The Manchester Mercury was established in Manchester in 1752 by Joseph Harrop. As a staunch Tory, Harrop supported the status quo. He backed the British government during the American War of Independence and strongly opposed parliamentary reform. He was viewed in the 1790’s by radical cotton merchant, Thomas Walker as reactionary and violently devoted to the High Church party. Harrop for his part refused to publish Walker’s material which he believed was too contentious.

As was common with many newspaper publishers at the time, Harrop also printed and published books for sale. In 1764, in an endeavour to encourage increased circulation, he issued every subscriber to the Mercury with a free copy of A New History of England.  However the Mercury was never to boast a large circulation.

When Joseph died in 1804, his son James took over the ownership and editing of the paper and exhibited the same views as his father. He died in 1823, and the Mercury ceased publication in 1830.