In Paris, Anne Lister’s primary source of information is the Galignani’s Messenger, where she finds the latest news, not-to-be-missed events and advertisements for a lady’s maid or an apartment. She appeared three times in this english newspaper distributed in all major european cities. With or without her consent.
If Anne Lister regularly skims over the french papers – the Moniteur and the Journal des débats, her primary source of information during her various stays in Paris is the Galignani’s Messenger, the leader of the English-language press in the capital, edited by the famous Galignani bookshop.
Since 1814, six days a week, this international journal gathers articles from french, english and other foreign newspapers and many valuable business or leisure informations to english people in Paris. It is “the exile’s best friend” as William Thackeray – who had been its sub-editor in the 1820’s – calls it in its novel Vanity Fair in 1848.
In september 1822, as soon as she arrives in France with her father and her sister Marian, Anne Lister notes that : “the terms of subscription to Galignani’s newspaper and periodical publication reading rooms are ‘4 francs per fortnight, 6 francs per month, or 10 sous per day’.” But she did not get a chance to suscribe, as their stay was ultimately shorter than expected.
In 1824, when she finally settles in the pension of Madame de Boyve’s on Place Vendôme, she borrows the Galignani’s Messenger from other expatriates. She finally takes her own subscription (just like Stendhal, Moore, Byron or Lady Franklin) in 1826, when she returns to Paris with Mariana. From then onwards, she reads it every morning, often “the whole of it” (four pages, with sometimes a supplement), very attentively. On the morning of the 25th of August 1826, she can’t help but correct the miscalculations of a Radical Member of Parliament reported in the paper :
“From a speech by Mr. Hume (the member for Aberdeen (vide page 2. column 3.) it appears that in 1822 the no. of 1/2 pay officers was 6,887; full pay 4,393 — total 11580 (some mistake here — the total is not right — 6887 + 4393 = 11280; but 6887 + 4693 = 11580 yet all the numbers are clearly printed).”
AL’s diary, 25 august 1826. SH:7/ML/E/10/0026
In february 1830, the Galignani’s Messenger, distributed in most major European cities, gets a second edition, which comes out at 2 pm :
“called at Galignani’s, ordered the afternoon edition of the paper and brought that of this afternoon to compare with that of the morning.”
AL’s diary, 2nd of february 1830. SH:7/ML/E/12/0157
Anne chooses the new version straightaway. On Sundays, she turns to the Galignani’s Literary Gazette or Sunday Messenger, and once a month, to their London and Paris Observer. Every time she is in Paris, even for short stays, as in 1833 and in 1838, she gets a new subscription.
“then to Galignanis’ and got his messenger newspaper of today, and subscribed to it for one month.”
Anne Lister’s diary, May 30th, 1838. SH:7/ML/E/21/0113
“All that was to be seen”
Anne Lister records in her diary the articles that interest or amuse her – about the horticultural society of London admitting ladies as fellows, a man’s leaping the Falls of Niagara, the elopement of Miss Selina Tollemache with Captain Locke, or some resounding trial…
“read the whole of Galignani’s Messenger, containing in part the interesting trial for criminal conduct Captain Bligh versus Mr. Wellesley Pole.”
AL’s diary, November 6th, 1826 SH:7/ML/E/10/0013
She could find back her favorites articles later, in her collection, which she had bound at rue des Marais in January 1831 – and which appears in the after-death inventory of her Parisian flat of the rue Saint-Victor.
In these columns, Anne Lister finds out about the not-to-be-missed events, like a ball where the royal family may be present, in february 1830 :
“read Galignani’s paper till 11 55/.. — to be a charity masked ball in about a fortnight at the opera — tickets 40 francs — I must go — what shall I wear ?”
