Devil encounters, executions and 19th century folk song: Spineless Wonders launches at Senate House Library

Hosted by Catriona Cannon, Librarian and Programme Director, Library Transformation Programme, the launch brought together book-lovers, counterculture experts and Federation Members to celebrate the often-overlooked power of pamphlets, leaflets and other ephemeral publications throughout history.

Following an introduction from Professor David Latchman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, BBC radio producer and disability champion Victoria Brignell gave a powerful speech on how leaflets and other spineless literature can be a force for change. Victoria - recipient of a Doctorate of Literature honoris causa from SAS – highlighted pamphlets demanding equal rights for disabled people from thirty or forty years ago – a debate, she noted, which continues to this day.

Exhibition curators Leila Kassir, Tansy Barton and Christos Fotelis shared their favourite pieces from the exhibition. Academic Librarian, Tansy Barton, picked “A Strange, True, and Dreadful Relation, of the Devils Appearing to Thomas Cox”, printed in London by E. Mallet, 1684. This single sheet pamphlet is a sensational tale written in a way to shock and titillate the reader, relating to the strange journey of Mr Cox and the mysterious stranger he encounters enroute.

Paper Conservator, Christos Fotelis, chose “The arrest, trial and execution of William Gutsell” (1833), convicted of setting fire to some hay and executed the same day. The language of the leaflet, Fotelis noted, was dramatic, reflecting an era in which public execution was a popular form of entertainment.

Academic Librarian, Leila Kassir, opted for “A Street Door of Our Own’: A Short History of Life on an LCC Estate”, a pamphlet from 1977 focussing on the residents of Honor Oak Estate in south London. The pamphlet, from the Heisler Collection, includes the reflections of 12 elderly residents of the estate, and the community’s long (and eventually successful) campaign for a community centre.

Maggs Bros Managing Director Fuchsia Voremberg, a regular on BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow, talked about the importance of ephemeral literature. Spineless Wonders, she noted, can be a celebration of community, and in an era of self-publishing, it is essential to continue producing physical literature which can be held and shared.

The night ended with an acapella performance from Jennifer Reid  inspired by 19th century Lancastrian Industrial Revolution ballads and other protest songs from history, many of them radical, revolutionary and risqué.

You can view more photos from the event on the University's Flickr page. 

The Spineless Wonders exhibition is on display at the fourth floor of Senate House Library until 15 November. Entry is free. Please check here for more details on attending the exhibition.