NEWS ARCHIVE

Below are some links to the recent coverage of a range of events currently in progress marking the 500th anniversary of printing in Scotland.
There's an article giving an overview of the whole year in the current issue of Artwork www.artwork.co.uk/text/7.php
The National Trust for Scotland's Lasting Impressions exhibition in Charlotte Square, featured on the BBC. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7533017.stm
Highlights of Imprentit, the National Library of Scotland's summer exhibition are describer in Heritage North www.heritagenorth.org.uk/default.aspx.locid-hianewnvq.Lang-EN.htm
The two exhibitions currently running at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow are featured in www.theherald.co.uk/search/display.var.2431936.0.the_words_
sent_down_through_centuries.php and
www.s1play.com/things-to-do-/editorial/2446.html 
Exhibition of 'Artists' books' at the Owl and Lion Gallery www.theedinburghblog.co.uk/special-events/artist-books-
at-the-owl-and-lion-gallery/07-03-2008/index.html

The programme for this year's Wigton Book Festival includes workshops suitable for children aged 5+. On Saturday 27 September there is a 2 hour 'Book-making Workshop' at 3.30pm, and on Sunday 5 October there is a 'Bookmark and Bookplate Masterclass' at 10am. For full details and booking information see the Festival website at www.wigtonbookfestival.com/book-festival-scotland.asp

Imprentit: 500 Years of the Scottish Printed Word is a major new exhibition at the National Library of Scotland. The exhibition covers a lot of ground; starting with the very origins of printing in Scotland, before going on to explore key themes including politics, education, religion, literature, science, entertainment, children’s books and the story of some of Scotland's most famous publishers. Each of these themes could be a major exhibition in itself but, to mark this major anniversary, the Library is bringing them all together to show the role print has played in people's lives, whilst showing off the remarkable breadth and depth of the NLS collections.

The exhibition was officially opened by Linda Fabiani MSP on Thursday 26 June at 6pm and is open to the public from Friday 27 June until Sunday 12 October. Sir Sean Connery was one of the guests at a preview.

There is an online introduction to the exhibition at www.nls.uk/events/printing-exhibition/index.html and there is also an exhibition blog at www.nls.uk/blogs/500years/

Antony Kamm’s history of Scotland’s print cultures, Scottish printed books, 1508-2008 with a foreword by Alexander McCall Smith, is published on 25 June by the Sandstone Press. This new account covers significant books and other printed literature, and the people who wrote, printed, published, and sold them, and their methods. It reveals memorable talents and describes Scotland’s remarkable dynastic contributions, covering Bibles, proclamations and the secret press, public and personal education, scientific, technological, and medical books, broadsides and chapbooks, poetry and drama. It includes a timeline of significant events and curiosities. Many of the images from items in the National Library of Scotland’s collections have never been reprinted until now. Price £5.99. ISBN: 978-1-905207-1
info@sandstonepress.com

Staff from the National Trust for Scotland's fully operational Victorian printing works at Innerleithen, Robert Smail's, are runnign workshops at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose on 21 and 22 June.
Make a mini notebook: combining traditional crafts of letterpress printing and bookbinding, participants will have the chance to create their own personalised mini notebooks. Bring enthusiasm, energy and wear old clothes! Sunday 22 June, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm (£2, age 8+).
Print a bookplate: Printers Devils wanted! You've met the authors, bought the books, now make the bookplate... Children of all ages will have the opporunity to set their name by hand and see it printed on a souvenir bookplate ... just as Gutenberg intended. Lots of family fun and not a computer in sight! Noon - 5, suitable for all ages, free. For more details see:
www.bordersbookfestival.org www.nts.org/Property/52/

As part of the Artistic Impressions exhibition in the main University Library, the Centre for Artists Books at the Visual Research Centre will be having a free open afternoon on Friday 23rd May 2-4pm. Although artists have been involved in illustrating and publishing books for centuries, it is only since the 1970s that the term Artist’s Book has been widely recognised as a distinct form of art. The Centre for Artists Books at the University’s Visual Research Centre has a collection of over 500 artworks that reveal the extraordinary variety of forms that Artists’ Books can take. Why not come along to find out more about this unique art-form and the fascinating collections held in the Centre?
Contact: museum@dundee.ac.uk or 01382 384310.

