Tag Archives: Dorcas lackington
Why The Temple of the Muses is the Perfect Read for Women’s History Month
When researching an entirely different story in the autumn of 2022, I visited the ancient church of St Mary the Virgin, Merton. Walking among the gravestones, one caught my eye: Dorcas, Wife of J Lackington Bookseller, Finsbury Square Ladies who chance to frisk this way, With honest Hearts and Spirits gay. A serious moment give…
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The Elephant in the Bookshop: The Paradox of an “Invisible” Workforce in London’s 18th Century Book Trade
Imagine stepping inside The Temple of the Muses in Finsbury Square — the bookshop famed in Georgian London as the largest in Europe. Shelves teem with novels, histories, pamphlets and curiosities. Priceless tomes sit side by side with cheap editions. Amid the bustle, male shop assistants in black frock-coats stand behind the circular counter underneath…
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Why The Temple of the Muses was the perfect name for a Georgian Bookshop
In the bustling heart of Georgian London, James and Dorcas Lackington didn’t just open a bookshop—they created a cultural landmark. As their business outgrew its Chiswell Street premises, the Lackingtons dared to think bigger: a temple to books. Situated on one side of Finsbury Square (32 Finsbury Place South) and designed by architect George Dance,…
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The Radical Idea of Affordable Books
Today, we take it for granted that books are within our grasp, but it wasn’t always so. By the late 18th century, literacy in England was steadily improving. Based on the ability to write their signature at the time of their marriages, historians estimate that approximately half of the population could read. But owning a…
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