Victorian Popular Literature

The following source list was originally available only on paper in one of the West Yorkshire Archive Service offices. It may have been compiled many years ago and could be out of date. It was designed to act as a signpost to records of interest on a particular historical subject, but may relate only to one West Yorkshire district, or be an incomplete list of sources available.

The myriad interests of the late Victorian reader are highlighted by the range of popular literature in the Deed Box 6 collection at WYAS Bradford, from spiritualism in The Medium and Daybreak DB6/C33/3 which was a weekly journal devoted to the history, phenomena, philosophy and teachings of spiritualism from 1897 to Marwood the Hangman, an exciting romance DB6/C32/4 which is a sensational story about the public executioner dating to the late nineteenth century.

Due to the scandalous nature of some of the literature being published in the nineteenth century the threat of censorship and suppression was ever-present and is seen in this collection with Sage and Onions: an illustrated weekly journal of humour and satire DB6/C32/9 which was suppressed after only 13 issues, the last issued in 1881.

Lazy Land DB6/C34/4 attempted to provide reading matter ‘suitable for the leisure of intelligent men’ and contains short stories and serials set in the West Indies, France and Sydney. The stories and articles concern gentleman’s clubs, duels and a piece about Miss Lucille Hill the actress. Another magazine aimed at young men was The Smoker DB6/C33/4 which described itself as ‘a Bacca-nalian journal for the wise and other-wise.’

The interest in crime and infamous cases is highlighted by The Illustrated Police News DB6/C32/14 of April 25th 1891 which contained news on the scandals of the day. Included in the issue is a report of a breach of promise of marriage in the case of Evelyn versus Hurlbert, Evelyn being the alias of Gertrude Edgecombe Ellis, daughter of Revd Charles Ellis, Moravian minister at Fulneck. Also covered is the Manningham Mills strike in Bradford with an engraving showing the riots outside the Town Hall. Famous Crimes Past and Present DB6/C34/3 and The Illustrated Police Budget DB6/C32/7 continue the theme.

Religious and anti-religious views were also expressed via the magazines and pamphlets. Joyful News from 1884 DB6/C34/10 devoted itself to ‘spreading the glad tidings of salvation.’ This is in marked contrast to ‘A Broadside fired into the Salvation Army’ from 1883 DB6/C34/9 which is an attack on Booth and his followers.