Until the early 19th century, all reporting of parliamentary
debates was unofficial, and note-taking was forbidden.
Newspapers relied on legendary reporters, such as
'Memory' Woodfall and William Radcliffe, to commit the
debates to memory for their readers. Reporters were not
officially allocated seats until 1803.
At about the same time, William Cobbett began publishing
accounts of what was happening in Parliament in his weekly
'Political Register'. He also published 'Parliamentary Debates',
which contained reports from his and other newspapers, until he went bankrupt in 1811. He then sold his interest to Thomas Curson Hansard, son of Luke Hansard, printer to the House of Commons.
