I've been interested in the practice of Mudlarking for some time, down on the Thames foreshore.
Tom Chivers, author of 'London Clay' was a speaker at the conference and read from his book and talked about his PhD that he is completing at Queen Mary University of London. There was plenty of interest here on these new geographies. He described a space which changes as the tide ebbs and flows, which is both private and public, safe and unsafe... he read from his book and current writing linked with his academic research into the practice, including the historical development of the practice.
This is a landscape which is temporary and contested, and one which many visitors to London will never experience.
If you attended the event you can see a recording of the session.
You can also download a copy of Tom's slides.
I own a copy of the Field guide to Larking which was written by Lara Maiklem.
The session ended with Tom blowing a hawker's whistle that he had unearthed, echoing a scene in Detectorists, which Tom referenced in his session... a lovely way to draw the session to a close.
Comments