Commentary
This report begins: 'Account of a Woman who was buried alive, and who broke open the coffin while they were laying her in the grave, which so frightened the company that they fled in every direction; also, a copy of the interesting Dream which she had in that state. CHELMSFORD, Oct. 4th, 1821.' It was published by William Carse of Glasgow, and probably sold for one penny. William Carse was one of a number of prominent publishers working out of the Saltmarket area of Glasgow in the early nineteenth century. Along with his two main competitors, John Muir and Thomas Duncan, Carse vied to be the first to issue circuit court lists, last speeches and lamentations. Competition was extremely fierce and, in order to survive, broadside producers had to work fast. The National Library of Scotland's collection includes a wide range of broadsides published by all three men. 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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Date of publication:
1821 shelfmark: L.C.Fol.73(131b)
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