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Julian Woodford
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The Boss of Bethnal Green, Joseph Merceron the Godfather of Regency London Hardcover – 3 Nov. 2016

by Julian Woodford (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 56 ratings
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Julian Woodford uncovers the breathtakingly appalling life of Joseph Merceron (1764-1839), gangster and corrupt magistrate, who accumulated enormous wealth while presiding over the creation of the poorest slums in Georgian London.Ruling Spitalfields and Bethnal Green from his base in Brick Lane for half a century, Merceron gave the East End the bad reputation that still lingers today, while the exploits of recent mobsters and political miscreants pale by comparison with his staggering violence and ruthlessness.Julian Woodford's shrewd biography - the first on this subject - is essential reading for all those interested in eighteenth century London, anyone fascinated by the capital's criminal history and everyone who loves an exciting true story well told.
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  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Spitalfields Life Books
  4. Publication date
    3 Nov. 2016
  5. Dimensions
    15.3 x 3.5 x 22.3 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    0957656963
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0957656963
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spitalfields Life Books; First Edition (3 Nov. 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0957656963
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0957656963
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.3 x 3.5 x 22.3 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 56 ratings

About the author

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Julian Woodford

Julian Woodford

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Julian Woodford is a British historian and author. Since graduating from the University of York he has combined a career in the City of London with a passion for London's history. 'The Boss of Bethnal Green' is his first book. Follow him on Twitter at @HistoryLondon.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
56 global ratings

Top reviews from United Kingdom

Pauline Tranter
5.0 out of 5 stars Good social history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 March 2024
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Gave me an insight into Georgian and Regency everyday living in the East End of London. Lots of detail and very interesting moment in time. Corruption at its best!!!
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BeeBopTallulah
4.0 out of 5 stars Bought as a gift for my husband who is very ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2018
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Bought as a gift for my husband who is very picky about books but he seems to have his nose in it most nights so I think he is enjoying it.
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Mark
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2023
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An excellent account of life in Regency Bethnal Green and the grifters who helped make it so miserable. Reveals corruption on a grand scale, the subversion of democracy, and the bullying tactics used by those in power to make themselves rich and even more powerful.
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Gerard Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2023
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Fascinating insight into a lesser known and divisive character of London's East end with some parallels to people in government in present day Britain! Tremendous read.
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Percy88
3.0 out of 5 stars It is more a historical reference book than anything. ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 March 2017
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It is more a historical reference book than anything. Extremely well researched and written, but the cover suggests something more thrilling. I struggled to wade through it
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent book and a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2016
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This is an excellent book and a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in the historical development of London’s East End. In a fifty year career of startling misrule from 1787 to his death in 1839, Merceron was Bethnal Green’s ‘Boss’ - the term is from Sidney and Beatrice Webb’s ‘English Local Government’ (1906) – and Woodford has brilliantly built out the story they describe of ‘corrupt partiality of assessment, jobbery of office and secret expenditure of funds’. The author’s accessible style and pacing – the book in parts reads more like a thriller than a historical biography - conceal the depth of original research and scholarship. He has a particular gift for bringing together both the detail of how Merceron got, misused and kept power for so long and the big picture of a turbulent London during and after the Napoleonic wars, perhaps its time of greatest change.

The ‘Boss’ was a decade in the writing and is a triumph of perseverance for Woodford who combines being an author historian with working in the City. It looks like a coming of age for publisher Spitalfields Life Books, started by the Gentle Author in 2009, and under whose sympathetic and likely exacting editorial eye it has come so vividly to life. Well worth the wait and more from both please!
6 people found this helpful
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Joyce Taylor and Samantha Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2023
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Vividly brings to life the people and history of Bethnal Green.
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Wendy S
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating insight into social conditions in Regency London, and the causes of them
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 January 2021
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This is a really interesting book about conditions in Regency London. It is impeccably researched and covers significant events at both a national & local level. Whilst it focuses on the life of the main character, Joseph Merceron, it paints a clear & disturbing picture of the living conditions for the local poor, and how Merceron adversely impacted them. Well worth a read.
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Top reviews from other countries

Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for researching East End London history and ancestry
Reviewed in the United States on 23 February 2021
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This outstanding book is both well-written and well-researched. I read it in an attempt to understand London's East End during the Georgian and Regency eras, which was the place and time frame for a seminal ancestor in my family's history. My ancestor was a contemporary of Joseph Merceron, and frankly a biography of Merceron is also a biography of that place and time as he seemed to have his hand in every aspect of life in Bethnal Green. It was incredibly enlightening and gave context to the life of my own ancestor. I highly recommend Woodford's book to anyone interested in East London history or researching their own ancestry there.
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JDG
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant effort!
Reviewed in Canada on 4 June 2018
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An excellent read about a London magistrate who for decades became an unstoppable gangster overlord of his parish. I had little knowledge of the socio-economic challenges of the day aside from Oliver Twist. An entertaining prose style and meticulously researched. Anyone with an interest in the history of the City of London, financial crime, or just looking for a great read will enjoy this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well done!
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Terry Karney
5.0 out of 5 stars Deft, witty, and fun
Reviewed in the United States on 10 October 2020
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This is what historical biography wants to be. It's both a discussion of Merceron, but also puts him in context; not just the Bethnal Green he controlled, but the larger City of London, and country of England which made it possible.
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Diana Lloyd
5.0 out of 5 stars Must have reference source
Reviewed in the United States on 4 January 2020
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Wow, a TON of info in this book. Logically laid out, plainly written and full of historical facts and details.
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