Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841) is a remarkable compendium of mass hysterias, written by the Scottish curmudgeon Charles Mackay.



Alasdair (half-Scottish curmudgeon) takes James on a tour of the stand-out fads, fancies and follies: from Dutch tulip-fanciers, via slow-poisoners, to some cracking haunted house scams. Brace yourself for chilling tales of faux-ghosts. (Fhosts.)



Loreboys nether say die!





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@JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK


S3 Ep54: Loremen S3 Ep54 - The Madness of Crowds

Join the Loremen (James Shakeshaft and Alasdair Beckett-King) as they "investigate" local legends and forgotten folklore.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Comedy

James lures Alasdair back down to the water's edge for an Important Mermaid Update! The Hayfield Mermaid first appeared in Series 2 (get up to speed here). Somehow, the Loreboys managed to overlook yet another freshwater mermaid in a nearby bottomless pool. And the grasping creature that dwells in the waters of Blakemere has a heck of a backstory.



It's Hayfield Mermaids 2: Mere-lectric Mere-galoo!



Disclaimer: some of this episode's "breaking news" is at least 40 years old.



Join us for another Loremen Live in Oxford on 25th May:

https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/loremen-podccast/



This episode was edited by Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor.



LoreBoys nether say die!



Support the Loremen here (and get stuff):



patreon.com/loremenpod



ko-fi.com/loremen



Check the sweet, sweet merch here...



https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631



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S5 Ep28: The Clutching Hands of Blakemere Pool, Peak District

This year's live show at the Leicester Comedy festival was a delight. The lorefolk were in fine form and James rustled up a folkloric feast, including 'facts' from Geoffrey Hodson's 1925 book Fairies at Work and at Play.



Sadly, fairy mischief meant that our recorder batteries died towards the end of the show, so the final portion of this episode has been reconstructed from a low-quality backup. You'll hardly notice! Unless you listen to the episode, in which case you'll definitely notice.



Why not defy the fairy curse and join us for another live show? The Loreboys are going live again in Oxford on May 25th:



https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/loremen-podccast/



(We'll bring lots of spare AA batteries to this one, we promise.)



This episode was edited by Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor.



LoreBoys nether say die!



Support the Loremen here (and get stuff):



patreon.com/loremenpod



ko-fi.com/loremen



Check the sweet, sweet merch here...



https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631



@loremenpod



youtube.com/loremenpodcast



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S5 Ep27: Loremen S5Ep27 - Leicester Fairies, Nuns, Ghosts and a Big Stone LIVE

April is the time for fooling, especially in Scotland where the first of the month is Huntigowk Day: a day for tartan paint, long stands and other bootless errands. James and Alasdair (a pair of anti-prank killjoys) spent this April Fool's investigating Loch Ness, a body of water which has seen more than its share of hoaxes. But one monster prank from April 1st 1972 really takes the cake. 



Is that cake? Or is it an enormous, half-defrosted elephant seal? Find out when the Loreboys meet an English zoologist up to no good on the banks of Loch Ness.



Join us for another Loremen Live in Oxford on 25th May:

https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/loremen-podccast/



This episode was edited by Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor.



LoreBoys nether say die!



Support the Loremen here (and get stuff):



patreon.com/loremenpod



ko-fi.com/loremen



Check the sweet, sweet merch here...



https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631



@loremenpod



youtube.com/loremenpodcast



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S5 Ep26: Loremen S5Ep26 - Huntigowk Day and the Loch Ness Hoax

The cats from Long Cat Media came back! Lindsay Sharman and Laurence Owen (who are so award-nominated they seem to have gained another nomination since last week) return. And they bring with them a first-hand sighting of a cryptid. That's right, Laurence saw Derbyshire's elusive Beast of Belper. 

 

Meanwhile, James Shakeshaft has not been shake-shirking his research duties. He's on the trail of the Surrey Puma, and he's found photographic evidence that will blow you away (if you've never seen a picture of a normal cat before).



Join us for another Loremen Live in Oxford on 25th May:

https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/loremen-podccast/



This episode was edited by Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor.



LoreBoys nether say die!



Support the Loremen here (and get stuff):



patreon.com/loremenpod



ko-fi.com/loremen



Check the sweet, sweet merch here...



https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631



@loremenpod



youtube.com/loremenpodcast



www.instagram.com/loremenpod



www.facebook.com/loremenpod


S5 Ep25: Loremen S5Ep25 - The Beast of Belper and the Surrey Puma with Long Cat Media

The cats from Long Cat Media lure the Loreboys to the wild, wild east. Lindsay Sharman and Laurence Owen (the excessively award-nominated podcasters behind Mockey Manor and Magenta Presents) are on the trail of a hound with a thunderous bark and eyes like saucers. It's a terrifying beast that can turn even the bravest churchgoer into a quivering, crumpled crisp packet of a man... 



Yes, this episode brings the Loremen face-to-snout with East Anglia's infamous Black Shuck! And we welcome back Old Shuck's alter ego: the man-scrumpling dog of Bungay.



Join us for another Loremen Live in Oxford on 25th May:

https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/loremen-podccast/



This episode was edited by Joseph Burrows - Audio Editor.



LoreBoys nether say die!



Support the Loremen here (and get stuff):



patreon.com/loremenpod



ko-fi.com/loremen



Check the sweet, sweet merch here...



https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631



@loremenpod



youtube.com/loremenpodcast



www.instagram.com/loremenpod



www.facebook.com/loremenpod


S3 Ep54: Loremen S3 Ep54 - The Madness of Crowds

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