Paul Julius Reuter 1816 - 1899

occupation:
News agency founder
Nationality:
German; British
born in:
Kassel, Kassel, Hesse, Germany

1829 - following the death of his father, appears to have become a clerk in an uncle's bank in Göttingen. 1845 - moved to England under the name Julius Josaphat, where, two weeks later, was baptized as Paul Julius Reuter at St George's German Lutheran Chapel, Whitechapel, London. 1847 - became a partner in a Berlin bookshop and publishing business, Reuter and Stargardt. 1848 - following official displeasure with Reuter and Stargardt's radical pamphlets, he moved to Paris. 1851 - returned to London and set up an office in the Royal Exchange Buildings selling news services. 1857 - naturalized as a British citizen. 1865 - broke the news of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination several hours ahead of any rivals. 1870 - formed a worldwide news agency cartel with Havas in Paris and Wolff in Germany. 1871 - was ennobled by Ernst II, duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, as Baron von Reuter, and was from that time known as Baron Julius de Reuter. 1878 - retired from Reuters, handing control to his son, Herbert de Reuter. 1891 - Queen Victoria allowed him to ‘enjoy the privileges of the foreign nobility in Britain’.