I've recently been doing a lot of research for the historical fiction and non-fiction books I am writing which resulted in me spending two days in the Rare Manuscripts Reading Room at the National Library of Scotland. Now, one might think that libraries in general and rare manuscripts in particular might be frightfully dull. Nothing could be further from the truth. This was the view from my seat - not only was a I reading abut historic Edinburgh but I was seeing it. Seeing things from above gives you a whole new perspective on what they are like. I would like to think my main character had the self same view but sadly not. The library was started in 1925 and completed in 1956 but they still managed to make it look historic and in keeping with its surroundings. Anyway I digress.
What exactly was I reading and researching? The answer, Edinburgh and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (as it had been known since 1801) from 1834-1838. Therefore, I was interested in newspapers, magazines and pamphlets from that period. The process was simple as outlined below.
Firstly, as I am a member of NLS, I searched their online database for periodicals from the period. I also researched the year before and the year after as I was trying to get a sense of the times in which my main character lived. This included political, social, medical provision, housing, economic, and anything else I could think of that might shape the way he lived and what he believed.
When I arrived at the library my documents were waiting for me and I had to sit at a desk which had a foam book rest and a weighted cord to hold the pages open.
The first magazine I looked at was The People's True Friend. The first ever edition was printed in Edinburgh on 31st December, 1834. A shiver went down my spine knowing that my main character, who was actually a real person, may have read this whilst he went to medical school in Edinburgh. Imagine if he had held this very newspaper. This gave me a real sense of connection to him bringing him closer and I could see him more clearly in my mind. The first ever article was crammed full of information about the turmoil in the government of the time. I got a clear picture of the political and social situation of the time. However, I was surprised that, despite this being an Edinburgh publication, it focussed on what was happening in London with no mention of how this impacted on Scotland. However, I can make assumptions based on what was reported.
My next manuscript was Johnstone's Edinburgh Magazine for January 1834 and an article entitled London Thieves and London Misery. Again, I was surprised by the London Focus of the lead article. Did this demonstrate the importance of London during that time? It certainly made me think and look to exploring this further. This was an impassioned article on the poor of London and how the prisons were full of those who were unfortunate and merely stealing to survive. There was a plea for compassion and a change in social thinking which could reduce the numbers of prisoners. Social reform was obviously needed and at the forefront of people's minds. Again, it got me thinking about what the situation in Edinburgh might be.
The two periodicals had many things in common such as stories, poems, recipes and songs, as well as news from home and abroad. The people of Edinburgh seemed to be well read and interested in a variety of issues and stories, reflective I feel of the emphasis on education and reading in Scotland.
I did read other magazines and pamphlets but the length of this blog prevents me going into more detail. If you are writing historical fiction I would urge you to visit the national library in your country and look at some rare manuscripts. You will learn a lot more than you think.
About the Author
Wendy H. Jones is an award-winning, international best-selling author who writes adult crime books, young adult mysteries, children's picture books and non-fiction books for writers. She is also a writing and marketing coach, runs the Writing Matters Online School and is the CEO of Authorpreneur Accelerator Academy, The president of the Scottish Association of Writers and hosts The Writing and Marketing Show podcast. She is currently writing a series of historical fiction novels based around the life of a 19th Century Surgeon in the Royal Navy. She is represented by Amy Collins of Talcott Notch Literary Agency.
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