A remarkable newspaper created to raise funds for the Royal Victoria Hospital has recently found its way to us through rather unusual means! The Bacillus, a humorous evening paper which ran to four editions in November 1905, was produced to coincide with a fundraising fair held at the Waverley Market under the patronage of Queen Alexandra. It was discovered at a car boot sale in Dorset earlier this year, sold by a person involved in house clearances! Quite how it came to be so far from Edinburgh is unclear but thanks to the endeavours of the purchaser, it has been restored to its original city and will now form part of our collection here at LHSA.
It provides a fascinating insight into the times and is an invaluable source of social history with light-hearted poems about well known members of society, commentary on events and mock adverts for products such as ‘Snips for Snobs; or, The Etiquette Book Revised’. The ‘Fashion Notes’ section commented that “it is not yet decided what are to take their places, but we hear that stockings are to be suspended”! In the rather gloomy editorial entitled ‘The Universe in November 1905’, the excerpt below remarks that the Scottish football team “came very near it” appearing to confirm that very little changes, at least in that respect.
If you would like to make an appointment to view the newspaper, or think you have something that could be deposited in the Archive, please contact us.
For more information about the Royal Victoria Hospital, please see our catalogue.
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