THE Argus newspaper launched on May 30, 1892, in a small backstreet office in Baneswell, Newport. The actual office was on the junction of North Street, being number 11 Baneswell Road. The registered office, where board meetings were held, was at Westgate Chambers, Commercial Street, Newport.

An evening paper, the first edition was just four pages and the papers was launched to promote the cause of the Liberal Party.

Much has changed over the last 130 years, with Liberal affiliations long gone in favour of independent impartiality in the political realm.

The Argus is now both a daily newspaper and a multi-media organisation with thousands of readers across our social media platforms. The name of the company was changed to the South Wales Argus in October 1895.

The first directors comprised of Newport's most prominent citizens. They were: Theophilus J Beynon; Dr A (later Sir) Garrod Thomas; Thomas Jones; Thomas Goldsworthy; Henry James Parnall; and Samuel T Harse.

South Wales Argus: The founders of the South Wales Argus

The first editor was Charles Stentiford.

However, the paper itself started from humble beginnings and the only other newspaper to circulate in this area was The Merlin. For many years the Argus was one of a small number of completely independently-owned newspapers in the country.

A week before the first ever paper was published Mr William John Townsend Collins from Stratford-on-Avon had joined the staff as a special article writer.

South Wales Argus: The first ever edition of the South Wales Argus

The first-ever edition of the Argus

He described how people were waiting outside the Baneswell office for a first glimpse at the new paper. He said: "It was thought impossible that so poor an infant could live, but hour by hour it improved, and by the end of the day there was on sale a four page evening paper that was not worse in appearance than its old established competitors - though that was not saying much."

Having changed hands several times the Argus is now in the ownership of Newsquest Media Group and parent organisation Gannett. The Argus is part of one of the largest regional newspaper publishers in the UK publishing to millions in print, magazine and online.

For the Argus this investment started with founders including Sir Garrod Thomas, once a Liberal MP for South Monmouthshire and also a leading physician at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.

Five years after starting the publication in 1892 he moved the paper from its tiny Baneswell offices to larger premises in Newport's High Street.

South Wales Argus: The South Wales Argus office in High Street

The last evening paper produced at Baneswell was notable for being printed on purple paper to celebrate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee.

The high street location almost doubled in size in 1923 when the site of the adjacent Masonic Hall was acquired, followed by a later expansion into Market Street in 1934.

The aim for the newspaper was to present local news and keep the public informed of national and international events. Historic documents say news was gathered from 'all quarters', from special telegraph lines linked with London news centres, from council meetings, from local correspondents specially appointed and last, but not least, the general public.

Each item of news was checked by sub editors and and eventually set in metal on Linotype machines which produce lines of type which are called 'slugs.' These are then set in metal frames, page by page.

South Wales Argus: Placing a nyloprint letterpress plate onto a magnetic saddle on Crebtree press. Picture taken in the mid 80s

When completed a mould called a matrix is made, under pressure of specially prepared paper. This is then sent to the foundry where a metal half circular plate is made. It is fitted to the rotary presses and printing begins.

The first machine room was fitted with a Vickers Rotary Press on which 45,000 copies per hour can be produced. Back then, during a normal year about 2,000 tons of newsprint was used.

The newspapers were then mechanically conveyed to the publishing department where they were sent out to newsagents.

In 1944 the company purchased its first motor van - a second hand Morris Ten (1940 model) costing £183. This replaced a motorcycle which had been in service for many years.

While the original founders of the Argus feared the paper would not survive, 128 years later is is a thriving local newspaper, having just last year moved into a new building.