
Historic newspapers at the John Gray Centre
At the John Gray Centre we hold extensive collections of historic newspapers. You can search the indexes for some of these here, but you will need to visit the Centre to view the papers themselves. Alternatively, we can send you a photocopy of the article you want, if you send us the price of postage + 15p. Email us at [email protected].
Our complete collection at the Centre holds the following newspapers:
Haddingtonshire/East Lothian Courier: Oct 1859–present (indexes for Oct 1859–1902 searchable here)
Musselburgh News: Jan 1889–present
East Lothian News: Jun 1972–present
Haddingtonshire Advertiser & East Lothian Journal: Jan 1890–Dec 1923
North Berwick Advertiser & East Lothian Visiter [sic]: Jun 1887–Dec 1898
The Musselburgh Times & Scottish Central News: Nov–Dec 1866
Allen’s Original East Lothian, Berwickshire and Dalkeith Monthly Advertiser: 4 Sep 1840
Musselburgh Monthly Reporter: Jun 1897–May 1899
East Lothian Oracle: Mar 1934

Themes
- East Lothian People
- Adventurers and Explorers
- East Lothian Folk
- Artists and Musicians
- John Bellany CBE RA HRSA LLD (1942–2013)
- Robert Noble RA RSA (1857–1917)
- William Darling McKay, RSA LLD (1844–1924)
- William Marshall Brown RSA (1863–1936)
- Patrick William Adam RSA (1852–1929)
- Sir William George Gillies RA RSA (1898–1973)
- Fish (Derek William Dick) (1958– )
- The Haddington Amateur Operatic Society
- Church and Philosophy
- Engineers and Inventors
- Heroes
- Military
- John Penn (1820–86)
- Warrant Officer II Alan Goodwin
- Stobs and the Volunteers
- Captain the Reverend James Kirk MA MC CF
- Alexander Carrick (1882–1966) RSA, FRBS
- East Lothian men at Waterloo (I)
- Major Walter Waring (1876 – 1930)
- Private Jackie Reid
- General Sir Francis John Davies and Lord John Alexander Elphinstone
- The Napoleonic Navy and East Lothian
- East Lothian men at Trafalgar
- East Lothian men at Waterloo (II)
- East Lothian men at Waterloo (III)
- General Sir Francis Reginald Wingate, 1st Baronet of Dunbar and Port Sudan (1861-1953)
- Movers and shakers
- Arthur James Balfour (1848–1930)
- Alexander of Haddington, King of Scots
- The Falls of Dunbar (1692–1796)
- Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun – The Patriot (1655–1716)
- Alexander Murray, 4th Lord Elibank
- Dr. George Harley
- Countess Ada de Warenne
- James Smith Richardson LLD (1883-1970)
- John Cockburn (1695 – 1758)
- Sports
- Writers
- East Lothian Places
- Settlements & Sites
- Parishes
- Dunbar Parish
- Oldhamstocks Parish
- Innerwick
- Pencaitland
- Stenton
- Spott Parish
- Fala and Soutra Parish
- Aberlady Parish
- Athelstaneford Parish
- Bolton Parish
- Dirleton Parish
- Garvald
- Gladsmuir
- Humbie Parish
- Inveresk
- Morham Parish
- North Berwick Parish
- Haddington Parish
- Ormiston Parish
- Prestonkirk
- Prestonpans Parish
- Saltoun
- Tranent
- Whitekirk
- Whittingehame
- Yester
- Towns & Villages
- Sites of interest
- Parishes
- Places to visit
- Settlements & Sites
- East Lothian Times
- East Lothian Subjects
- Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016
- Art, culture & communication
- Economy
- Friendly societies
- Sailors’ Societies
- East Lothian Industries
- Incorporations
- The East Lothian Bank
- Smuggling in East Lothian
- House & home
- Leisure
- Society
- Transport & travel
- War, battles & military
- The Military System in East Lothian 1790–1850
- The Lothians and Border Horse
- The Military System In East Lothian 1846–1914
- A Prince in Prestonpans
- The Military System in East Lothian 1600 – 1790
- The Landscape in War
- The Lothians – Training for war
- The Napoleonic Garrison in East Lothian
- East Lothian and Waterloo, an Overview
- Dunbar 1650
- World War One Memorials
- Aberlady World War One Memorial
- Athelstaneford World War One Memorial
- Bolton World War One Memorial
- Cockenzie World War One Memorials
