Hackney(ed) in Stoke Newington

I’ve spent two days in Daniel Defoe’s world now. Most of it’s gone, so it’s taken some looking. Defoe was a modern man, so it only makes sense that most of his world’s been demolished, and only some of it by German bombs in World War II. It’s been bulldozed for progress for the most part.

Bicycles near Bunhill Fields.

Highwaymen taken in Uxbridge. Some wounded, some kill’d.

Today’s reading: Defoe’s The FORTUNES and MISFORTUNES Of the FAMOUS Moll Flanders, &c.: Who was Born in NEWGATE, and during a Life of continu’d Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Year a Whore, fives times a Wife (whereof once to her own Brother) Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv’d Honest, and died a Penitent. It’s probably my 20th time through the book over the years. This time I’m preparing a talk about it for a conference in Uxbridge, England, and came across this passage. Three highwaymen committed a robbery,

somewhere on the Road to Windsor, Hounslow-Heath, I think it was, and were pursu’d to Uxbridge by the Country, and were taken there after a gallant Resistance, in which I know not how many of the Country People were wounded, and some kill’d.

Back to the mother country in a few weeks

I’ve been trying to pivot from family matters to preparation for my upcoming trip to London and France. I’m finally starting to focus a little better on what’s coming up.

First, a few days in Stoke Newington, where I’ll be filming sites that were important in Daniel Defoe’s life for a documentary film I’m working on. I’ll also do some filming at places where he stood in the pillory, and at the Museum of London (where Newgate Prison is somewhat represented).