Michael Worboys will present ‘Doggy People’, an account of how the Victorians made the modern dog, at Nantwich Bookshop & Coffee Lounge on Friday March 17.
Worboys is Emeritus Professor at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) at the University of Manchester.
There were dogs in Victorian Britain, but who were the “Doggy People” who kept them, bred them, showed them, worked with them and cared for them?
Chapter by chapter, the book reveals the varied and often eccentric lives of the Victorians who helped define dogs as we know them today.
The cast runs from the very pinnacle of society, Queen Victoria, to near the bottom with Jemmy Shaw, a publican, boxer, promoter of dog-fights and rat-killing.
Others include an artist, aristocrats, authors, a clergyman, doctors, a dog-dealer, a feminist, journalists, landowners, millionaires, philanthropists, politicians, scientists, a stockbroker, veterinarians, and a showman – none other their Charles Cruft.
Looking at the invention and meaning of new breeds such as poodles, collies, Jack Russells, and borzois amongst others, we see how the Victorians thought about pets, sports, dog shows and animal rights.
Tickets are £20 (or £30 for a couple), which includes a welcoming drink and a copy of the book.
Denise Lawson, Nantwich Bookshop & Coffee Lounge, said: “We look forward Emeritus Professor Michael Worboys talking to us about the dogs in Victorian Britain, as we are such a dog-friendly business.”
Doors open at 6pm for a 6.15pm start.
For further information call 01270 611665, email [email protected], or visit Nantwich Bookshop & Coffee Lounge at 46 High Street in the centre of Nantwich.
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