Five Minutes Advice To Young Tradesmen

This broadside lists five minutes worth of advice from an unspecified source to those starting out in a trade.

The sheet includes a rather embittered section on marrying: "If you marry, let it be one who is not above being the wife of a tradesman. It may be necessary, therefore, to avoid one who has had a boarding-school education."

On the whole, the advice is fairly sensible and focuses on themes of modesty, straight dealing and sobriety: "When in the shop, take care to be sober on all occasions...Talk to your customers like a man of sense and business, and not like mountebank."

This particular broadside was printed by W. Rettie of No. 9 Long Acre, Aberdeen, priced at one penny, but variations on the subject can be found sold by printers around the country.