Broadside entitled 'To the Editor of the Sunday Review'

Commentary

This humorous broadside, in the form of a letter, begins: 'SIR, AS I understand you are a Caledonian, it is not unlikely that an account of our Burgh Politics may afford you some gratification. Our Election came on yesterday; Laird D___d, the Banker, is re-elected Lord Mayor, with General Approbation.' The 'letter' is signed 'TOM PEEP', dated 7th October 1807 and was sent from 'Ancient Burgh, E*******h'.

The 'letter' reproduced here was probably never sent to the 'Sunday Review' but was more likely written specifically to be printed on this broadside, for public entertainment. The subject is the local council election of 1807, and the author appears to be mocking the various candidates and parties involved. It is difficult for the modern reader to know who many of the subjects of the broadside were, as only their initials are given, but the Edinburgh people of the time would likely have recognised most of them.

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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