- Crookston World War One Memorial
- Dirleton World War One Memorial
- Dunbar World War One Memorials
- East Linton World War One Memorials
- Elphinstone World War One Memorial
- Garvald World War One Memorial
- Gladsmuir World War One Memorial
- Gullane World War One Memorial
- Haddington World War One Memorials
- Innerwick World War One Memorial
- Morham World War One Memorial
- Musselburgh World War One Memorials
- North Berwick World War One Memorials
- Oldhamstocks World War One Memorial
- Ormiston World War One Memorial
- Pencaitland World War One Memorial
- Prestonpans World War One Memorial
- Saltoun World War One Memorial
- Spott World War One Memorial
- Stenton World War One Memorial
- Tranent World War One Memorials
- Whitekirk & Tyninghame World War One Memorials
- Whittingehame World War One Memorial
- Yester World War One Memorial
- World War One in the Lothians
- The Lothians during World War One (I)
- The Lothians during World War One (II)
- The Lothians during World War One (III) – Mobilisation
- The Lothians during World War One (IV) – A Squadron, continued
- The Lothians during World War One (V) – A Squadron, 1915
- The 8th (Territorial) Battalion the Royal Scots in World War One
- Supporting the Troops during World War One
- Airships over the Bass, Torpedoes in Belhaven Bay
- World War Two in the Lothians
- Land Girl Betty Craig tells her story
- Land girl Betty Craig’s story part 2
- Land Girl Betty Craig’s story, part 3
- Land Girl Betty Craig’s story, part 4
- Land Girl Betty Craig’s story, part 5
- Land girl Betty Craig’s story, part 6
- Land girl Betty Craig’s story, part 7
- Land girl Betty Craig’s story, part 8
- Land girl Betty Craig’s story, part 9
- Land Girl Betty Craig tells her story
- East Lothian Images
- Events
16 thoughts on “Historic newspapers at the John Gray Centre”
Would it be possible to email me an image of page 2 of the Haddingtonshire Courier dated 7th March 1941? I believe that the said page carries a notice of the death of my great-grandfather, John Reid, who died in Tranent in February of that year. Being overseas at the moment, I have no way of visiting nor of accessing archived issues of the paper. Thanks.
Trying to research part of my family tree to discover they lived in Haddington. a Jean/Jeanie/Jane Scroggie married a Henry Dow who was a Missionary from Dunbar. They married in 1906 St Andrews Edinburgh. I am sure he died between 1906 and 1920 but cannot find any more information. Alice Scroggie her sister writes about him.
Hi Gavin,
Thanks for your enquiry. You could type in their names in single quotation marks into our website’s search box to see if there are any relevant results – which may lead you to details of a newspaper entry. You could also look through valuation rolls, either at our Centre or at the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh to see if the Dows lived in Haddington. Please email us at [email protected] if you have any further questions. Best Wishes.
Name: Sheila
Email:[email protected]
Thank you for your reply. I will try to find if there is anything re-court records at NRS. I am unable to find his military records as there are many James Smiths. He seems to want to stay elusive.
Sheila
(comment lost in migration)
Hi, I am looking for any information on my 3x great grandfather who was born in North Berwick about 1826. He seemed to have been in some sort of trouble with the authorities between 1838-1844, and ran away and joined the Scots Guards in 1844. He then deserted them in 1847 and joined the RHA under an assumed name. This has been one of my brick walls for many years and the above information has only come to light now. His name was Andrew Hepburn, born to Andrew Hepburn and Catherine Logan as far as I can tell. If this information is correct I can then hopefully research into the rest of the family and discover why he changed his name to James Smith.