Anne Lister’s diary, February 2nd, 1830. SH:7/ML/E/12/0157
She advises her friends to subscribe as soon as they arrive in the capital, as in this letter to Isabella Norcliffe on 11th of May 1834 : “to order gloves chez Privat the 1st thing, and also order Galignani’s messenger for a fortnight, to have it rather cheaper and more regularly than they would know all that was to be seen”.
In The Children of Lutetia (1864), the journalist Blanchard Jerrold mocks the English who sees Paris only through the famous library’s lenses (meaning the bright and rich side of the city) and “does exactly all Galignani tells him to do after breakfast. He religiously broils himself on the Boulevards, and sets himself to cool in the Bois de Boulogne.” Two activities which are indeed part of Anne Lister’s parisian routine… but are far from summing it up.
Appartement hunting with Maria & Mariana
In late 1824, as Maria Barlow and Anne Lister plan to leave Madame de Boyve’s pension, which does not seem to be a safe place for the two lovers anymore, they looks closely at the advertisements section of the paper, an useful tool before going out “apartment hunting”.
“Mrs. Cunliffe lent me Galignani’s Messengers and till 10 40/60 Mrs. Barlow and I were looking over the advertisements, and making minutes of what apartments to inquire about.”
Anne Lister’s diary, December 20th, 1824. SH:7/ML/E/8/0102
After finding a few interesting addresses, they spend hours visiting and, by the end of the day, Anne writes in her diary her uncompromising reviews.
“no. 33 rue Mont Blanc – furnished and well enough, but vulgar-looking and the stairs close to and smelling of a butcher’s shop.”
Anne Lister’s diary, December 16th, 1826. SH:7/ML/E/8/0105
In September 1826, Anne takes Mariana to Paris for six weeks and is looking for a lodging where they could both live comfortably with Aunt Anne. They hesitate between two appartements near the rue de Rivoli, one of which is advertised in the Galignani’s Messenger, providing the landlady’s address :
“Mariana and I out at 10 3/4 to no. 6 rue Mondovi — much pleased with this apartment more airy than the other in rue Richepanse, about which we found Madame de Dinas Sautor (no. 36 rue Rivoli) was waiting our answer.”
AL’s diary September 6th, 1826. SH:7/ML/E/9/0155
They eventually move in the former. A few months later, as their appartement’s lease term is going to expire and Mariana had gone back to her husband, Anne starts this hunt again with a place she spots in the paper, in the prestigious rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
“thence to the English pastry cook’s rue St. Honoré No. 355. directed to apply there for an apartment of dining room drawing ditto — 3 bedrooms, kitchen, servants’ rooms — coachhouse for 2 carriages and stabling for 2 horses at 300/. a month.”
AL’s diary, January 1st, 1827. SH:7/ML/E/10/0040
While skimming through the Galignani’s Messenger, she also considers others types of lodging to improve her french skills. In october 1826, she goes to Galignani to inquire the adress of the “French people of distinction who would be glad to take a family for the winter”.
And in april 1827, she meets “a lady No. 1, rue neuve du Luxembourg who wished for boarders, and styled herself capable of teaching French and Italian.”
She then realizes “’twas Madame Coure of whom I heard from Mrs. Barlow” in 1825. She also looks closely the advertisement section when looking for a servant – like Mademoiselle Frederick, “a German femme de chambre” in 1838.
Anne sometimes muses on some more unusual arrangements, like one with this “French lady going to the waters of Vichy” looking for a french or english lady as a companion “who would share the expense and go by easy journeys” in may 1827.
At at time when the commercial advertisements are still pretty rare in the press, the Galignani’s Messenger has a large section dedicated to them. Anne, of course, is no fool : “The people who advertise in Galignani, are dear, and aim at catching English custom”. But she can’t resist and go to see for herself when it comes to books, ivory knives or another of her passions, nice carriages.
“Went to No. 5 rue Neuve de la Ferme and saw the phaeton advertised in Galignani, lowest price 2000/. – Hardly worth 1/2.”
