Curiosities of Street Literature


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(5 stars; 2 reviews)

This is a collection of broadsides from London. Broadsides are short, popular publications, a precursor to today's tabloid journalism. The collection contains sensationalist and sometimes comical stories about criminal conduct, love, the Royal Family, politics, as well as gallows' literature. Gallow's literature (confessions, verses etc. relating to individuals condemned to public execution) were often sold at the execution. As a collection these broadsides are a reminder of how important the printer was at this time -- it is surely no coincidence that the printers are printed at the end of every broadside, while the authors remain anonymous. - Summary by kathrinee

Chapters

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Introduction 19:53 Read by Ed Humpal
1.1 Introductory remarks about cocks, catchpennies, street drolleries etc. 13:06 Read by Beth Thomas (1974-2020)
1.2 Two Murders 6:26 Read by Beth Thomas (1974-2020)
1.3 Trial, Rape, and Murder 11:18 Read by Scott Bennett
1.4 A Murder, a Murder of his Wife 11:27 Read by Scott Bennett
1.5 Punishment for Murder and a Man, Hanged, Now Alive 8:56 Read by Greg Giordano
1.6 Liverpool Tragedy, Massacre 8:45 Read by GregShinn
1.7 London Fire, Fatal Thunderstorm 12:27 Read by Greg Giordano
1.8 Scarborough Tragedy, a Wager 19:45 Read by Michael
1.9 Gossip, Secrets: Loveletters and The Unfaithful Husband Found Out, and a Hopeful Loveletter 11:58 Read by Lynne T
1.10 The Story of the Yorkshire Knight in Three Parts 15:32 Read by Lynne T
1.11 Faithful lovers, a Quarrel, and an Apparition 11:37 Read by Toeknee
1.12 A Catastrophe, and the Secrets of A Lord and Lady 10:52 Read by Greg Giordano
1.13 Two Elopements and a Funny Love Affair 13:15 Read by Ed Humpal
1.14 The Blasphemer, Warning to a Publican 14:08 Read by Scott Bennett
1.15 An Apparition and Particulars of Fortune Telling 12:44 Read by Michael
1.16 A Four-Day Trance and a Sleep-Walker 14:10 Read by Greg Giordano
1.17 Dialogue between Death and a Sinner, Railroad to Heaven and to Hell 15:45 Read by Michael
1.18 A Loveletter to a Sailor, A Maid and the Amorous Squire, The "Taking Off" of Prince Albert's Inexpressibles 15:06 Read by Greg Giordano
1.19 Battle of Pea Soup, and the Great Old Goat 10:06 Read by Greg Giordano
1.20 Adventures Looking for Mother Clifton, Selling a Wife 8:18 Read by GregShinn
1.21 The Perpetual Almanack, a Tounge-Twister Tale 10:38 Read by Ed Humpal
1.22 Female Teasing, Trademan's Hymn, The Register 11:00 Read by Greg Giordano
1.23 Rent Day, Cooking a Wife, and Various Other Things at an Auction 12:08 Read by Michael
1.24 The Last of the "Cocks," Suicide of an Artist and Letters Found on his Body 17:13 Read by Michael
2.1 Introduction to Political and Royal Broadsides, the King 11:22 Read by Greg Giordano
2.2 Three Accounts of Queen Victoria 12:07 Read by Toeknee
2.3 Queen Victoria's Marriage and An Assassination Attempt! 11:15 Read by Greg Giordano
2.4 Royal Childbirth and a Celebration of the Queen 8:13 Read by Kathleen Moore
2.5 An Intruder Breaks into Queen Victoria's Bedroom and A Song about the Queen 11:52 Read by Ryan Cowell
2.6 Three Accounts of the Birth of the Prince of Wales. 13:46 Read by Roohi
2.7 A Visit to the Queen, a Royal Exchange, a Royal Marriage 11:04 Read by Roohi
2.8 A Scene in the Election (farce), Speling Book for the Unions 17:59 Read by Ed Humpal
2.9 The Times and John Bull v. the Pope's Bull 9:25 Read by Jeff Moon
2.10 A Political Catechism and Famine Fast Day 10:17 Read by Roohi
2.11 Three Political Texts 18:26 Read by ashleighjane
2.12 Three Accounts of Political Affiliations, Reform, and Elections 17:09 Read by Ulrike Denis
2.13 Political Thanksgiving and the Rights of Women 12:04 Read by Greg Giordano
2.14 A Reform Alphabet and Two Irish Questions 14:26 Read by Jeff Moon
2.15 A New Bill and a New Act of Parliament 16:41 Read by Melvin Lee
2.16 Street Laws, the Poor Law, Death of a Pauper 13:18 Read by Toeknee
2.17 Two Catechisms: the Soldier's and the Drunkard's, and Two Poems About the Drunkard 13:34 Read by Toeknee
2.18 Beer House Act and Two Poems: Brave Nelson and Battle of Waterloo 9:40 Read by Martin Campbell
2.19 Four Songs about the Price of Food, Politics, and Laws 10:14 Read by Martin Campbell
2.20 Five Songs about the Irish Liberator, Poverty, and the Elction 10:15 Read by Roohi
2.21 Four Songs about England, the Election, and the Death of Wellington 10:54 Read by Roohi
2.22 Six Songs about Battles, Florence NIghtingale, and International Affairs 14:15 Read by Roohi
2.23 Fours Songs about Cobden, Naval Battle, Lament, and Reform 9:23 Read by Roohi
