https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/08/12/the-strangers-guide-to-london-i/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sun, 13 Aug 2023 21:36:35 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/08/12/the-strangers-guide-to-london-i/#comment-1518413 Sun, 13 Aug 2023 21:36:35 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=196585#comment-1518413 These individuals are still around in most major cities. Perhaps not in such variety but they do exist. The innocent abroad still needs to be aware. The Galata Bridge in Istanbul even to this day has many of these colourful con artists.

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/08/12/the-strangers-guide-to-london-i/#comment-1518353 Sun, 13 Aug 2023 06:02:58 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=196585#comment-1518353 I’m currently reading Hallie Rubenhold’s The Covent Garden Ladies which describes some of these characters and their operations in Georgian London. It does give the impression that, without organised law enforcement, it was pretty much a free-for-all. The role of a bawd seemed to be terribly complicated and organised.
The pickpocket warning could still be applicable today!

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/08/12/the-strangers-guide-to-london-i/#comment-1518280 Sat, 12 Aug 2023 11:37:40 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=196585#comment-1518280 Ha!
Those ‘ring-droppers’ were rife in Paris on my last visit.
Thank you so much for another great trip to the past.

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/08/12/the-strangers-guide-to-london-i/#comment-1518263 Sat, 12 Aug 2023 06:37:14 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=196585#comment-1518263 Nothing changes does it? But we wouldn’t have it any other way.

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