Victoria Shepherd, Stony Jack and the Lost Jewels of Cheapside

A thrilling history of mudlarkers, charlatans, experts and chancers in the year the Titanic sank and London was growing anew.

Diving into the underbelly of London’s bustling, occasionally lawless antiques trade at the turn of the century, narrative historian Victoria Shepherd paints a compelling scene of the city at the height of empire, in the midst of its remarkable transformation into a modern metropolis.

Saturday 14th June, 6.00pm
Venue: Read on Sea, 28 Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 1AW
Tickets: £5
Box Office: readonsea.co.uk

Stony Jack and the Lost Jewels of Cheapside: Treasure and Ghosts in the London Clay by Victoria Shepherd

A thrilling history of mudlarkers, charlatans, experts and chancers in the year the Titanic sank and London was growing anew.

June 1912. A pair of workmen deposit a heavy ball of clay in the antiques shop of George Fabian Lawrence – or ‘Stony Jack’, as he’s better known. As Lawrence picks through the mud, a speck of gold catches his eye. A pearl earring tumbles into his hand, then another. A Burmese ruby follows; then Colombian emeralds, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan and turquoise from Iran; tankards; watches; topaz; amazonite.

Stony Jack has discovered the greatest single cache of Elizabethan treasure.

Diving into the underbelly of London’s bustling, occasionally lawless antiques trade at the turn of the century, narrative historian Victoria Shepherd paints a compelling scene of the city at the height of empire, in the midst of its remarkable transformation into a modern metropolis.

Often compared with Sutton Hoo as one of Britain’s key archaeological discoveries, the Cheapside Hoard not only reveals a new glimpse of Elizabethan society, but also can be viewed as one of history’s great ‘what ifs’ – so many treasures were smashed, ignored, reburied – the time of discovery, without the huge mechanical diggers of today, was crucial.

Victoria Shepherd

Photo of Victoria Shepherd credit Jennifer Evans

Victoria Shepherd conceived and produced the ten-part series A History of Delusions for BBC Radio 4 and is author of the book of the same name.

She has produced scores of documentaries and major strands for BBC Radio 4 and holds an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia.