Owen Davies
@odavies9.bsky.social
Historian and Folklorist. Writes books on witches, magic, ghosts, religion, and popular medicine.
Folklore in Music Hall. "Its a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knocked about a bit", made popular by the singing star Marie Lloyd (1870-1922). Strange but clever mix of spousal abuse with legends of the destruction wrought by Oliver Cromwell. Image from folksongandmusichall.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Folklore in Music Hall. "Its a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knocked about a bit", made popular by the singing star Marie Lloyd (1870-1922). Strange but clever mix of spousal abuse with legends of the destruction wrought by Oliver Cromwell. Image from folksongandmusichall.com
Gibbet postcards... fun choice. On the back of it
"I have arrived here safe, & am enjoying myself tophole"
"I have arrived here safe, & am enjoying myself tophole"
November 5, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Gibbet postcards... fun choice. On the back of it
"I have arrived here safe, & am enjoying myself tophole"
"I have arrived here safe, & am enjoying myself tophole"
Fish and chips as British. For goodness sake. There are two expert books by excellent historians on this. Read books not internet scrapings.
October 18, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Fish and chips as British. For goodness sake. There are two expert books by excellent historians on this. Read books not internet scrapings.
Landscape folklore - latest in my historic folklore postcard series. Which legendary British figure made a prodigious leap between these two stone pillars? And where? (I know the answer...)
October 15, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Landscape folklore - latest in my historic folklore postcard series. Which legendary British figure made a prodigious leap between these two stone pillars? And where? (I know the answer...)
A folklorist sees the modern far-right trigger motifs and reads it like a folk tale of distraction ... #vegans #tampons #toilets #NationalTrust. So simple. Don't be a sucker. See through it.
October 10, 2025 at 8:42 PM
A folklorist sees the modern far-right trigger motifs and reads it like a folk tale of distraction ... #vegans #tampons #toilets #NationalTrust. So simple. Don't be a sucker. See through it.
Folklore & nature. When modern understanding trumps the idea of "folk wisdom". A century ago & more, hedgehogs and grass snakes were terribly persecuted in Britain. Killed in their many thousands because they were thought to suck the milk from cows. Read more in our new book.
October 3, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Folklore & nature. When modern understanding trumps the idea of "folk wisdom". A century ago & more, hedgehogs and grass snakes were terribly persecuted in Britain. Killed in their many thousands because they were thought to suck the milk from cows. Read more in our new book.
The Haunted Bridge. A mystery to solve ... I have this postcard called "The Haunted Bridge" but cannot identify it. It's described as a British beauty spot. The card was posted from Nottingham, early 20thc.
September 26, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The Haunted Bridge. A mystery to solve ... I have this postcard called "The Haunted Bridge" but cannot identify it. It's described as a British beauty spot. The card was posted from Nottingham, early 20thc.
The false 17th-C science of creating ghosts. PALINGENESIS. A fave topic. Take a living thing, burn it to ashes, grind it to the finest powder, then heat or nourish it. The image of the original would appear. Based on the idea that every molecule contained the imprint of the whole.
September 19, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The false 17th-C science of creating ghosts. PALINGENESIS. A fave topic. Take a living thing, burn it to ashes, grind it to the finest powder, then heat or nourish it. The image of the original would appear. Based on the idea that every molecule contained the imprint of the whole.
Our brand new @folkloresociety.bsky.social
website was launched today! Going strong since 1878. Keep a look out for new content and become a member!
folklore-society.com
website was launched today! Going strong since 1878. Keep a look out for new content and become a member!
folklore-society.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Our brand new @folkloresociety.bsky.social
website was launched today! Going strong since 1878. Keep a look out for new content and become a member!
folklore-society.com
website was launched today! Going strong since 1878. Keep a look out for new content and become a member!
folklore-society.com
Wonder what it tasted like ...
August 26, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Wonder what it tasted like ...
Jack White's Gibbet, Somerset. Here's the crossroads where in 1730 highway murderer Jack White was gibbeted. The lane in the distance is Gibbet Lane. The gibbet stood for over a century & the spot was rumoured to be haunted long after the gibbet was destroyed.
August 9, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Jack White's Gibbet, Somerset. Here's the crossroads where in 1730 highway murderer Jack White was gibbeted. The lane in the distance is Gibbet Lane. The gibbet stood for over a century & the spot was rumoured to be haunted long after the gibbet was destroyed.
Dick Turpin's Tree! Bedfont, Hounslow. One of several legendary Turpin trees, from which he made his ambushes. This one blew down in a gale in 1916. More on this in forthcoming book "Lore and Landscape".