Under the title Hot metal and cold print, the theme for Local History Week in 2008 is printing and newspapers: a list of events specifically relating to printing, such as Rival voices: history of the Aberdeen Press at the Local Studies Department of the Central Library in Aberdeen (22 April to 31 May), can be downloaded here. The full programme listing events is available at
www.slainte.org.uk/cilips/sigs/locscot/locscotindex.htm

The Scottish Centre for the Book at Napier University, with the support of the Consul General of Germany, has organised a study day on 'The Manuscript and Printed Book in Germany' on Friday, 2 May 2008, to be held in the Boardroom of the National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW. Places are limited: please email f.hartree@napier.ac.uk for more details of this event, or to book a place.

Sandstone Press, in association with the National Library of Scotland, are publishing Scottish printed books by Anthony Kamm, 'an account of the first five centuries' of printing in Scotland. For more details, visit the publishers website at: www.sandstonepress.com/scottishprintedbooks,php

Friday 4 April 2008 marked the 500th anniversary of the printing of The Complaint of the Black Knight by Chepman and Myllar in Edinburgh and the book itself was put on display at the National Library of Scotland. A modern printing press, sponsored by Heidelberg UK, demonstrated modern techniques on Princes Street.

During the morning, a commemorative plaque was unveiled by Councillor Donald Wilson in Edinburgh at the corner of Blackfriars Street and the Cowgate near the site of their printing press.

In addition, a website showing the spread of printing across Scotland was launched www.nls.uk/printing/ The day ended with a celebratory dinner in the Playfair Library Hall of the University of Edinburgh.

A number of other events took place in the week leading up to it. Exhibitions were opened in Dundee (see www.deidonum.org), Glasgow and Kilmarnock, and a modern press, kindly organised by our sponsors Heidelberg UK, demonstrated to the public at Glasgow Metropolitan College and on Princes Street. 

In Dundee there was a public day of printing on 4 April at Dundee Contemporary Arts, based on the text and printers' devices from The Complaint of the Black Knight, culminating in a public reading of the poem, and a website was designed on the day www.500years.co.uk

Items about the celebrations appeared in several newspapers and on BBC Scotland radio and television news programmes.

For some links see:
http://living.scotsman.com/books/Scotland39s-
oldest-printed-book-on.3948378.jp

www.scotlandistheplace.co.uk/stitp/133.html 

www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART55962.html

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/recommends/
Best-birthplace.3984691.jp

http://1stangel.co.uk/art/500-years-of-printing-in-scotland  

www.tollcross.org/Article766.htm 

The SAPPHIRE Project travelling exhibition, Wayzgoose: excursions, sports and socials in the printing industry, is on show at the LIbrary at Heriot-Watt University's Riccarton Campus from 15 - 29 February. Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS  http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/
More details of the exhibition can be found on the events page under Edinburgh, Napier University.

The quincentenary of printing has been highlighted in an article in the online magazine available through the website of the Global Friends of Scotland. The article, 'First impressions', can be read at
http://www.friendsofscotland.gov.uk/scotlandnow/

