The Burnley Express was founded by Preston-born printer George Frankland in 1877, as a weekly paper comprising 8 pages and costing 1d. Its political orientation was Conservative.
The paper started life as the Burnley Express and East Lancashire Observer then absorbed the Burnley Advertiser in 1880 to become the Burnley Express and Advertiser. In 1886, it changed title again to the Burnley Express and Clitheroe Division Advertiser. In 1933 it merged with the liberal Burnley News to become the Express and News.
For this newspaper, we have the following titles in, or planned for, our digital archive:
- 1877–80 Burnley Express and East Lancashire Observer
- 1880–86 Burnley Express and Advertiser
- 1886–1937 Burnley Express and Clitheroe Division Advertiser
- 1934–2004 Burnley Express and Burnley News.
