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London Lore

bySteve Roud

The legends and traditions of the world's most vibrant city

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In which part of North London were wild beasts once thought to roam the sewers?
Why did 1920s working-class Londoners wear necklaces of blue beads?
Who was the original inspiration for the 'pearly king' costume?
And did Spring-heeled Jack, scourge of Victorian London, ever really exist?

Exploring everything from local superstitions and ghost stories to annual customs, this is an enchanting guide to the ancient legends and deep-rooted beliefs that can be found the length and breadth of the city.

a wonderful collection of stories and legends, to be recommended to anyone who is at least half in love with the dark side of London's past.

Peter Ackroyd, The Times

About Steve Roud

Steve Roud was Local Studies Librarian for the London Borough of Croydon and served as Honorary Librarian of the Folklore Society for over fifteen years. He has been researching British folklore for over thirty years and is the joint author of the Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore, plus other books on traditional drama and folk song, and the Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland, which won the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award in 2004. His publications include London Lore (2008) and The Lore of the Playground (2010). He also compiles the Folk Song Index and the Broadside Index, two internationally acclaimed computer databases of traditional folk and popular song. He lives in Sussex.
Details
  • Imprint: Cornerstone Digital
  • ISBN: 9781409036197
  • Length: 480 pages
  • Price: £8.99
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