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Julian Woodford
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Boss Of Bethnal Green Joseph Merceron Hardcover – January 1, 1713

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 48 ratings
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    Spitalfields Life Books
  3. Publication date
    January 1, 1713
  4. Dimensions
    6.02 x 1.38 x 8.78 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0957656963
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0957656963
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spitalfields Life Books (January 1, 1713)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0957656963
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0957656963
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.66 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.02 x 1.38 x 8.78 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 48 ratings

About the author

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Julian Woodford

Julian Woodford

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Julian Woodford is a British historian and author. Since graduating from the University of York he has combined a career in the City of London with a passion for London's history. 'The Boss of Bethnal Green' is his first book. Follow him on Twitter at @HistoryLondon.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
48 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for researching East End London history and ancestry
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2021
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This outstanding book is both well-written and well-researched. I read it in an attempt to understand London's East End during the Georgian and Regency eras, which was the place and time frame for a seminal ancestor in my family's history. My ancestor was a contemporary of Joseph Merceron, and frankly a biography of Merceron is also a biography of that place and time as he seemed to have his hand in every aspect of life in Bethnal Green. It was incredibly enlightening and gave context to the life of my own ancestor. I highly recommend Woodford's book to anyone interested in East London history or researching their own ancestry there.
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Terry Karney
5.0 out of 5 stars Deft, witty, and fun
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2020
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This is what historical biography wants to be. It's both a discussion of Merceron, but also puts him in context; not just the Bethnal Green he controlled, but the larger City of London, and country of England which made it possible.
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Diana Lloyd
5.0 out of 5 stars Must have reference source
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2020
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Wow, a TON of info in this book. Logically laid out, plainly written and full of historical facts and details.
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impulsesleuthcat
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wealth of Detail about Georgian and Regency London
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2022
Those who are fascinated with the Georgian and Regency period in England will find a wealth of information in this book. I've never been to London, but Woodford's evocations of the crowded, squalid streets of Bethnal Green was like stepping into a Hogarth print. (Thanks to the author for including photos of the places where this real-life story of corruption and avarice played out.)
I appreciated this book for several reasons. First, I learned so much about municipal government in this time; how parishes were organized and so forth. I learned more about the criminal justice system and the way prisons were run. Secondly, the story of Joseph Merceron provides a lot to think about when it comes to the many ways politicians enrich themselves at the public's expense and how little has changed. I enjoyed the descriptions of the boisterous electoral campaigns of the day. The tactic of misrepresenting your political opponent and disparaging his motives is not a recent invention! Thirdly, we meet a large cast of real-life historical personages. Some of them I've encountered elsewhere, like William Wilberforce and William Garrett, who do not come off as heroically as they do in "Amazing Grace" and "Garrow's Law."
I'm impressed by the research that went into this book. Whenever I clicked on a footnote, it established that the author had studied a lot of original archival material. And that's another thing; I was surprised that there were that many details to find, so much financial information, so much corroboration of who said what and when. On the other hand, where corroborative detail is not available, Woodford tells us so. He does not stray far into speculation.
Merceron is a man who controlled his section of London by controlling the taxes, the poor relief funds, the allocations for public improvements, all salaried public offices, the awarding of contracts, plus he controlled how much in the way of taxes each ratepayer paid. He used fraud, bribery, kickbacks, and intimidation. It was rather surprising to see how incoherent he was when he was finally brought into a court of law and confronted by a clever barrister.
The story of how an unscrupulous person seized control of the evolving institutions of municipal government might not strike everyone as seat-of-the-pants reading but Woodford supplies many colourful anecdotes and quotes that make the story both vivid and relevant. The long career of this scoundrel is also--quite legitimately--woven into the large picture of the times: the ebb and flow of the politics of the day; the British reaction to the French Revolution, the effect of the long-running wars against Napoleon, the rapid growth of London and the scourge of cholera.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about this consequential and transformative period of history.
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Top reviews from other countries

Pauline Tranter
5.0 out of 5 stars Good social history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2024
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Gave me an insight into Georgian and Regency everyday living in the East End of London. Lots of detail and very interesting moment in time. Corruption at its best!!!
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JDG
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant effort!
Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2018
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An excellent read about a London magistrate who for decades became an unstoppable gangster overlord of his parish. I had little knowledge of the socio-economic challenges of the day aside from Oliver Twist. An entertaining prose style and meticulously researched. Anyone with an interest in the history of the City of London, financial crime, or just looking for a great read will enjoy this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well done!
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BeeBopTallulah
4.0 out of 5 stars Bought as a gift for my husband who is very ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2018
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Bought as a gift for my husband who is very picky about books but he seems to have his nose in it most nights so I think he is enjoying it.
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Mark
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2023
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An excellent account of life in Regency Bethnal Green and the grifters who helped make it so miserable. Reveals corruption on a grand scale, the subversion of democracy, and the bullying tactics used by those in power to make themselves rich and even more powerful.
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Gerard Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2023
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Fascinating insight into a lesser known and divisive character of London's East end with some parallels to people in government in present day Britain! Tremendous read.
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