Black Plaques

@blackplaques.bsky.social

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Memorials to Misadventure; Black Plaques® lift the carefully-placed rug to discover an awkward stain. London book out now.

an extract from John Brand's 1810 'Popular Antiquities' which describes how on midsummer's eve 'in ancient times', people lit bonfires to dissuade lusty dragons from ejaculating in the wells and fountains, thus causing 'grievous distemper' or death.
London's Bill of Mortality for this week in 1728 including 1 death from Bleeding, 2 from French Pox, 2 from Grief, 1 from Looseness, 5 were Suddenly, and 5 from Worms.
Victorian drawing of a well dressed lady about to attack a butcher's shop with her umbrella. The headline reads: 'She was very fond of sausages'.
Title page of a book published in 1728: Plain Reasons for the Growth of Sodomy in England
Newspaper clipping from 1833 which reads: "Dog strayed, on Wednesday the 8th instant, A black greyhound bitch – answers to the name of SLUT. She has a white breast; top of the tail white; the toes on all the feet white, with some grey hairs over the body."
Text from Samuel Pepys' diary, Dec 16 1665: 'Thence back, and landing at the Old Swan and taking boat again at Billingsgate and setting ashore at home; and I, lying down close in my boat, and there, without use of my hand, had great pleasure, and the first time I did make trial of my strength of fancy of that kind without my hand, and had it complete avec la fille que I did see aujourdui in Westminster Hall'
A newspaper report of 1925 explaining that the girl had a peculiar mania for driving locomotive engines and this was her second such exploit. No explanation is offered for her nude condition.
Three pictures showing the adventures of a naked young lady illicitly driving a steam locomotive. They are titled: The naked girl drove the engine into some wagons, The police boarded the engine, and they wrapped her in a coat.
A transcription of some graffiti spotted in a gents toilet in Worcester, 1940 which says: "A wank a day keeps the pox doctor away" as well as "All boys are the same, except the 'Daily Wanker and Tosser'" with what looks like a 1 pence coin or symbol. There is also a primitive illustration of a cock and balls to accompany it.
A coloured print from 1785 showing Toby the Sapient pig picking from a row of cards on the instructions of his keeper, surrounded by an audience of (fee paying) spectators. The spectacle was housed in a building opposite Horse Guards on Whitehall.
An engraved illustration from 1820 showing a multi-limbed 'turnip' with an enigmatically smiling face and leaves like bouffant hair. Accompanying text (not shown) explains that this example of the mildly peppery but sweet tasting root vegetable was dug up in Germany in 1628.
An 18th century cure for chin-cough. Take a spoonful of woodlice, bruise them, mix them with breast milk and take them three or four mornings according as you find benefit.
Text from an 1833 medical book on The Testicle, describing a demonstration by a man who could raise and lower each spud independently.
A photograph of South Place Hotel in Moorgate, London
Extract from the diary of Samuel Pepys, 1663 describing his difficulties with constipation and how a coach journey prompted a sustained sequence of farts, and some temporary relief.
To cure hot feet (according to a remedy of 1653) soak them in stale urine in which snails have been boiled.
A newspaper report from 1721 that reads: "There is a house of sodomites discovered in Leicester Square."
Picture of Black Plaques London book for sale on bookshop.org