Forgotten London: Exploring the Hidden Life of the City

by Peter Ackroyd

Overview

No city shaped the modern world quite like London – a powerhouse of trade, finance and empire, the centre of global influence in the nineteenth century. But beyond the familiar stories of power and politics, its true life played out in the streets, where market traders, music hall crowds and factory workers gave it its vitality, its light and its shadows. 

Forgotten London uncovers its stories, bringing to life the highs and lows of those who made the city what it was. Covering the transformative years from the Victorian era to the Second World War, this richly illustrated book – featuring photographs, colourised images and period artwork – immerses readers in a side of London often overlooked. 

With Peter Ackroyd’s masterful storytelling, it offers an unforgettable journey into the city’s past. Step into its streets, meet its people – and see London as you’ve never seen it before. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780711287648
Publisher:	Frances Lincoln
Publication date:	10/07/2025
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	7.48(w) x 9.64(h) x (d)

About the Author

London has been the main character in the work of Peter Ackroyd ever since his first novel, The Great Fire of London. His Hawksmoor won the Whitbread and the Guardian Fiction Prize, Chatterton was shortlisted for the Booker, London: the Biography won the South Bank Show Annual Award for Literature. Reviewers commonly categorize him as the Dickens of our day.

Table of Contents

TOC

INTRODUCTION

1. 1837–1850 SMOKE , FILTH AND FOG
2. 1851–1900 LONDON ON THE MOVE
3. 1900–1914 SPLENDOUR AND UNREST
4. 1914–1931 WAR AND JAZZ
5. 1932–1939 ON THE PRECIPICE