John Timbs

Born in Clerkenwell on August 17, 1801, he became an English author and antiquary known for making history, science, and city life accessible to a wide audience. As a young man he was apprenticed to a printer and druggist, began writing early, and soon moved fully into literary work.

Over the course of his career he wrote and edited a large number of popular books and periodicals, sometimes using the pseudonym Horace Welby. He is especially remembered for works on London, its clubs, customs, and odd corners of the past, as well as for collections of anecdotes and pieces of useful knowledge aimed at general readers.

His books have an easy, curious quality: they gather facts, stories, and observations in a way that feels both learned and companionable. He died on March 6, 1875, but his work still offers a vivid window into how Victorians looked at their city and their history.