Description

The Pittenweem Register ran from 14th November 1844 until 7 March 1856 (Nos 1 -577) and was founded by James Scott (1792) -1855), a native of Stow, Midlothian, who had come to Pittenweem in 1843, probably from Ireland, where he had lived for 27 years. It is an extremely rare newsletter.

It is also a curious little newsletter, printed on one side only, and consisted of one column 3 inches wide and some 10 inches in length. In the annals of periodical publication in Fife it was unique. It was intended to be sent away in letters, hence its size, and was printed on very thin paper. Thus, very few copies have survived, and those which have survived are usually bound volumes. So far as is known, no library has a complete set of registers, which makes this CD unique.

It was also intended that the Regiister would appear “now and again, as occasion requires,” “given as a wrapper round goods purchased.” But from number 4 of 21 Dec 1844 it began to be published weekly, price of one halfpenny.

From 1851 onwards the Register carried a great deal of news on emigrants, especially to Australia, and after the abolition of the Stamp Tax in June 1855 doubled in size. It virtually died with its founder/editor/publisher, James Scott on 9th December 1855.