Annotated Bibliography

Ashton, John. "Social Life in the Reign of Quenn Anne." Chatto & Windus: London. 1925.
     The absence of domestic newspapers during the reign of Queen Anne makes this a very useful text. Ashton draws on various sources ranging from personal writings to historical documents. Also, the text focuses on the implications of some of Queen Anne's governmental decisions with regard to social life during her reign. The text tackles various parts of social life such as marriage, gambling, liquor, and food. Furthermore, this text also takes an interesting angle by examining the implications of various political decisions on social life.

Botsford, Jay Barrett. "English Society in the 18th Century." MacMillan Publishing: New York. 1924.
     This text focuses on how 18th Century English Life was impacted by oversea expansion. It extensively examines the implications of oversea expansion and some of the motivating factors for change. The text is not limited to a macro view of 18th Century society; it also looks at the individual living in 18th Century England, offering an often-overlooked micro view of society. Furthermore, the text deals with the issue of a new and expansive world, and how it changed 18th Century English life. Author, Jay Barrett Botsford, was a history professor at Brown University in the early 20th Century.

Burton, Elizabeth. "The Pageant of Georgian England." Charles Scribner's Sons: New York, New York. 1967.
     This text is a story of life in 18th Century England. It follows the life and travels of George Lewis of Brunswick. More than the journey of the protagonist, the text is about various components of 18th Century England daily life. The text has a chapter on diversions and amusements and even one on interior decorating.

Donaldson, Ian. "Bartholomew Fair and Pilgrims Progress" Notes and Queries; 1992 April; 29 (227) no.2: 142-143.
     Donaldson compares the 1614 play Bartholomew Fair to the 1678 play Pilgrims Progress. Donaldson, a professor from Australian National University, reflects on the interpretation of the Bartholomew Fair. His text details descriptions of what it was like to go to the fairs as presented by the plays. Although, this text is about two plays, it reveals important insight into how the fairs were viewed by the public and their popularity.

Jonson, Ben. "Bartholomew Fair" Holt. New York, New York. 1904.
     Jonson was an English and Law professor at the United States Naval Academy in the early 20th Century. The text focuses on Bartholomew Fair in England. It offers a realistic in-depth analysis of one of England most storied fairs. This text is particularly effective because of the depth of analysis it describes on one specific  event. The text details the events of the annual fair and its features, but it also ends with a satirical commentary on 18th Century English society and fairs.

MacMathuna, Sean. "Evidence of Worship of the Horned God in early Celtic London."  Flame  Winter 1999. 18 Apr. 2002. <>
     MacMathuna explores where and how 18th Century English men and women worshipped the Horned God.  He explains the various festivals held in honor of the Horned God and also the various rites of initiation that were connected with Horned God worship.

Malcolmson, Robert W. "Popular Recreations in English Society 1700-1850" University Press: Cambridge. 1973.
     Malcolmson's text is fairly unique in that it examines recreational life over a 150 year span. As a result, it is particularly useful in tracing the development of fairs and recreational life in 18th Century England and beyond. The text also displays numerous pictures that are aid in conceptualizing the text.

Morsley, Clifford. "News from the English Countryside 1750-1850" Harrap Publishing: London. 1979.
     Morsley attempts to gather as much information about 18th Century English life by researching newspapers and other published material. The text is a collection of various newspaper articles with commentary and analysis following each article. The creative nature of this text allows the reader to acquire knowledge of various topics written about in 18th Century newspapers. Futhermore, some of the articles are humorous, while at the same time conveying what 18th Century English life was like.

Norton, Rictor.  Early-Eighteenth Century Newspaper Reports: A Sourcebook, "May Fair Riots," 21 Dec. 2001.  12 Apr. 2002

      Norton provides primary texts from eighteenth century newspapers, allowing the reports of the time to speak for themselves. A whole section of his work is dedicated to the exploration of the May Fair Riots of the early part of the century.

Olsen, Kristin. "Daily Life in 18th Century England" Greenwood Publishing: Westport, Ct. 1999.
     This text gives summaries of various events that defined 18th Century life. It spans all social classes and different cities in England. It has extensive analysis on government, social structure, city life, and education in addition to various other topics. This is a text that briefly examines almost every aspect of 18th Century English life. Although, it does not delve deep into any specific aspect of English life, it draws an excellent picture of 18th Century Daily Life.

Owen, William. "Owen's Book of Fairs" London. Printed for W. Owen and R Goadby. 1769.
     Owen's Book of Fairs is an authentic account of all the fairs in England and Wales. It serves as an excellent historical source for the fairs of the 18th Century. The text is located in the Special Collections Library at the University of Michigan, and serves as an unbiased account of all the rituals and events that led to 18th Century fairs being the celebrated event that they were in the England.

Wilson, Eric. "Sounding Out Early Modern London" Modern Language Studies; 1995 Summer; 25 no. 3:1-42.
     Wilson's essay argues that in 18th Century England written and spoken word reveals telling tales about social practices and cultural ethos that have been historically tuned out. He searches for the events and daily practices that maybe have not received their just attention in 18th Century English history. He discusses the importance of carnivals and fairs. Furthermore, he details the sounds heard at an 18th Century English fair, attempting to aid his reader in grasping what 18th Century English fairs were like.

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