New shoes – by Thomas Rowlandson
Any of you who have bought my book on Astley’s Circus will know that I am a fan of the delightful drawings by Thomas Rowlandson,… Read More »New shoes – by Thomas Rowlandson
Any of you who have bought my book on Astley’s Circus will know that I am a fan of the delightful drawings by Thomas Rowlandson,… Read More »New shoes – by Thomas Rowlandson
My 5xGreat Grandfather Francis Hall was a hosier in Red Lyon Street, Southwark. His own apprenticeship (as a haberdasher) lasted seven years and he qualified… Read More »An Indenture of Apprenticeship, 1734
Looking at 18th Century trade cards is a fascinating reminder of how new trades cropped up, or were combined with others, to give rise to… Read More »More Trade Cards
As a gentleman who is follicly challenged I do rather miss living in the Eighteenth Century, because then (like everyone else) I would have had… Read More »Where is my peruke?
While doing some research for my book on Astley and his circus* I was intrigued by some of the newspaper advertisements – especially this one dating… Read More »See the fireworks at Astley’s Circus 9th May 1796 !
A mezzotint from 1787 entitled The Angelic Angler, and published by Robert Sayer, gives us a picture of a lady in an alarming hat, fishing.… Read More »A hat for every occasion
John Gay wrote The Beggar’s Opera in 1728 and it was an immediate success. Various different productions appeared down the years, but perhaps none stranger… Read More »The Beggar’s Opera Reversed – never a drag!
A short post to remind us of one of the delights of warm weather in the Eighteenth Century – especially when staying at roadside inns… Read More »Beware of bed buggs!