Broadsides concerning the proceedings of the Circuit Court of Justiciary, Dumfries and Glasgow

Commentary

This account begins: 'An account of the Trials and Sentences in the Dumfries and Glasgow Circuits, when Four persons werr sentenced to be Executed on the first of June 1825. Also, the Enecution of Mark Whitting and James Caines, whose grandfather was banished, his father hanged and himself the 4th son that has been hanged ; his only surviving brother was apprehended lately for highway robbery.'

In the haste to print the story first, and get the copy to the street, mistakes were not uncommon and this broadside contains many typographical and spelling errors. It is not surprising the printer remains unattributed! It is also interesting to note how much is made in this Scottish publication of the story of the felonious Caines family, from England, one of whom was executed in Gloucester the week prior to publication.

Broadsides are single sheets of paper, printed on one side, to be read unfolded. They carried public information such as proclamations as well as ballads and news of the day. Cheaply available, they were sold on the streets by pedlars and chapmen. Broadsides offer a valuable insight into many aspects of the society they were published in, and the National Library of Scotland holds over 250,000 of them.

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