October 30, 2025

4.04: The Child-flogger reaps what he sows. — The highwaymen almost rob a prince! — Plus some salacious songs, bad jokes, and other early-Victorian fun!

1 hour 14 minutes

NOTE — for a glossary of "flash" terms used in this episode, see pennydread.com/discord. (Flash was the slang lingo used by the criminal underworld of the Regency and early Victorian period.)

A one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! In two parts, to-wit:

PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 32:30:

This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sweeney Todd, along with the more darksome, loathly, and horrifying tidbits of the week: Tales of horrid murders, public executions, disasters, brutal crimes, and similar rays of sunshine — INCLUDING ...

03:23: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: A horrible mystery of the death of a boy abducted and murdered by persons unknown.
06:55: SWEENEY TODD, THE BARBER OF FLEET-STREET, Chapter 61: Johanna and Arabella meet up with Colonel Jeffery in the Temple Garden and he tells them about Tobias’s adventures. Arabella seems to be meditating on something, hatching a scheme. What could it be? And will it lead to ruin?
25:29: BROADSIDE BALLAD: A celebration of the sentencing of Barney, the Oilman of Brick-lane, to three weeks in prison for severely beating his 11-year-old shopboy with a cane.
29:07: TERRIFIC REGISTER ARTICLE: A dreadful tale, purportedly true, of a bad seed who made a shocking deathbed confession.

PART II: "THE TWOPENNY TORRIDS," 32:40 — 1:14:20:

This second segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter or two of Dick Turpin's adventures, along with all the more salacious, cheeky, and naughty elements of the week — INCLUDING ...

33:10: BLACK BESS; or, THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD (starring HIGHWAYMAN DICK TURPIN), Chapter 27-30: Turpin and King return to the Hand and Keys. Davis still has not returned, and Dick is getting very worried. He decides to travel to London and investigate, and free Tom Davis from the clutches of the grabs if he’s been touched; King volunteers to come with him. On the way, they talk over plans to rescue Black Bess. Then, in Chapter 29 — Turpin and King, on their journey to London, decide to “do a little business” with the horseman who’s coming toward them, reasoning that it won’t delay them much and he might have a rich booty. Accordingly they give him the old “Stand and Deliver” line; whereupon he draws his sword and attacks. He ends up in a great sword fight with Tom King. Then he calls a halt and offers King his purse; but King declines it, as does Dick. Both agree he’s defended himself so valiantly and cleanly that he’s earned their respect and friendship, and they don’t rob friends. Then he introduces himself — and both are astonished when they learn who they just tried to rob!

1:03:00: A FEW DIRTY JOKES from a collection from "The Chestnut Club," circa 1870.
1:05:55: TWO VERY NAUGHTY COCK-AND-HEN-CLUB SONGS: "The Chickster to her Dab has Gone” and “O Saw You My Ass When ‘Twas Out on the Green.”
1:11:10: A FEW SQUEAKY-CLEAN DAD JOKES from the early-1800s' most popular joke book: "Joe Miller's Jests; or, The Wit's Vade-mecum."

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!

*The Barony of Dunwitch is located in a wood west of Arkham (where “the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep woods that no axe has ever cut; there are dark narrow glens where the trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight.”) Actually it is a good 3,000 miles west of Arkham. It is not to be confused with Dunwich, the English seacoast town that fell house by house into the sea centuries ago, or Dunsany, the home until 1957 of legendary fantasy author Edward J.M.D. Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany.

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By Finn J.D. John/ Pulp-Lit Productions

4.4

99 ratings