Stony Jack and the Lost Jewels of Cheapside - Treasure and Ghosts in the London Clay

A thrilling history of mudlarkers, charlatans, experts and chancers – the underbelly of the Edwardian antiques trade.

'What a story! And how skilfully told! A tale about treasure, as twisty and thrilling as any of the adventures of Indiana Jones.' Lucy Worsley

June 1912. A pair of workmen deposit a heavy ball of clay in the antiques shop of George Fabian Lawrence, or ‘Stony Jack’ as he's better known. As Lawrence picks through the mud, a speck of gold catches his eye. A pearl earring tumbles into his hand, then another. A Burmese ruby follows; then Colombian emeralds, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan and turquoise from Iran; tankards; watches; topaz; amazonite.

Stony Jack has discovered the greatest single cache of Elizabethan treasure.

Diving into London’s bustling, sometimes lawless, antiques trade at the turn of the century, Victoria Shepherd provides a compelling portrait of the city at the height of empire. A thrilling ride through Edwardian London, from the marble halls of the British Museum to the East End's maze of tenements and alleyways, Stony Jack and the Lost Jewels of Cheapside oversees the transformation of the city into a modern metropolis.

About the author

Victoria Shepherd is the author of Stony Jack and the Lost Jewels of Cheapside and A History of Delusions. She conceived and produced the ten-part series A History of Delusions for BBC Radio 4. She has produced scores of documentaries and major strands for BBC Radio 4. She holds an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia.

Product details

• Authors: Victoria Shepherd, Shepherd Victoria
• Publisher: Oneworld
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 16.04.2026
• EAN: 9781836431930
• ISBN: 978-1-83643-193-0
• No. of pages: 400
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Miscellaneous; London, Greater London, Central London, HISTORY / Europe / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, HISTORY / Historical Geography, ART / Business Aspects, ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES / Jewelry, c 1800 to c 1900, Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, Archaeology by period / region, 1837–1901 (Victorian period), C 1600 To C 1700, European history: Renaissance, Historical Geography, 1485–1603 (Tudor period), HISTORY / Europe / Renaissance, Forgery, falsification & theft of artworks, Forgery, falsification and theft of artworks, Antiques, vintage and collectables: jewellery, Antiques & collectables: jewellery, Archaeological sites, Industrial archaeology