In October 2023 the National Library of Scotland bought a copy of the first Broons book published in 1939 by D.C. Thomson of Dundee Ltd. Now just over a year later we are putting it on public display in our Treasures gallery at our main building in George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.
On March 8th, 1936, D.C. Thomson added a supplement called the Fun Section to “The Sunday Post”. It included the first appearances of the Broons and Oor Wullie. The characters were co-created by R.D. Low (1895-1980) and artist Dudley D. Watkins (1907-1969). The two strips were an instant success and the adventures of Oor Wullie and the Broons continue to appear in “The Sunday Post” every week.
In 1939 the first Broons book was published. It was followed by the first Oor Wullie book in 1940. The Broons and Oor Wullie books have been published in alternative years ever since. The characters have become enduring Scottish institutions. The Broons book quickly became and remains a popular Christmas gift. It has entertained generations of Scots and is one of the few publications avidly read by both grandparents and grandchildren. The 1939 Broons book is exceedingly rare and in the UK only the British Library appears to have a copy. It is believed that fewer than 20 copies still exist. This was a rare chance to add an iconic and much-loved Scottish publication to the collections. We are delighted to have been able to add this important title to the Scottish national printed collections. Our copy appears to be the only one in a public collection in Scotland.
The Broons (or more formally the Browns) are a ten strong Scottish family who live in a tenement flat in the fictional Scottish town of Auchenshoogle. It is notable for being written in the Scots language and it along with Oor Wullie is almost certainly the most widely read publication in Scots, excluding of course the works of Robert Burns.
The 1939 edition of the Broons is displayed alongside the most recent edition published in 2023. Also in the case are an early Oor Wullie Book, a Desperate Dan book and a rare edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island” published by D.C. Thomson and illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins.
The Broons are in good company in our Treasures gallery. They appear alongside a letter Robert Burns wrote to his father in 1781, a copy of the Gutenberg Bible from 1455 which is the first important book to be printed using movable type and a number of rare and beautiful editions of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island” including the first edition from 1883, among many other items. Paw and Maw Broon would hopefully be both astonished and delighted to find themselves in such an esteemed context.
Our thanks to D.C. Thomson who have advised on this display. The image at the top of this blog features the first edition of the Broons book on the right beside the most recent edition on the left. Published for over eighty years and as popular as ever, the Broons are a much loved Scottish institution.
You can see the first edition of the Broons book in the Library until mid-March 2025 and if you want to explore further you can consult all the other Broons books and thousands of other D.C. Thomson titles in our reading rooms.