Small advertisements open window on Courant affairs of 19th century

It advertises everything from great Icelandic wools and solid American timber to native objections towards the development of a new prison and secure passage to the ports of Russia.

Now one in all Scotland's most ancient newspapers is set to be placed below the microscope as a radio documentary delves into the background of Edinburgh through the small advertisements found in its native news sheet.

today programme presenter James Naughtie will exhibit an 1827 reproduction of the Edinburgh night Courant within the latest version of the Radio four demonstrate categorized Britain.

Producer John Forsyth stated it gives "a special window" into existence within the Scottish capital at the time.

"which you can track the power of every little thing, new applied sciences, engineering advancements, social changes, via what is being advertised in these classifieds," he spoke of.

"which you could also see what is being displaced. in case you seem to be at the 2d-hand column, you see capabilities, trades products, items that are falling out of use on the market."

The 14 April version of the Courant contains a signed letter via a group of locals worried concerning the added taxation set to be levied in opposition t them to fund improvements to the former Bridewell prison on Calton Hill.

"Inhabitants of Edinburgh will most cheerfully contribute their share in opposition t the cost of the proposed Bridewell," it states, "but otherwise, they know of no precept, rational, expedient or constitutional, on which they may also be known as on to post to taxation for an establishment in whose concerns they are allowed neither affect or control."

Forsyth introduced: "The Bridewell story is one that could have been written these days. it is local americans upset with the chance of paying more cash for a constructing housing criminals.

"It isn't far from the existing planning concerns of these days, it indicates that while the reporting of the stories may also have modified, the experiences themselves have not."

The Courant begun e-book on the Royal Mile in 1718, fitting one of the most nation's first regional papers and counted Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe amongst its former editors.

It later grew to be the Scots Courant, but ceased e-book following the establishment of the Edinburgh evening information in 1873.

different adverts include these for ships leaving Leith bound for Elsinore and St Petersburg, and products together with "the highest quality" marmalade oranges, "very advantageous" Roman cement and "soapmakers' effects".

Forsyth added: "My customary advert is for The conventional clinical guide For households. The contents summarised in the advert consist of 'The management of the a considerable number of attempts to ruin life by way of poisoning etc'."

"i will be able to't help but suppose that there ought to be lots of Edinburgh or Scottish existence contained in a single 'and many others'."

"The advert fees an endorsement by a reviewer who says: 'via attending to its directions the clergyman or resident of a retired village may be enabled to do plenty decent at small rate'."

categorised Britain, Radio 4, Tuesday, 9.30am