Broadside relating the last words of James Dick

Commentary

This account begins: 'The SECOND PART / Of the Last SPEECH, Confession and dying Words of JAMES DICK, who was executed at Glasgow on Wednesday the 16th of May 1792, and his Body given to the Professor of Anatomy to be dissected, For the horrid and cruel murder of his own Wife. ------To which is added, an account of his behaviour in Prison, and on the Scaffold.'

Although we are not told the name of the publisher, it is likely that it was Joseph Galbraith of Glasgow. We know this because the National Library of Scotland holds another broadside, by Galbraith, promising a second part to Dick's confession. A sensational case like Dick's could generate much revenue for the broadside publishers and serialisation maximised profit potential. It is interesting to note that Dick's words are apparently genuine, since they were verified by the prison guard, or 'turnkey', John McDougal. It was not uncommon for these 'last speeches' to be composed by enterprising publishers.

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.This account begins: 'The SECOND PART / Of the Last SPEECH, Confession and dying Words of JAMES DICK, who was executed at Glasgow on Wednesday the 16th of May 1792, and his Body given to the Professor of Anatomy to be dissected, For the horrid and cruel murder of his own Wife. ------To which is added, an account of his behaviour in Prison, and on the Scaffold.'

Although we are not told the name of the publisher, it is likely that it was Joseph Galbraith of Glasgow. We know this because the National Library of Scotland holds another broadside, by Galbraith, promising a second part to Dick's confession. A sensational case like Dick's could generate much revenue for the broadside publishers and serialisation maximised profit potential. It is interesting to note that Dick's words are apparently genuine, since they were verified by the prison guard, or 'turnkey', John McDougal. It was not uncommon for these 'last speeches' to be composed by enterprising publishers.

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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Broadside relating the last words of James Dick

Commentary

This account begins: 'The SECOND PART / Of the Last SPEECH, Confession and dying Words of JAMES DICK, who was executed at Glasgow on Wednesday the 16th of May 1792, and his Body given to the Professor of Anatomy to be dissected, For the horrid and cruel murder of his own Wife. ------To which is added, an account of his behaviour in Prison, and on the Scaffold.'

Although we are not told the name of the publisher, it is likely that it was Joseph Galbraith of Glasgow. We know this because the National Library of Scotland holds another broadside, by Galbraith, promising a second part to Dick's confession. A sensational case like Dick's could generate much revenue for the broadside publishers and serialisation maximised profit potential. It is interesting to note that Dick's words are apparently genuine, since they were verified by the prison guard, or 'turnkey', John McDougal. It was not uncommon for these 'last speeches' to be composed by enterprising publishers.

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.

previous