English Night-Life Thomas Burke 1941 First Edition Illustrated Dust Jacket
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
 
Title: English Night-Life from Norman Curfew to Present Black-Out
Author: Thomas Burke
Publisher: B. T. Batsford Ltd., 15 North Audley Street, London
Date: 1941
Edition: First Published Edition
 
Printed in Great Britain for the publishers by Jarrold and Sons Ltd., Norwich.
 
This work includes a colour frontispiece, colour plate facing page 100 and numerous illustrated plates reproduced from prints, drawings, paintings, manuscripts and photographs.
 
Historical & Bibliographic Context
 
Published during the dark years of the Second World War, this fascinating volume surveys the rich history of English night-life across more than six centuries. From medieval curfews and feasting halls to Georgian taverns, Victorian entertainment and the altered rhythms of wartime evenings under blackout conditions, the book offers a vivid cultural panorama of how English society spent its nights.
 
The author draws on literary excerpts, historical accounts, and visual records to reconstruct scenes of revelry, music, feasting, theatre, tavern culture and urban social life. Particularly evocative are the concluding reflections on contemporary wartime night-life, when social gatherings and entertainments persisted despite the looming threat of air raids.
 
Illustrated with a wealth of historical imagery, the book combines cultural history with visual documentation, making it both an engaging narrative and a valuable record of English social traditions.
 
About the Author
 
Thomas Burke (1886–1945) was a British author, journalist and chronicler of London life. Best known for his vivid portrayals of urban culture and the social fabric of the capital, Burke gained wide recognition with works such as Limehouse Nights and The Streets of London. His writing frequently explored the rhythms of everyday life, the character of city streets, and the diverse communities that shaped early twentieth-century London. Today his works remain valued for their atmospheric depiction of social history and urban culture.
 
Binding & Exterior Description
 
The book is bound in blue cloth over boards, with dark lettering to the spine.
 
This copy retains its original unclipped dust jacket, which features a colour illustrated design.
 
The dust jacket remains intact, though it shows small tears and creasing at the edges, larger tears at the head and tail of the spine, and light general handling wear.
 
Despite these signs of age, the jacket remains complete and visually attractive, adding significant collectible appeal.
 
The cloth boards are solid and structurally sound, with:
bumping to the corners
light edge fading
small dents and minor marks
small rips to the cloth at the edges
 
There are also patches of fading to the spine, typical of books of this period.
 
Overall, the binding remains robust and presentable on the shelf.
 
Interior Condition
 
The pages are lightly age-toned, with light foxing visible on the page edges when the book is closed.
 
Internally:
pages are generally clean and well preserved
only occasional very light foxing or small marks
pages remain predominantly uncreased
no tears to the pages
 
There is a pen inscription on the front free endpaper and an ink stamp appears on the back free endpaper and rear pastedown.
 
There is a very light crack in the gutter between the front free endpaper and the front pastedown, with additional light gutter cracks between several pages. These are minor and all pages remain securely bound.
 
An inserted leaflet titled “Books and People” (Second Year, Number 2) from Reader’s Digest Condensed Books is included.
 
Physical Details
 
Pagination: ix + 150 pages
Dimensions: 22.2 cm × 14.8 cm × 2.9 cm
Weight: approximately 556 g
 
Rarity & Collector Notes
 
While books by Thomas Burke appear regularly on the antiquarian market, copies retaining their original dust jackets are less common, particularly wartime publications that often suffered heavy handling or jacket loss.
 
This volume is desirable for several reasons:
First published edition (1941)
Richly illustrated historical content
Original illustrated dust jacket present
Interesting wartime cultural context
 
Collectors of London history, British social history, and illustrated cultural studies often seek Burke’s works for their vivid depiction of everyday life and historical atmosphere.