University of Glasgow

UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

 
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Broadsides

 

Image displayed here shows a broadside depicting the "Armagh Tragedy": Mu1-x.11/211 (NB. over 250 broadsides alone are shelved at Mu1-x.11)

Broadsides are scattered throughout the collections, with examples ranging from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. Subjects covered are diverse and include accounts of executions, advertisements for trade ventures and calls for political agitation. Scottish interest is particularly well represented in the holdings, with the Murray collection providing many examples with Scottish imprints, and the Spencer collection including several broadsides related to the Darien scheme. A highlight of the broadside holdings is the major collection of broadside ballads gathered together by William Euing . This important resource consists of some 408 black-letter ballads, many of which are illustrated by woodcuts.

Finding aids and descriptions

  • Most of the records for broadside holdings have now been added to the main Library catalogue; browse through a list of titles found by searching under subject broadsides
  • The Euing collection of ballads has yet to be added to the main catalogue, but may be accessed via The Euing Collection of English broadside ballads in the Library of the University of Glasgow, with an introduction by John Holloway (Glasgow, 1971): this publication includes facsimiles of all the ballads, as well as a useful introduction to the collection
  • See images of broadsides relating to crime & punishment
  • See also the Glasgow Broadside Ballads website, based upon holdings from the Murray collection