Louisa Carpenter, London historian

I am drawn to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Having called the city home for thirteen years, I have developed an ever-growing obsession with uncovering its past and can often be found in the British Library, local archives or even on the banks of the Thames digging around for stories. I am currently working towards writing my first book on the story of London gambling in the frenetic and fascinating period of the eighteenth century. This blog is a space for the surplus debauchery and characters that I come across during my research, as well as any other historical nuggets relating to this period.

Having spent the first part of my working life in television, by 2012 I decided my brain needed a new challenge and so, following my love for museums and all things historical, embarked on an MA in the History of Design and Material Culture at the University of Brighton where I undertook research into eighteenth century playing cards. By researching these objects in intricate detail, I was able to bring alive the story of gambling and, with it, capture the reality of the social barriers that were faced by ordinary Londoners at this time.

I completed my Masters in 2014 and my book is a follow on from that research, combining a love and fascination with exploring London’s streets by foot and imagining past lives, with the story of London’s first gambling pandemic.