Broadside regarding the execution of John Craig and James Brown

Commentary

This execution report begins: 'A particular account of the Execution of JOHN CRAIG and JAMES BROWN, who were executed at Paisley, on Thursday 29th of October, 1829 for the crime of Stouthrief.' 'Stouthrief' refers to robbery with violence.

A third man by the name of Robert Stewart, also involved in the robbery, was 'outlawed' for not appearing in court. John Craig and James Brown, meanwhile, were both executed outside the County Buildings in Paisley. With no resident 'hangman' of its own Paisley used the services of the Glasgow executioner, who at this time was Thomas Young. The National Library of Scotland's collection includes at least three other broadsides detailing Craig and Brown's execution.

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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