The Night Side of London

audiobook

The Night Side of London

by J. Ewing (James Ewing) Ritchie

EN·~4 hours·30 chapters

Chapters

30 total
1

Transcribed from the 1858 William Tweedie edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

0:05
2

the NIGHT SIDE OF LONDON.

1:10
3

INTRODUCTION.

39:14
4

SEEING A MAN HANGED.

12:40
5

CATHERINE-STREET.

7:58
6

THE BAL MASQUE,

7:29
7

UP THE HAYMARKET.

8:48
8

THE CANTERBURY HALL.

9:24
9

RATCLIFFE-HIGHWAY.

11:34
10

JUDGE AND JURY CLUBS.

8:05

Description

A vivid portrait unfolds of a city that dazzles by day yet conceals a tangled maze of alleys, taverns, and secret societies after the lights dim. The narrator guides listeners through bustling streets and dimly lit backrooms, from the noisy haymarket to the hushed courts where justice is bartered, revealing how ordinary residents cope with the relentless crush of crowds, dust, and disease.

Through a blend of statistics and anecdotes, the work sketches the paradox of a metropolis that prides itself on grandeur while its poorest neighborhoods wrestle with hardship and vice. Listeners will hear the clatter of horse‑drawn carriages, the murmur of night‑houses, and the whispered lore of clubs that thrive in the shadows, all rendered in a tone that feels both scholarly and intimate.

The first act sets a stage where curiosity and caution intermingle, inviting you to step beyond polished facades and glimpse the humanity that pulses through London’s darker streets.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~4 hours (269K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Release date

2010-06-11

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

J. Ewing (James Ewing) Ritchie

J. Ewing (James Ewing) Ritchie

1820–1898

A lively Victorian journalist and travel writer, he brought nineteenth-century London and the wider world to readers with sharp observation and an easy, readable style. His books range from social sketches and political lives to journeys abroad, reflecting a reporter’s eye for everyday detail.

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