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81 results

Page 1 of 5

The Life and Times of James Catnach, (Late of Seven Dials), Ballad Monger
  • Charles Hindley
  • Published online:
    05 November 2015
    Print publication:
    24 November 2011
    First published in:
    1878
  • James Catnach (1792–1841) became famous for publishing satirical ballads and sensational accounts of famous murders in his daily broadsheets, first printed in his own home in Seven Dials, London. Capitalising on the turbulent times, Catnach grew rich on producing lurid descriptions of crimes and the trials and executions that followed them. His imagination occasionally over-stepped the mark; he was once jailed for libel after claiming that a local butcher made his sausages from human flesh. This sympathetic and entertaining biography of Catnach, first published in 1878 by London raconteur Charles Hindley (d. 1893), describes Catnach's rise to prominence and features numerous reproductions of his ballads and stories. It is a fascinating tale encompassing the development of early forms of mass media and the wider political and social currents of the time, and provides invaluable insights into popular culture in nineteenth-century London.

Curiosities of Street Literature
  • Comprising 'Cocks,' or 'Catchpennies'
  • Compiled by Charles Hindley
  • Published online:
    05 November 2015
    Print publication:
    08 December 2011
    First published in:
    1871
  • Broadsheet papers were a popular forerunner of the tabloid newspaper, providing sensational descriptions of current events, especially violent crimes, executions and political scandal. Illustrated with satirical cartoons and often recounting stories in verse, the legacy of broadsheets can be seen in later publications such as Private Eye. This book, first published in 1871 by Charles Hindley (d. 1893), is a collection of notable and popular extracts from broadsheets, such as those produced by James Catnach. Although a wide variety of subjects were covered, including natural disasters, elopements, Parliamentary business and royal events, broadsheets were at their most profitable and lurid when reporting crime stories. Included in this text are accounts of famous cases such as Burke and Hare, child-killer Constance Kent and the Red Barn Murder. The book is an invaluable resource for social historians and provides fascinating insights into the Victorian media and the origins of today's mass media.

History of the Catnach Press
  • At Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnwick and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in Northumberland, and Seven Dials, London
  • Charles Hindley
  • Published online:
    05 October 2015
    Print publication:
    04 March 2010
    First published in:
    1886
  • Charles Hindley (d.1893) wrote several books on British popular literature including Curiosities of Street Literature and a history of the cries of London. This book, first published in a limited edition in 1869 but here reprinted from the 1886 edition, tells the colourful story of John (1769–1813) and James (1792–1842) Catnach, the father-and-son printers who were leaders in the expanding market for cheap publications for the masses. John's contribution was to start using real paper and printer's ink instead of the cheap substitutes current at the time. He was also noted for embellishing his work with great technical skill. James later developed a successful business printing cheap song-sheets, ballads and sensationalist accounts of crimes, conspiracies and scandals, and was able to support his widowed mother and his sisters on the proceeds. This lively biography is illustrated with numerous woodcuts, many from Catnach's publications.

A History of the Cries of London
  • Ancient and Modern
  • Charles Hindley
  • Published online:
    05 May 2013
    Print publication:
    10 November 2011
    First published in:
    1881
  • Charles Hindley (d.1893) wrote and edited many books on British popular literature and culture, including Curiosities of Street Literature (1871), Tavern Anecdotes and Sayings (1875) and The History of the Catnach Press (1886, also reissued in this series). This 1881 study traces the distinctive 'cries' of street traders in London from the time of Chaucer to the Victorian period and maintains Hindley's characteristic focus on people rather than mere facts. His use of nearly two hundred woodcuts, including many by Bewick, and his discussion of them at the beginning of the text, testifies to his enthusiasm for the printing press. Using evidence from 'broadsides, books or engravings', music and drama, Hindley vividly portrays the sights and sounds of the streets of London from many different periods, describing the vendors to be found in particular locations, and merchandise from cherries to ballad-sheets, shellfish to lavender, and scissors to ink.

Tavern Anecdotes and Sayings
  • Including the Origin of Signs, and Reminiscences Connected with Taverns, Coffee-houses, Clubs, etc.
  • Edited by Charles Hindley
  • Published online:
    05 April 2012
    Print publication:
    03 November 2011
    First published in:
    1875
  • William West (1770–1854) was a bookseller and antiquarian who wrote a series of articles about his experiences in the book trade. In 1825, West published a collection of alehouse jokes, stories and trivia under the pseudonym 'One Of the Old School'. This edition is an expanded version, edited and annotated by popular writer Charles Hindley (d. 1893) and first published in 1875. A boozy, more whimsical cousin to Ambrose Bierce's 1906 The Devil's Dictionary, the book features playful definitions of tavern slang and terminology. In addition to witty stories and puns, there is also a wealth of information about the origins of pub names, the origins of alcohol and its regulation under the law. This is a dry and humorous text which still possesses the power to amuse, but also contains rich detail about contemporary culture and society, including insights on Fleet Street, the military and colonial Britain.

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