Show notes
Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch, for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of early-Victorian London! This show cycles through four themes over a month-long cycle, one show per week. As today is the first Sunday of the month, this is the GRAANUM-GOLD GOTHICS theme show. It will be followed by ...The “Ha’penny Horrors” theme episode, coming next Sunday (the third Sunday of the month);The “Twopenny Torrids” theme episode, coming two Sundays hence (the fourth Sunday); and finally—The “Sixpenny Spookies” theme episode, coming out the first Sunday of next month. Then we’ll be right back around to the “Graanum Gothics” again, for the second Sunday of next month! ———— For COMPLETE SHOW NOTES, including art and links to resources, see pennydread.com/discord. ———— IN TODAY'S "GRAANUM GOTHICS" EPISODE:01:55: ON THIS DREADFUL DAY (Sept. 13, 1854): A young reprobate makes a start on a career of crime by stealing £5 from his mom, buying pistols, and trying to shoot a policeman. Kids nowadays, amirite?06:30: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 65-67: Varney can see that Marchdale really wants to murder Charles, so he sees him off the premises and then goes below to talk with the young man. What’s he scheming at now? Will Charles get to taste freedom again?39:40: CATCHPENNY BROADSIDE: Dolly Varden hats! They were everywhere in the 1870s … this lighthearted bit of bad street poetry asks, where will they appear next?45:50: THE LIVES OF THE HIGHWAYMEN: You know how “the butler did it” in so many old Vaudeville stories? In the case of butler John Hawkins, he really did … and, after he was fired for it, he became one of England’s most notorious highwaymen.53:55: CLARIMONDE, PART 3 of 3: Clarimonde comes to Romauld again, dressed for the road, and takes him away on a wild black steed. And after that night commences a time in which by day Romauld is a simple country priest, by night he is a wild and debauched young cavalier running amok in Venice: Il Signior Romualdo. Soon he can’t distinguish his dream life from his real life....1:17:35: A FEW SQUEAKY-CLEAN DAD JOKES from the early-1800s' most popular joke book: "Joe Miller's Jests; or, The Wit's Vade-mecum."GLOSSARY OF EARLY-VICTORIAN SLANG USED IN THIS EPISODE:BENE FAKERS (from outro patter): Coiners and counterfeiters.DABS IN QUOD (ibid): Prisoners in gaol.KNIGHTS OF THE BRUSH AND MOON (ibid): Drunken fellows running amok in fields and ditches late at night, trying to stagger home. CORINTHIAN FINN (ibid): This nickname is a reference to Corinthian Tom, the rakish hero of Pierce Egan’s Life in London; or, or The Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn Esq. and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom (1821) and the original Tom of “Tom and Jerry” fame. A “Corinthian” was a sporting man of rank and fashion.CHAFFING-CRIB (ibid): A room where drinking and bantering are going on.GRUNTER (ibid): A shilling. Reference is to a “hog,” another term for a shilling.LAWFUL BLANKETS (ibid): Wives.HICK JOPS (ibid): Country bumpkins.LIGHT BLUE (ibid): Gin.GRIGS: (from outro patter): Merry companions.INGLERS (ibid): Dodgy horse dealers.DRAGGLE-TAILS (ibid): Prostitutes who are about to age out of the profession. HEDGE CREEPERS (ibid): Low-level thieves. SWELL COVE OUT OF LUCK (ibid): A formerly wealthy rake who has fallen on hard times. 18th BARON DUNWICH (ibid): A fictional title, adopted as a nod to Edward J.M.D. Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany (Lord Dunsany) and a reference to “The Dunwich Horror” by H.P. Lovecraft.There are more! But we're out of space. For the complete glossary of flash-cant terms, plus art for various show elements, see pennydread.com/discord.Thank you for your support! Please, if you have a moment, rate us on your podcatcher network. If you’d like to do more, we do have a Patreon page; it’s here: https://patreon.com/pennydread
