The East End Digital Library is a place to explore digital archives and London literary history
The Lyon Archive
The Lyon Archive houses rare published and manuscript work by members of the Lyon family. It includes copies of A.S. Lyon’s personal diaries documenting his life in the East End of London.
The Polack Archive
The Polack Archive contains a digital edition of Maria Polack’s Fiction without Romance: or the Locket-Watch (1830). This rare novel (only 6 copies remain in existence) is believed to be the first by an Anglo-Jewish writer. Polack’s novel recalls the vibrant cultural activities of London’s nineteenth-century East End.
Subscription Data
One copy of Polack’s novel preserved a copy of the original subscription list. This rare marketing document preserves the names and addresses of those willing to publicly endorse Polack’s novel. This archive includes data visualizations from several East End publications, including Fiction Without Romance.