Thank you for any information
Sheila
Hi Sheila,
Thank you for your enquiry. I’m afraid we do not have any newspaper records covering the period you stipulated. This is because the Haddingtonshire Courier only began in Oct 1859. Perhaps you might like to search through the censuses (if you haven’t already), and check against any other military records/advice as well as court records from the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh. Best Wishes.
I am looking for obituaries or photos of two sisters who died in Tranent.
Noeleen Elizabeth Patterson (b. 1895) and her sister Isabella Evelyn (b. 1899) both died unmarried in 1989.
They were my mum’s aunts but she never knew of their existence.
It’s possible that someone still alive remembers these two ladies. I would love to know something about them.
Thank you
Beverley
Dear Beverley,
Thank you for your enquiry. Members of the public are very welcome to come in to the Local History department at the John Gray Centre to look through back copies of the Haddingtonshire Courier/East Lothian Courier for obituaries. Thus far, we have only managed to index the newspaper (which began in 1859) up to 1945. We have all the copies of the Courier on microfilm and therefore, it would be a case of going through the editions to look for a death entry unless someone knows a specific date.
Our department is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
You can send an email to [email protected] if you have any further questions or requests.
Best Wishes.
Thank you for your reply.
Unfortunately I live in Spain, so a visit to the Centre in person is not feasible. I will keep looking!
Best wishes
Beverley
Hi again Beverley,
Apologies for assuming that you live locally. But how lovely to be living in sunny Spain!
We can look for to see if the East Lothian Courier featured these obituaries but I’m afraid this would be considered as remote research request. There is a charge of £26.50 per hour or part thereof for any such requests made. Payment needs to be made in advance, and can be done over the phone. However, there is no guarantee that we will find a positive result.
So if you are still interested, please email [email protected] and someone from the team will respond with details.
All the best.
We are looking for a story on my wife’s Great Grand dad Robert Gilmour who is said to have died while swimming on the 27 August 1908 at Morrison’s Haven Harbor Musselborgh The other address on the certificate is 139 Newbigging.He was a coalminer from Huddingston. after his death his daughter Mary was sent to Canada the family was split up. Mary was my wife’s grand mother. We have a copy of the death certificate, but there is no cause of death!
Best Henry
I’m looking for a news report on my uncle George mcquade who was reported hit by a Lott when he was a child in Musselburgh. I found it 8 years ago. Also, I’m wondering if his death was reported and published with other ww1 dead, I think in 1918. He may have been in the royal scots. I’m also looking for relatives of Joan McDade.
Reply from Bill Wilson, Local History Officer: Dear Maureen, I’ve had a look through the Haddington Courier and on 11th May 1906, page 3 Column 6 was the article mentioning the accident. The article started at the bottom of the page and finished at the top and that is why there two parts. I also found his details mentioned on the Scottish National War Memorial and I’ve inserted the link to that page. https://www.snwm.org/content/roll-search/?id=903156&searchid=f295980611e47ac95b0112f692280676&page=1
As to tracing any ancestors of Joan McDade, that would a lot more work and information. If you live locally you could drop in here and we could assist you with your research. Many thanks for your enquiry
Further information from Bill Wilson, Local History Officer: I had another search and came up with more details for George’s death:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1584986/McQUADE,%20GEORGE The details are given on this site but, as to whether George has an actual grave or not I can’t really say. One of the images gives the details of a panel with his name on it.
Thank you for your research. Is there a way to get a photocopy of the newspaper article?
i am trying to find a write up and photo of our band”barney” which appeared in the east lothian courier on the dunbar page in 1975 we are reforming for a one off gig in 2016 and would love to track down the story and photo of us it was taken at dunbar castle sure it was on dunbar page sometime between april and september 1975 would really appreciate any help finding this you can contact me at above e-mail
thanks
john paxton 01368 850202