At the start of the 20th century, Lord Northcliffe strove to make the Daily Mail the most progressive paper in Britain. The newspaper began a series of competitions with big money prizes and organised exhibitions in a bid to attract readers.
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| Daily Graphic, 26 July 1909 |
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Evening Standard, 24 May 1930 |
| The British Library gratefully acknowledges the John Frost Newspaper Archive for permission to reproduce these front pages. |
In November 1906, the Mail offered £10,000 to the first person to fly from London to Manchester. Northcliffe began to reap the benefits when Louis Blériot flew across the Channel in 1909, winning the Frenchman £1,000 and the newspaper a fantastic exclusive. The Daily Mail did not have news on the front page until 1939, but the triumph did make page one of the Daily Graphic, also owned by Northcliffe.
The first Atlantic crossing and Amy Johnson’s one-woman flight to Australia were also rewarded by the Mail in later years.
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