Talk by Paul Cowdell.
23 November is St Clement's day. The patron saint of blacksmiths, his day was celebrated by processions, dinners, effigies, poetry and appeals for money.
The day was celebrated at village forges and – with rather more rowdiness – at the dockyard smithies.
It also merged with similar celebrations two days later for St Catherine, the patron saint of rope makers.
This talk will look at the saints and their celebrations, taking in along the way Dickens, doles, the docks and dynamite.
The Old King's Head
Kings Head Yard, 45-49 Borough High Street, SE1 1NA
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