Broadsides

Broadsides

Robberies! Executions! Local politics! Broadsides were a vital form of street literature and an ancestor of the modern newspaper. Typically consisting of a single sheet of printed paper, they were designed to be pinned up on walls or passed from hand to hand.

From the 17th century onwards, broadsides were a vital means for finding out what was happening in the local area.

Covering news, public announcements, speeches and songs, and ranging from the sensational to the matter-of-fact, broadsides evoke a vivid picture of civic life and the everyday concerns of Aberdeen's past.

This online exhibition includes broadsides in the widest possible sense. Within can be found documents on local politics (particularly from the mid-19th century), town council announcements, art and theatre, railway disputes, local crime and more.

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