The Ballad of Chetham's Library
Early Modern Street Literature
At a time when newspapers were rare, early modern individuals relied on street literature for their news and entertainment. The most popular forms of street literature were broadsides, ballads, chapbooks and pamphlets.
This literature was printed using the letterpress printing technology of the day. This form of printing was invented in the mid-15th century and remained in popular use right up until the second half of the 20th century. They were printed on large, very thin sheets of paper, which meant they were flimsy and not intended to last.
Travelling sellers such as peddlars or hawkers sold them on streets, at the market or at fairs, for a penny or half a penny. Their readership mainly consisted of the lower classes - the illiterate would know the content of the broadside from word of mouth or when the songs were sung at the local pub.
The subject matter of the street literature varied. Some would report contemporary issues, such as a great disaster or news of politics or crime, whilst others would include heroic stories, fairy tales, popular songs, jokes or adventures.
Most individuals would put them in their pockets, pass them on to friends, or pin them to walls of taverns and other public places. They were likely to throw them away or pin another on top as soon as a new ballad or broadside became available. This is why their survival today is a rarity and why they are considered extremely valuable sources for an insight into the social life of the ordinary classes of the early modern period.
More on Street Literature...
Presentation
Susana Sanchez Gonzalez, the Digital Project Officer at Chetham's Library, gave a presentation on the project which discusses street literature more in depth with a particular focus on the Halliwell-Phillips collection. Click on the image below for a PDF of this presentation:
Article
Independent scholar, Ruth Richardson, has written an insightful article on street literature on the British Library website. Click the image below for access to the article:
Blog posts
Working closely with the Halliwell-Phillips collection I wrote two lighthearted blog posts intended to make early modern street literature accessible for a wider, non-academic audience. The posts are entitled "Relationship Advice from the Eighteenth century" and "Top 5 Early Modern Hits". Click the images below for access to these posts:
"Relationship Advice from the Eighteenth Century"
