Broadside concerning Lord Nicholson's Court

Commentary

This advertisement begins: 'LORD NICHOLSON, FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY, WILL HOLD A COURT In the Music Hall, George Street, ON WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4, 1848.' The text at the foot of the page reads: 'Doors open at 8 - The Court will sit at Half-past 8 o'clock. Admission - Body of the Hall, 3s.; Sides and Under the Gallery, 2s; Gallery, 1s.' The broadside was published by James Brydone of 17 South Hanover Street, Edinburgh.

This would appear to be an advertisement for an evening of entertainment hosted by 'Lord Nicholson'. The main text of the broadside is a piece attributed to the 'Liverpool Chronicle', comparing Nicholson to Lord Brougham (1778-1868), the Edinburgh lawyer, founder of the 'Edinburgh Review' and reforming Whig politician. The comparison appears to be ironic, gently satirising Brougham while exaggerating Nicholson's qualities. Nicholson is less famous, but he seems to have been the Chief Baron of the Judge and Jury Society, and editor of the 'Illustrated London Life Weekly', who was also known for holding social gatherings.

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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