August 7, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Dick Turpin's Tree! Bedfont, Hounslow. One of several legendary Turpin trees, from which he made his ambushes. This one blew down in a gale in 1916. More on this in forthcoming book "Lore and Landscape".
This cartoon pretty much sums it up. By Alex Norris.
August 3, 2025 at 8:56 PM
This cartoon pretty much sums it up. By Alex Norris.
Legendary trees. Last week I've been tracing the history of "Holy Thorns" across the British landscape. The Glastonbury "origin" thorn is famous, but over 3 centuries purported descendents from its branches could be found in quiet corners across the country. Hardly any exist now
August 2, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Legendary trees. Last week I've been tracing the history of "Holy Thorns" across the British landscape. The Glastonbury "origin" thorn is famous, but over 3 centuries purported descendents from its branches could be found in quiet corners across the country. Hardly any exist now
Mother Shipton! Been enjoying piecing together the complex history of Mother Shipton's Cave, Knaresborough. All is not what it seems... Enjoyed a 1974 description of the cave as a "modest one-roomed bed sitter".
July 26, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Mother Shipton! Been enjoying piecing together the complex history of Mother Shipton's Cave, Knaresborough. All is not what it seems... Enjoyed a 1974 description of the cave as a "modest one-roomed bed sitter".
I've finished researching Legendary Leaps around the UK! Lots of legendary leaping everywhere. Here's Dick Turpin's Leap in Wensleydale. Bit of a tourist attraction a century ago. Not so much now.
July 4, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I've finished researching Legendary Leaps around the UK! Lots of legendary leaping everywhere. Here's Dick Turpin's Leap in Wensleydale. Bit of a tourist attraction a century ago. Not so much now.
ust working on legendary UK outlaws who lived in caves - and the 16th-century cannibal Sawney Bean features. Checked on Google Maps, and some useful advice on not turning up at the wrong cave...
June 30, 2025 at 8:44 PM
ust working on legendary UK outlaws who lived in caves - and the 16th-century cannibal Sawney Bean features. Checked on Google Maps, and some useful advice on not turning up at the wrong cave...
The Petersyn Witch Fortune Telling Cup. Lovely design & an auction favourite. But information on its origin confused & scant. But I've finally found who Petersyn was & when it was first made - 1909.
June 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
The Petersyn Witch Fortune Telling Cup. Lovely design & an auction favourite. But information on its origin confused & scant. But I've finally found who Petersyn was & when it was first made - 1909.
These are two British good luck swastika charms from WW1. It was a popular luck symbol. Then, with the rise of the Nazis, people understandably got rid of them. The bottom one was made in 1916 from the frame of a zeppelin shot down in England, & was sold to help the war effort.
June 10, 2025 at 9:15 PM
These are two British good luck swastika charms from WW1. It was a popular luck symbol. Then, with the rise of the Nazis, people understandably got rid of them. The bottom one was made in 1916 from the frame of a zeppelin shot down in England, & was sold to help the war effort.
"Druid's Altar". Latest addition to my legends in British landscapes postcard collection.
May 22, 2025 at 9:35 PM
"Druid's Altar". Latest addition to my legends in British landscapes postcard collection.
An occult/folklore shelfie of danger. Struggling to find more room for all the magic, witchcraft, folklore books now I've had to remove all my books from University... This is just one small corner of it. If there's an occult book fall that crushes me - someone sue my university
May 19, 2025 at 8:54 PM
An occult/folklore shelfie of danger. Struggling to find more room for all the magic, witchcraft, folklore books now I've had to remove all my books from University... This is just one small corner of it. If there's an occult book fall that crushes me - someone sue my university
Important tonight. Romania. Relief.
May 18, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Important tonight. Romania. Relief.
Collecting folklore. Researching past books I became a collector of print grimoires and WW1 charms. Now I'm collecting old postcards of legendary British landscapes for another book.
May 15, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Collecting folklore. Researching past books I became a collector of print grimoires and WW1 charms. Now I'm collecting old postcards of legendary British landscapes for another book.
Swim in sewage: Good or bad idea? The decline of civilisation in real time ...
May 14, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Swim in sewage: Good or bad idea? The decline of civilisation in real time ...
Delighted that my book "Witchcraft, magic and culture 1736-1951" (1999) is getting a makeover this autumn after 26 years! Liking the new cover.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526192660/
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526192660/
May 1, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Delighted that my book "Witchcraft, magic and culture 1736-1951" (1999) is getting a makeover this autumn after 26 years! Liking the new cover.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526192660/
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526192660/