issue-11/history/first-impressions.html

The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museumare running an events programme as part of their celebration of the 500th anniversary of printing in Scotland.
It includes a 'Dickens Book Group' meeting at 11am each Wednesday. 16 January – 27 February 2008, which will explore the novel as a serial, led by Grahame Smith, Emeritus Professor of English Literature and a specialist in the works of Dickens. This new venture complements the 500 Years of Printing season at the Stirling Smith. The first novel will be A Tale of Two Cities.  Tickets: £3 (including coffee/tea and biscuits). Series ticket for all six sessions: £15.
There is also a lecture series, held at 12 noon every Thursday in the Lecture Theatre. Tickets: £6 (including a soup and sandwich lunch). Series ticket for all eight talks: £42.00
17 January. The Early Press in Scotland. Dr Alistair Mann.
24 January. Scottish PEN Event.
31 January. Meet the Editor. Alan Rennie, Stirling Observer and John Miller, former Case Room Manager. Chaired by Councillor Colin O’Brien, Chairman of the Smith Trustees.
7 February. Scottish PEN Event: how poetry can change the world. Tessa Ransford.
14 February. Eneas Mackay, Publishing Scotland. Elspeth King.
21 February. Street Literature. Adam McNaughtan.
28 February. The Reverend Robert Kirk and the Aberfoyle Fairies. Louis Stott.
6 March. Printing in Stirling today. Christopher Steward, head of Stirling Reprographics.
The exhibition, Publishing Scotland: the Stirling Press of Eneas Mackay continues until 27 April 2008.
For more details of all events and to book tickets, contact the Stirling Smith Art Gallery at Dumbarton Road, Stirling FK8 2RQ Tel: 01786 471917. www.smithartgallery.demon.co.uk

The first book of the month is to be put on display at Duff House, Banff, AB45 3SX.  Duff House is celebrating 500 Years of Printing in Scotland 1508-2008 by hosting a changing display – one book for each month of the year - from an eighteenth century family library. January's book is a rare edition of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” printed in Edinburgh in 1695. This book belonged to John Erskine, the youngest son of the family, who studied the work in Latin when he was just eleven years old! www.duffhouse.org.uk
Wayzgoose: excursions, sports and socials in the printing industry.
There will be a free exhibition from 7-18 January 2008 in the Library, Merchiston Campus, Napier University, Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH10 5DT, supported by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council).  It recounts the extraordinarily vibrant community life of those who worked in the printing industry and associated trades – papermaking, publishing and bookselling – in Scotland in the twentieth century. The exhibition records the activities of various sporting clubs associated with those trades and details the tradition of the annual works day away for whole families or, in the case of the paper mill villages, whole communities. It covers gala and sports days organised by owners or by unions or by the workers themselves. Touring exhibition: offers of further venues are welcome. Organised tours also welcome. Email: sapphire@napier.ac.uk www.saphhire.ac.uk

1 January 2008

The 'Edinburgh Evening News' highlighted the range of events to due to take place in Edinburgh during 2008 to celebrate the quincentenary of printing in the city. The City of Edinburgh Council, was urged to get involved in the celebrations by former Lord Provost Eric Milligan, who worked in the printing industry. The City culture leader Deidre Brock is quoted as sayiong: "Printing, and more especially book printing, was for many years a major industry in Edinburgh. The city was a recognised centre of excellence for the trade, so it is fantastic that this is being celebrated by so many Edinburgh organisations."
For the full story click here

27 December 2007

French Vernacular Books, a short-title catalogue of books published in the French language before 1601, prepared by a research team based at the Reformation Studies Institute of the University of St Andrews, was published in November 2007 by Brill in Leiden.  1,600 libraries have been surveyed over 12 years, producing a total of nearly 52,000 items, of which 30 per cent survive only in libraries outside France.  It is particularly appropriate that this catalogue is published during the celebrations of 500 years of printing in Scotland: printing reached Edinburgh from northern France, where Androw Myllar was involved in the production of two books printed in 1505 and 1506.  Both these publications were Latin school-books with English glossing so are not included in this catalogue, but other ‘Scottish’ books are.  To mark the publication, selections of books included in the catalogue held in the collections of the National Library of Scotland and of the University of St Andrews were put on display at Lyon & Turnbull http://www.lyonandturnbull.com/news/20071120.htm and the National Library of Scotland www.nls.uk

20 November 2007

A dayschool, Hot metal and cold print: a celebration of 500 years of printing in Scotland, has been organised for local studies librarians throughout Scotland, to act as a springboard to events in Local History Week 2008, the subject of which will be 500 years of printing in Scotland, to coincide with the national celebrations that will be held in archives, museums and libraries across Scotland.