AL’s diary, April 8th 1830, SH:7/ML/E/13/0023
Marriage and deaths
In the “births, marriages and deaths” section, she gets to know about the most important news from her friends and acquaintances, such as the marriage of the vicomte de Noé in January 1831 or the death of her friend’s daughter, Miss Lynn.
“Letter from Mrs Lynn at 1 40/60 pages mentioning the death of her daughter – fearing it had not appeared in Galignani – if not, begging me to have it inserted, and giving me a copy of what was, in fact, inserted in the paper of yesterday.”
AL’s diary, May 12th, 1827. SH:7/ML/E/10/0091
A few lines in the Galignani’s Messenger ensure that the happy or sad news reaches all the friends abroad. Thus, in 1836, Miss Pickford, then in Naples, and Lady Stuart de Rothesay, in Venice, find out about Aunt Anne’s death in its columns.
“Miss Pickford had seen in Galignanis’ paper the death of my aunt – sure it ‘would sorrow me much’.”
AL’s diary, November 25th, 1836. SH:7/ML/E/19/0151
Miss Lister in the paper
The name of “Miss Lister” herself or her movements were several times reported in Galignani’s messenger, with or without her consent. In 1824, she was pothered by a Times’ article telling all about the quite unusual request of a “Miss Lyster” to visit a treadmill in Coldbath Fields Prison in London… and got even more annoyed to discover through two letters from Mariana and Isabella Norcliffe that it was copied for the world to see in the Galignani !
“I long to know if you are the person who applied to see the treadmill ; I found it has got into Galignani ; Miss Maclean is very angry about it, and says it is abominable; they must be very much in want of something to fill their papers with.”
Letter from Isabella Norcliffe to Anne Lister, October 1st, 1824. SH:7/ML/E/8/0052
Fourteen years later, however, she is “amused” to read in the paper of the 15th of August 1838 the story of her descent with Ann Walker into a coalpit in Belgium.
This time at least, her name does not appear. She comments in her diary : “Was Ann the Lady overcome with fatigue, and were George and I two ?”
Maybe, after all, the Galignani’s Messenger was a good way to make sure her exploits were ascertained – even anonymously. After reading in the paper, on the 21st of August 1838, that the Prince de la Moskowa is presented as the first to have made a tourist ascent of the Vignemale, she writes right away to “Messieurs Galignani’s” to set the record straight and sent them a paragraph to insert in their paper to this effect. It was done on the 3rd of september :
Even on the road, Anne Lister gets her newspaper. During her trip to the Pyrenees, she writes regularly to the library to make sure make sure it reaches her wherever she goes :
“Mrs. Lister will be much obliged to Messrs. Galignani to direct her newspaper to arrive at the post-office Barèges, on the sixth of next month (September) and the eleven following days, after which she will give another address.”
AL’s diary, August 27th, 1838. SH:7/ML/E/22/0034
After a day of scrambling in the mountains, she could thus get to sat confortably “reading Galignani and eating strawberries”.
During the 1820s and 1830s, several other English newspapers tried to break into the french market. Anne gave the London Express and Paris Advertiser, launched on the 15th January of 1830, a chance :
“4 columns, but larger and better print than Galignani’s — there is always to be a literary article — that this morning on and in high praise of Moore’s life of Byron, well enough got up”.
AL’s diary, January 25th,1830. SH:7/ML/E/12/0152
But despite her good review, the newspaper didn’t last more than six months. The Galignani’s Messenger remained the one and only english newspaper in Paris and was published until 1895.
Julie Gonnet
Read also : “Anne Lister in Paris : Galignani, more than a library”
Thanks to :
- The West Yorkshire Archives Service for access to Anne Lister’s journals and all the codebreakers for the 1820-1830 transcripts.
- Francesca Raia (Anne Lister Italia) for her help and for all the 1832-1838 journals’ transcripts
- Jane Kendall for the transcript of the 8 april 1830 of Anne Lister’s journal
Anne Lister In Paris 