Registered as a newspaper, Published by Authority, Established in 1665

The London Gazette is one of the official newspapers of record in the United Kingdom, along with The Belfast Gazette and The Edinburgh Gazette. The paper does not carry news in the traditional sense, but instead publishes notices, many of which are mandatory. There are also gazettes in many places formerly under British rule.

The first 23 issues were published as The Oxford Gazette, as the royal court had moved to Oxford to escape the plague. The 24th issue (1666-02-05) was the first to carry the name The London Gazette. The Gazette is now the oldest newspaper in the UK.

Types of notice

  • Agriculture & Fisheries
  • Companies Regulation
  • Competition
  • Corporate Insolvency
  • Ecclesiastical
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Other Notices
  • Parliament
  • Partnerships
  • Personal Insolvency
  • Personal Legal
  • Planning
  • Post & Telecoms
  • Public Finance
  • Societies Regulation
  • State
  • Transport
  • Water

Mentioned in Despatches

This wartime phrase means that somebody was mentioned in a wartime issue of the gazette. Despatches would appear as long, newspaper style reports, as below from issue 37779 (5 November 1946).

By 23rd November a preliminary verbal agreement 
had been reached that all troops of whatever 
nationality north of the line Le Kef-Zaghouan 
should be under command First Army and that 
all troops south of this line should be under 
French command. 

By 24th November the forward concentration of
78 Division and Blade Force, reinforced by 
light tanks from the United States I Armoured 
Division, was completed and orders were issued
for the immediate resumption of the advance 
with, as a first objective, the line Tebourba-
Mateur. 

On 25th November the advance was resumed and 
II Brigade attacked the enemy at Medjez, 
seizing the village and establishing crossings 
over the river. 

On 27th November n Brigade occupied Tebourba 
and repulsed enemy counter-attacks supported 
by tanks and dive-bombers, destroying several 
tanks. 

On 28th November 11 Brigade and 2/13 Armoured 
Regiment were on the outskirts of Djedeida. We
had attained the nearest point to Tunis that 
was reached until the final stage of the 
campaign. 
an example of an award of a military medal would look like
The Military Cross
Honorary Captain (acting Honorary Major) Russell Oliver Wilkes, Canadian Chaplain Services. 
These aren't published directly in the gazette, but in one of the occasional supplements that accompanies it.

Publishing

The Gazette isn't published for general sale, it is sent by post to subscribers (£390 per annum) on each weekday. Supplements are published on an ad-hoc basis whenever they are required, under the titles:

  • Honours
  • MOD
  • Queen's Awards for Enterprise
  • Imperial Service Medal
  • Queen's Gallantry Medal
  • Queen's Awards for Bravery
  • Life Peers Supplement

The current issue is available on the awful Gazette Website (Internet Explorer only), alongside a historical search option and a facility for posting notices. Search of recent issues is available from Her Majesty's Stationary Office.

Modern notices

Notice is hereby given that by a Deed Poll dated 1 September 2006 and 
enrolled in the Supreme Court of Judicature on 2 November 2006, 
MARIAM OLUWATOYIN BOLASHODUN, 216 Barcombe Avenue, London SW2 3BE,
divorced; a British subject abandoned the name of Osayemi-Banagham
and assumed the name of Bolashodun.

The vast majority of notices are Corporate Insolvency notices, but they're just boring, so won't be reproduced here. These are mostly here for public record, but some are just bizarre considering the circulation of the gazette:

In the estate of Ethel Annie Mary "Babs" Willis, late of Bath. 
Any persons knowing the current whereabouts of Maureen Ann Johnston 
last known to be in the Frome area, are requested to contact 
Ref AAAB, 
London Gazette, 
PO Box 7923, 
London SE1 5ZH, 
before 1 December 2006.

The pricing list for placing of notices is quite complex, but for most things the basic cost is £45 with an additional charge after a certain length.