2.24 Three Songs about Reform 10:01 Read by Greg Giordano
2.25 Three More Songs about Reform 9:07 Read by Roohi
2.26 Two Songs about Fenians and Explosion 13:58 Read by Roohi
2.27 Trading Bill and Election 7:23 Read by Joseph Tabler
3.1 Introduction to Division 3 and The Female Husband 16:50 Read by Oxenhandler
3.2 Shakespeare's House, a Costume, Manchester and Preston Guild 14:11 Read by Roohi
3.3 A Prophesy, Grace Darling, a Championship, and an Accident on the Ice 14:58 Read by Greg Giordano
3.4 Foreigners in England and Financial Hardships 13:52 Read by Greg Giordano
3.5 And Agricultural Show, a Lunacy Case, and an Old Marquis and his Wife 11:51 Read by Greg Giordano
3.6 Two Marriages and One Affair 8:05 Read by Kalynda
3.7 Strike of Tailors, The Parson, Night in a Workhouse 12:41 Read by Greg Giordano
3.8 The Ghost, The Wiched Woman, The Artful Girl 9:47 Read by Michael
3.9 The She-He Barman, Beauty and Match-Making, the Convent 11:45 Read by Michael
3.10 The Flitch of Bacon, Lord Mayor's Show, and a Boat Race 9:22 Read by Roohi
3.11 Three discussions of Fashion: Petticoats, Crinolines and Chignons. 9:55 Read by Diana Schmidt
3.12 The Velocipede, The Lord Mayor's Show, The Queen Opens a Viaduct 8:03 Read by Vera Sticker
3.13 Cabman Flags, a Divorce Case, and Volunteer Review 9:19 Read by Toeknee
3.14 A Parson Outwitted and the He-She Ladies 7:38 Read by Ulrike Denis
4.1 Introdction to part 4 and The Life and Execution of Sir John Oldcastle 22:58 Read by Melvin Lee
4.2 The Dying Speeches and Execution of Seven Conspirators 18:39 Read by Melvin Lee
4.3 The Execution of Luke Hutton 8:21 Read by TriciaG
4.4 The Exectution of Conspirators and of Sir Walter Raleigh 13:34 Read by Melvin Lee
4.5 The Executions of Thomas Armstrong and William Nevison 8:28 Read by TriciaG
4.6 Trial and Executions of James Lowry, John Swan, and Elizabeth Jeffryes 10:42 Read by Melvin Lee
4.7 Execution of Six Unfortunate Malefactors and John Austin 14:43 Read by Melvin Lee
4.8 Trials and Executions of April 11, John Hogan, and Joseph Richards 11:20 Read by TriciaG
4.9 Old Bailey Intelligence and Execution of Eight Convicts 10:15 Read by TriciaG
4.10 Executions of Unforunate Sailors and Richard Parker 14:52 Read by TriciaG
4.11 The Executions of Mary Nott and James Nesbett 15:09 Read by TriciaG
4.12 Sentences of Prisoners of September 11, 1822 and the Death of Ann Williams 10:26 Read by TriciaG
4.13 The Confessions and Executions of John Thurtell, C.T. White, and Amelia Roberts 16:13 Read by Melvin Lee
4.14 The Confession and Execution of William Corder, Bishop and Williams 17:14 Read by Melvin Lee
4.15 The Confession and Execution of James Greenacre and F.B. Courvoisier 15:09 Read by Melvin Lee
4.16 The Executions of Robert Blakesley and Verses on Daniel Good 8:02 Read by TriciaG
4.17 The Executions of James Bloomfield Rush and John Gleeson Wilson 11:03 Read by TriciaG
4.18 An Execution and a Tragedy: Six Children Murdered by their Mother 10:17 Read by Oxenhandler
4.19 Execution of William Cogan and George Gardner 10:58 Read by Jason in Panama
4.20 Execution of William G. Youngman and the Wigan Murder 10:52 Read by Jason in Panama
4.21 The Execution of Priscilla Biggadike and Frederick Baker 11:42 Read by mariemdover
4.22 Executions at Durham, Confessions and Executions of Samuel Wright and James Clitheroe 17:52 Read by TriciaG
4.23 Two Murders on the Railway 8:51 Read by Guest
4.24 The Chase, Capture and Execution of Franz Muller 14:28 Read by Roohi
4.25 Lamentation and Execution of James Longhurst and Miles Weatherhill 8:16 Read by Roohi
4.26 Sentence of Constance Kent and Confession and Executions of Stephen Forward 10:44 Read by Roohi
4.27 Execution of Pirates, Leigh and the Murder of a Child by a Schoolmistress 12:58 Read by Roohi
4.28 Farewell to the World of Richard Bishop and Lamentations of J. Mapp and H. Lingley 10:03 Read by Roohi
4.29 Executions of Alice Holt and the Murder of a Boy by his own Father 11:25 Read by msloganjr
4.30 Lamentations of J. R. Jeffery, John Fletcher, Ann Lawrence 10:09 Read by TriciaG
4.31 Executions of Michael Barrett, Allen, Gould, Larkin, and William Sheward 12:55 Read by TriciaG
4.32 Executions of John Devine, Martin Brown, and Alexander Mackay 16:04 Read by TriciaG
4.33 Murder of a Wife and Six Children and Executions of F. Hinson and J. Rutterford 13:55 Read by OCTL7
4.34 The Heroes of the Guillotine and Gallows 1:00:49 Read by Sandra Knight

Reviews

loved these


(5 stars)

I found these very interesting. some readers got a bit too dramatic, but the short tales were funny, gory and surprising for the time period they're from.