The Local Word and Image: 500 Years of Printing in Scotland, an exhibition at Provost Skene's House, Aberdeen will open on 17 November 2007 and continue until 16 November 2008.
This free exhibition will trace the development of printing in the city from 1622 (when Edward Raban was appointed Aberdeen’s first printer), through the publication of the first newspaper in Scotland and into the 19th century when Aberdeen was a major printing centre.
A second display, featuring prints gifted by Peacock Printmakers (now Peacock Visual Arts) to Aberdeen Art Gallery, will examine printmaking as an artistic process. During the year the room will be re-hung displaying a range of works from the establishment of Peacock Printmakers up to the present day.
Further details: info@aagm.gov.uk
www.aberdeencity.gov.uk

The early evening news bulletin at 6pm on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 17 October included a short feature on next year's celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the first printed book in Scotland. It focussed on the unique copy of the first dated book from the press of Chepman and Myllar, 'The Complaint of the Black Knight', held in the National Library of Scotland.

Napier University's exhibition to celebrate five hundred years of the printed word in Scotland, Bound for Glory: the Bible as Book in Scotland, was formally opened by Professor Philip Esler, Chief Executive of the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) on 12 October. The Exhibition is complemented by a series of public lectures during the period of its opening. These are held, unless otherwise indicated, on Wednesdays at 18.00 in lecture theatre B2 of Napier's Merchiston campus.

17 October: Dr K.J. McCann (Cambridge University) ‘The Early Work of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Scotland.’
31 October: Prof Ian Campbell (Edinburgh University) ‘Reading and Mis-Reading the Bible.’
7 November: Dr Richard Holloway ‘How to read the Bible.’
14 November: Prof David Jasper (Glasgow University) ‘The Bible in Conversation: The Art of the Good Story.’
28 November:  Dr David McKitterick (Cambridge University) tbc
5 December: Dr Femke Molekamp (University of Sussex) ‘The Geneva Bible and its Readers.’
Further details can be had from k.jamieson@napier.ac.uk

‘Publishing Scotland: Eneas Mackay, Stirling’ 1 December 2007-16 April 2008.
The exhibition at the Smith Art Gallery in Stirling will focus on the story of the press of Eneas Mackay, father and son, which operated in Stirling c1880-1950 and became the 'Stirling Observer' Press.
Eneas Mackay senior was also a publisher and seller of prints by Scottish artists, and published widely in the field of Scottish local and art history. A native of Inverness, he made an important contribution to the history of Gaelic publishing. Both father and son were major publishers of Scottish poetry.  It was said that copies of the firm’s books were to be found in the houses of Scots and Gaels the world over. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of weekly lectures and events exploring different aspects of the history of printing and publishing.
www.smithartgallery.demon.co.uk/exhibitions.html

25 November 2007

Napier University's exhibition, 'Bound for glory: the Bible as book in Scotland', celebrates the printing, publication and distribution of the Bible in Scotland in recognition of the significant role that it played in the development of the country’s printing and publishing industries. One of the exhibits on display will be the Bassandyne Bible, the first to be produced in Scotland. The exhibition will run from 14 October to 14 December 2007 at the Merchiston Campus.
See also the coverage in the Edinburgh Evening News.
www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com

ELISA: Edinburgh Festival of Libraries takes place on Saturday 6 October 2007 in the Assembly Rooms on George Street, Edinburgh.  As part of the talks programme at the Festival, Brian Hillyard of the National Library of Scotland will speak about the celebration of quincentenary of printing in Scotland and information on the project will be available from the National Library's stand throughout the day.
www.edinburghlibrariesagency.info

The City of Edinburgh Council has approved the following motion, submitted by Councillor Eric Milligan: 'In recognising the importance to Edinburgh of the printing industry, first established here in 1507 by Andrew Myllar and his partner Walter Chapman, the Council calls for a report from the Chief Executive to advise us on how most appropriately we should mark this important quincentenary and indicate also our support and participation in the Festival of Scottish Printing planned for 2008 by The Scottish Printing Archival Trust and the National Library of Scotland.'

