In a groundbreaking moment for publishing and women’s discourse, 27 February 1693 witnessed the launch of The Ladies' Mercury in London, the first magazine dedicated exclusively to female readership.
Published by John Dunton as a supplement to The Athenian Mercury, this pioneering periodical provided a platform for women’s concerns, answering queries on love, marriage, fashion, and morality—topics largely absent in male-dominated publications of the era.
Though its run was brief, lasting just four weeks, its impact laid the foundation for the flourishing of women’s magazines in centuries to come, heralding a new era where women’s voices found their space in print.
