Round London Down East Up West 1896 Montagu Williams Dickens Preface
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
 
Round London: Down East and Up West
By Montagu Williams, Q.C.
With a preface signed Charles Dickens (dated December 1st, 1892)
Second Edition, March 1896 (Crown 8vo)
Originally published December 1892
London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.
Also New York: Macmillan & Co.
Printed by F. M. Evans & Co., Limited, Crystal Palace, London
xii + 244 pages
 
Historical & Bibliographic Context
 
First issued in 1892, Round London offers vivid, first-hand sketches of late Victorian London society, drawn from Montagu Williams’ experiences as a magistrate at Worship Street and Thames Police Courts.
 
The work is divided between “Down East” (the East End) and “Up West” (West End society scandals), providing rare insight into class contrasts, poverty, justice, vice, and metropolitan life at the height of the British Empire.
 
The preface, signed “Charles Dickens” and dated 1892, was written by Charles Dickens the Younger (1837–1896), eldest son of the famous novelist. As editor of Household Words, he introduces Williams’ sketches and affirms their grounding in real events. This literary association enhances the book’s desirability among collectors of Dickensiana and Victorian social history.
 
Subjects include:
The Match Girls
East End Shows
Sclater Street Birds
The Road to Ruin
Modern Stockbrokers
The London Season
 
The book stands as a compelling social document of late 19th-century London.
 
About the Author
 
Montagu Williams (1834–1892) was a distinguished barrister and police magistrate, often known as “the poor man’s magistrate.” His courtroom experiences and deep knowledge of London’s East End informed his popular social sketches, which remain valuable records of Victorian urban life.
 
Dickens Connection
 
The preface is signed by Charles Dickens (the Younger), son of the great novelist. As editor and literary figure in his own right, his involvement links this work to the Dickens publishing legacy and Victorian journalism.
 
Binding & Exterior Description
 
Bound in original red cloth over boards and spine.
Gilt lettering to the spine.
Small gilt decoration to the front board.
Blind-stamped borders to the boards.
The binding remains intact and structurally robust.
 
Wear includes:
Fading to the spine
Patches of fading to boards
Bumping at corners
Light marks and rubbing at edges
 
Despite cosmetic wear, the volume presents well on the shelf.
 
Interior Condition
 
Pages are roughly cut at the edges, typical of late Victorian production.
They are lightly tanned throughout.
Light foxing to pastedowns and free endpapers.
Very small amount of cloth colour transfer to endpapers.
The text pages are overall neat and clean, with only the very occasional light or small mark not affecting text.
Predominantly uncreased.
Only a couple of pages show small creases.
There are faint remnants of pencil on the front free endpaper only.
No further pen or pencil inscriptions within.
A repaired partial tear to the half title page has been stabilised with a narrow strip of white tape on the reverse (overleaf facing the title page).
A few small edge nicks are present, not affecting text.
All pages are secure.
Very light partial crack in the gutter between the front pastedown and free endpaper and lightly between a handful of further pages.
All xii + 244 pages are present and accounted for.
 
Physical Details
 
19.3 cm x 13.4 cm x 2.9 cm
Weight: approx. 518g
 
Rarity & Collector Notes
 
Second editions of Round London remain collectible, particularly examples retaining original cloth and the Dickens-signed preface.
 
Interest is driven by:
Dickens family association
Victorian London social history
East End studies
Magistrate memoirs
Late 19th-century urban sociology
 
A desirable and affordable entry point for collectors of Dickensiana and Victorian London.