Robert Smail's printing works in Innerleithen, owned by the National Trust for Scotland, held an event to mark the beginning of the celebrations of 500 years of printing in Scotland on 15 September with 'living history tours' for visitors, who were able to sign up as printing apprentices. The report from the Southern Reporter can be read at:

www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk

On 15 September 1507 King James IV of Scotland issued the first licence for printing in Scotland, to Walter Chepman, an Edinburgh merchant, and his business partner, a bookseller named Androw Myllar. To mark the start of commemorative events for the 500th anniversary of the first dated book printed by them on 4 April 1508, the original royal licence was displayed to the press at the National Archives of Scotland on Friday 14 September. Full details and a transcript of the letters patent can be found on the National Archives website at

http://www.nas.gov.uk/about/070914.asp

The 500th anniversary was covered in an article on Chepman and Myllar in the Edinburgh Evening News: Leafing through the pages of history:

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com

A Programme Manager has now been appointed to co-ordinate the activities and publicity for 2008 – 500 years of printing in Scotland.
Helen Williams is based at the offices of the Scottish Print Employers’ Federation. If you have any news of events or suggestions relating to the celebration of Scotland’s print culture over the past 500 years, please contact her at:

hwilliams@500yearsofprinting.org

48 Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, EH12 5DE
Tel: 0131 220 4353
Fax: 0131 220 4344

NLS

Brian Hillyard circulated a handout outlining NLS’s current position. The dates for the planned NLS exhibition are reasonably flexible. NLS is currently looking at opening in mid-June and closing in mid-October. Themes and exhibits still have to be decided upon, but the focus of NLS exhibition will not be on the history of the technology of printing. NLS may be looking to display pre-1508 books with a Scottish provenance, as well as Androw Myllar items held in BL and BNF, but will not be looking to borrow Chepman & Myllar fragments held elsewhere and will be concentrating on using material from its own collections.

National Archives of Scotland

Tristram Clarke: it could be possible to do a photocall for the 500^th anniversary of the C & M patent in September 2007; it was agreed that sticking to the actual anniversary rather than wait until 2008 would be more appealing to the media.

It could also be possible to display some NAS material regarding the book trade in West Register House, the main problem is lack of exhibition space. NAS has material on Lizars and the history of facsimile and record publications, which might make a suitable display.

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Iain Milne: there is plenty of suitable material in the collections but no exhibition space. RCPE has two options: either have a virtual Web-based exhibition or find a partner with exhibition space to host RCPE exhibits.

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Marianne Smith: RCSE does have exhibition space and could book a space for a 500-years display for 2008.

Marian Kirton: Napier University is planning to mount an exhibition on 500 years of the Bible in Scotland from October to December 2007 in a room within the Merchiston campus library, adjacent to the Clark Collection. There will be an associated series of public talks on aspects of the printing and publishing history of the Bible and an accompanying illustrated book/catalogue. There will also be a series of smaller one-day book-related events throughout 2008. [Note updated 06/03/2007 to take account of subsequent developments]

National Trust for Scotland

Robin Robertson: the main focus would be to use 2008 to publicise Smail’s printing works in Innerleithen. There is some exhibition space in the first floor gallery of the NTS building in Charlotte Square, it could be possible to display some printing presses/machinery to coincide with the Book Festival.

Edinburgh City Museums & Galleries

Helen Clark: The Writers Museum would be doing a exhibition on Sir Walter Scott. The Museum of Edinburgh would be working in association with SAPPHIRE on an exhibition on printing and printers. Due to lack of space both exhibitions would be small-scale ones.

Edinburgh Public Libraries

Karen O’ Brien: The aim was to produce something centred more on children. An exhibition was planned at the Central Library concentrating on the popular press, there were also plans for an activity-based outing for children/teenagers.

Edinburgh UniversityMargaret Mackay: The 12th Medieval & Renaissance Scottish Language & Literature International Conference will be held from 30 June to 4 July 2008 at the University of Edinburgh. The conference focus will be on Chepman & Myllar and early Scottish printing, sessions will be open to the public. The sound archive of the School of Scottish Studies may contain useful material for exhibitions.

Advocates Library

Lindsay Levy: the AL does not have any dedicated exhibition space accessible to public, but the plans are in hand for a display in the Courts Area on the link between courts and printing, in particular looking at 18th-century session papers. It was hoped also to hold a display of material in Abbotsford relating to Walter Scott and Ballantyne’s printing works.

