Dear Voornaam,

As the oldest English language newspaper in continuous publication, we have reported events from the War of Jenkins’ Ear (against Spain, which began two years after our launch) to the French Revolution, American War of Independence and the United Irishmen rebellion.

We have reported on (and survived) the World Wars, the partition of Ireland and the Troubles.

For as long as anyone can remember, the first edition was said to have been on September 1 1737. But research carried out for our 275th birthday in 2012 suggests this was perhaps based on a lazy assumption that it was launched on the first day of the month. It became taken as fact over the centuries.

The first edition was in fact almost certainly published on September 6 1737. However, Britain then used the so-called Julian calendar, changing in 1752 to the Gregorian one.

The News Letter has also reported on all the prime ministers the UK has had, starting with Robert Walpole, who was in Downing Street in 1737, up to Boris Johnson, the 77th PM.

For the Belfast News Letter, which was founded by Francis Joy, to reach this birthday is quite an achievement. By 1737 many newspapers were being launched in Europe and America, but most lasted only a few years. Almost none of them were still in print a century after they had been founded, let alone now, in the 21st century.

We hope you enjoy this five-part dig into our archives.