Robert Ackrill

Robert Ackrill
Ackrill c. 1878
Born	1816 Worcester, England
Died	22 June 1894 (aged 77) Harrogate, England
Resting place	Grove Road Cemetery, Harrogate
Occupation	Newspaper editor proprietor publisher author
Education	Apprenticeship at The Worcester Herald
Subjects	News and local affairs
Literary movement	Liberalism
Years active	c. 1838–1890
Notable works	The Harrogate Herald The Harrogate Advertiser The Ripon Gazette The Bedale and Northallerton Times The Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Herald The Knaresborough Post
Spouse	Emma Day ​ ​ (m. 1839; died 1842)​ Caroline Day ​ (m. 1845)​

Robert Ackrill (1816 – 22 June 1894) was an English journalist, newspaper proprietor, founder of newspapers, printer and writer, working for most of his career in Harrogate, England. During the 19th century he owned six newspapers in the North Riding of Yorkshire via his company Ackrill Newspapers, having founded three of them. Ackrill's descendants and relatives continued to run or be involved with Ackrill newspapers for at least a hundred years, the final incarnation of the company under that name being dissolved in 2020.

Ackrill was involved in the initial stages of the setting up of Harrogate Borough Council, and as Charter Mayor he met the train bringing its Charter of Incorporation from London, as part of a local celebration. He was a Provincial Grand Officer of the Freemasons for the West Riding. He was a public speaker who influenced local affairs, having some effect on decisions concerning the construction of Harrogate's railway lines and stations. He was a Liberal, involved in the Corn Laws agitation and the Chartist Movement. His funeral was a significant event in Harrogate, with local worthies, Freemasons, tradesmen and others accompanying the coffin to Grove Road Cemetery.