resource in my opinion, offering so much more than many people realise.

I also use the Mobile Library which runs on a 3-weekly schedule for borrowing books, reserved in advance online for the princely sum of 60p each.

[Peter Pedant]

jeneeeeee!

try it and see !

it is how uni lecturers detect plagiarism in their students essays
all you have to do is type a sentence into the doo-doo bar ( whatever it is called ) and up comes the source

try anything iron curtain stettin and up comes Churchies speech Fulton 1946 that he did so much to create ....

[Peter Pedant]

eddie
I put in a phrase ( no not any phrase ) and up popped my mothers obit in the BMJ in leading place - I couldnt believe it

[Jennykenny]

I had tried Google without success.
Thought there might be a more specialised site.
Will try The Times at the library tomorrow.
Thanks all.

[Jennykenny]

Peter. Interesting isn't it when these things happen.
I was vaguely looking up a school once, in the Middle East where I taught in the seventies, and suddenly a picture of me and my class appeared on the screen. Was spooky.

[Barmaid]

Findmypast have access to a huge newspaper archive (its effectively the BNA mentioned above). They currently have a £1 offer on for a month....... Might be worth chucking a quid at it. I've posted the details in the genealogy section.