Chris
My site has been running since 1879. I'm the fifth generation of my family to hold the editor position. When it was originally started, it was one of the very few pages on what was then known as the Lancashirewideweb. The address was originally lww.madmusingsof.me.nh, making use of the Newton Heath Top Level Domain. In those days it was a campaigning journal highlighting various incidents of trouble at th'mill, and the occasional anti-Disraeli rant. The history has been chequered, to say the least. But you will see that from the archives.
It was originally published only once every Preston Guild, as was customary back in the days of the old Lancashirewideweb. Nowadays, well you can see.
I only get one or two hits now on the lww; significantly more on the worldwideweb.
Back in the old days it was staffed by child labour, sometimes working up to fourteen hours a day in sweatshop conditons. Nowadays it's outsourced to a Call-centre in Mumbai. There are countless contributors, but, because they are mere contributors, they all go by the name 'Bert' (Bert was the original weblogger, back in 1879 - although, being the Industrial North, it was all coal driven, not wood.
Costs are covered by begging outside tube stations. I promote my site by whoring - (that's a technical weblogging term invented by the second editor, Pert).
Best wishes
Gert
originally left at Me(ish) and emailed in reply to the email I received.
