In January 1853,
Diogenes was founded as a direct rival and competitor to the weekly magazine
Punch, which was founded in 1841. The first issue was sold on Saturday, 1 January 1853. The price of the newspaper was originally tuppence but was eventually raised to three pence. Philp was the proprietor of
Diogenes and supervisory editor of
Watts Phillips, who functioned as sub-editor and provided cartoons under the name
The Ragged Philosopher. Literary contributors included Robert Brough, William Brough,
Angus Reach,
Augustus Mayhew, and
George Augustus Henry Sala. Besides Watts Phillips, in the first year the three main illustrators were
William McConnell (1833–1867),
Charles H. Bennett (1828–1867), and William Newman (1817–1870). Newman, a
Roman Catholic, had resigned from
Punch in April 1850 on account of its anti-Catholic editorial position. Starting in 1854,
Alfred Thompson contributed numerous illustrations. ==References==