HBOS Museum
Doug MacBeath: HBOS has a lot of material relating to banknote printing and bank-related printing, however much of that is already on display. There is space in the Museum for an exhibition (with display cases and video projection facilities) so it would be feasible to put on something in the summer of 2008.

ICAS

Brian Hillyard (on behalf of Ellen Peacock): ICAS lack suitable exhibition space and are not in a central location for potential visitors, but would be prepared to loan material from its collections (possible link up with HBOS?).

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Jane Hutcheon: RBGE has one lockable case available for display; as they have nothing Scottish printed before 1683, they would be happy to exhibit other people’s property.

RCAHMS

They may have some exhibition space. 2008 also marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Commission.

Old Edinburgh Club

T. Clarke: The OEC, Edinburgh's local history society, celebrates its centenary in 2008; one event hopefully planned for that year is to erect a plaque to commemorate Chepman & Myllar, on the site of the first printing press. It could be possible to have a 500 years-related talk on the programme and an OEC walk around printing sites in Edinburgh.

Scottish Catholic Archives

Brian Hillyard (on behalf of Andrew Nicoll): SCA planned to do a display in the Aquhorties press, one of the earliest Catholic presses in Scotland.

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh

Brian Hillyard: ROE are interested in putting on a display relating to astronomy.

SPRAT

Patrick Mark: SPRAT have been in contact with the Cockburn Society about organising a printing trail in Edinburgh. Suggestions for sites should be sent to him or Brian Hillyard, the quirkier the better. Sites associated with printing per se, rather than particular books, were favoured (e.g. pubs such as Clark’s Bar, Dundas Street).

One recurring theme through today’s meeting has been the lack of suitable exhibition space available in Edinburgh (the NMS and City Art Centre would not have any available space). Other possible locations suggested were Edinburgh University’s Matthew Architecture Gallery and Talbot Rice Gallery.

Patrick and Brian have been looking at setting up a working printing exhibition, showing how an early 20th-century printer would have operated. A suitable venue and host organisation have yet to be found. Jane Hutcheon suggested the Caledonian Hall in the RBGE as a possible venue, as the Hall is linked with the printer Patrick Neill. Edinburgh Printmaker’s Workshop may be available for tours but does not have extra display space.

Publicity

As well as the website, Brian Hillyard and Patrick Mark are planning to do a Scotland-wide brochure (some of the funding for this was available). A city-wide brochure would also be a good idea but as yet has not been considered. Individual venues could also produce their own brochures. There are three possible options for the launch date for the brochure: September 2007, January 2008, April 2008. Brian Hillyard favours January 2008 (the general consensus was also in favour of this date).

People wishing to add information to the 500 years website should contact Brian Hillyard or Patrick Mark. Brian reported that there had been no direct contact with television companies regarding 2008 and that it may be too late from their perspective (although BBC4 was suggested as a possible media outlet). The Scotsman article earlier this year was helpful and there could be a follow-up in 2008, as well as articles in relevant magazines.

Minutes of the meeting of supporters held at the National Library on 30th May are now available.minutes30052006.doc (MS Word format 39Kb)

If you have any comments please contact Brian Hillyard or Patrick Mark

Today this website was officially launched at the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Preparations will now begin in earnest for a national celebration of 500 Years of the Printed Word in Scotland.

The website has been created by the National Library, the Scottish Printing Archival Trust and The Scottish Print Employers Federation. It will act as a tool for event organisers across Scotland to co-ordinate and publicise their efforts.

More than fifty representatives of Scottish organisations planning to participate in some way in the celebrations attended the launch event.

Presentations were given by Brian Hillyard of the National Library of Scotland, Patrick Mark of the Scottish Printing Archival Trust and Terry O'Hare President-elect of the Scottish Print Employers Federation.

On display was a volume of the Aberdeen Breviary. This is the largest product of Chepman & Myllar's press and is one of the categories of books listed in King James's patent of 15 September 1507 as work for the new press.

The project is backed by the Scottish Executive and is supported by other organisations including local museums and libraries throughout Scotland, the National Museum, the National Trust, the National Archive, and several universities.