Cumbrian Chapmen

From the early modern period until the early years of the twentieth century much of the distribution of goods was done by Chapman who tramped the highways and byways of the Lake Counties. Carrying their stock in packs on their backs, they offered not only small goods, including chapbooks, but also often carried news of a wider world. This talk will outline these small dealers and tell some tales of their lives – culled from inventories, court cases, and fragmentary memoirs.