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PODCAST

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian Street Literature and Stories

Finn J.D. John/ Pulp-Lit Productions

This is the podcast that carries you back to the sooty, foggy streets of early-Victorian London when a new issue of one of the "Penny Dreadful" blood-and-thunder story paper comes out! It"s like an early-Victorian variety show, FEATURING ... — Sweeney Todd ... — Varney, the Vampyre ... — Highwayman Dick Turpin ... — mustache-twirling villains ... — virtuous ballet-girls ... —wicked gamblers ... ... and more! Spiced with naughty cock-and-hen-club songs, broadsheet street ballads, and lots of

history

All Episodes

01:18:21

5.03 (corrected): Alone with the vampire in the...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2026/01/11

APOLOGIES — the wrong Dreadful was cued up for this episode when it was first posted. It has now been fixed! You may need to re-download to get the new one.PART I: “THE PENNY DREADFULS”: 0:00 — 32:00:01:46: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 34: Varney wakes Flora up. “The vampire!” she shrieks. “Yes,” he replies, “the vampire.” He then tells Flora that he can only be un-vampired if a lovely maiden such as Flora will consent to love him. She, of course, cannot. He makes a bit show

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01:25:06

5.02: The inn owner who sold everything and became a...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2026/01/07

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 49:00:01:10: TODAY’S TERRIBLE TIDBIT — Jan. 8, 1851: A little chimney-sweeper boy who suffocated in the factory chimney he was cleaning, because the proprietor did not let it cool completely before sending him in, on Jan. 8, 1851. From Dickens’ Dreadful Almanac, a book by Cate Ludlow, 2010.02:50:

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01:06:23

5.1: The night-stalking vampyre returns! — The evil...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2026/01/04

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch, for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 33:20:01:27: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 33: Varney quits Ratford Abbey and walks to Bannerworth Hall; although the moon has not yet risen, he shows great familiarity with the grounds and is able to make his way almost blind. By listening to him muttering, we gather that the

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01:15:02

4.20: Mrs. Lovett prepares to fly by night! Will she...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2026/01/01

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 41:25:01:20: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: Three years before, she walked in on a murder that had just been committed …03:35: SWEENEY TODD, THE BARBER OF FLEET-STREET, Chapter 76-77: We now cut away to Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop. It is thronged with eager customers and doing a land-office

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01:15:50

4.19: Lord Walter pays the price for disturbing the...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/28

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!This is our main one-hour Sunday-night episode. Including, after the break, the "Sixpenny Spookies" segment. PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 31:00:01:20: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 32: Varney’s visitor at last arrives. Spurs clank as he walks into the room; he’s clearly come on horseback. Varney

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01:15:02

4.18: Sweeney Todd resolves to murder our brave,...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/25

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!This is our hour-long Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode, the second of our two weekly shows. It comes in two parts, to-wit:PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 37:30:01:10: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: A Horrid (but mercifully short) account of a London coachman who received a particularly unpleasant, and fatal, Christmas present from his

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01:10:48

4.17: Lord Walter’s vampire-bride turns on his...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/21

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 32:00:01:20: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 31: We open the scene on Sir Francis Varney is in his home. He is awaiting a visitor, whom he dreads. We learn from his nervous mutterings that this visit occurs once a year, at which the visitor exacts a price which Varney must pay

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01:24:54

4.16: In the lion’s den with Sweeney Todd! — The...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/18

This is our hour-long Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode, the second of our two weekly shows. It comes in two parts, to-wit:PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 44:30:01:00: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: A dentist pounced upon and nearly choked to death by a gang of thieves.03:15: SWEENEY TODD, THE BARBER OF FLEET-STREET, Chapter 72-73: We look in on Arabella to see how she is handling her feelings of responsibility for Johanna’s recklessness. And the verdict is – not

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01:22:25

4.15: Locked in the vampire’s dungeon. — The...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/14

This is our main one-hour Sunday-night episode. Including, after the break, the "Sixpenny Spookies" segment.PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 37:40:01:10: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 29-30: Now we cut to a new scene, in a ruined abbey near Bannerworth Hall, in a dungeon-cell beneath which there is a man locked up, battered and dazed and bearing the marks of a desperate struggle. He is not identified, but it seems nearly certain that it’s Charles

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01:21:41

4.14: The horrors in the vault beneath Sweeny Todd’s...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/11

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!This is our Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode, the second of our two weekly shows. It comes in two parts, to-wit:PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 45:30:01:00: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: A priest is prosecuted for clobbering a parishioner with his umbrella after she converted to Protestantism (Dec. 11,

en

01:15:51

4.13: Death took his beloved, but sorcery brought her...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/06

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!This is our main one-hour Sunday-night episode. Including, after the break, the "Sixpenny Spookies" segment. COMING OUT A DAY EARLY!PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 32:00:02:50: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 28: Henry, the admiral and Mr. Marchdale follow the trail the Admiral saw Charles Holland

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01:23:44

4.12: Exploring Sweeney Todd's murder-vault! — Yet...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/12/04

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 42:00:00:55: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: The account of a murderous attack made on a landlord’s steward made 174 years ago today.03:00: SWEENEY TODD, THE BARBER OF FLEET-STREET, Chapter 68-69: Late that evening, at St. Dunstan’s Church, four gentlemen arrive and let themselves in with a

en

01:14:10

4.11: A dead man comes to life! — The extirpation of...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/11/30

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 35:00:01:05: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 27: Henry, the admiral and Mr. Marchdale present the three letters to Flora, anticipating she will be offended and angry with Charles for treating her so. Instead, they are surprised when she cries, “Where did you get these disgraceful

en

01:21:56

4.10: The murdering body-snatchers of old Bethnal...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/11/26

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!This is our hour-long Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode, the second of our two weekly shows. PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS”: (Horrid, as in “horror”!)01:00: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: An account of a 21-year-old man who stole jewels worth north of half a million modern pounds Sterling … and nearly got away with it! 04:03: SWEENEY TODD,

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01:18:55

4.09: The vampire is tracked to her coffin! — The...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/11/23

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!03:20: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 26: Henry, the admiral and Mr. Marchdale present the three letters to Flora, anticipating she will be offended and angry with Charles for treating her so. Instead, they are surprised when she cries, “Where did you get these disgraceful forgeries? What has happened to Charles? Has someone

en

01:13:30

4.08: Blackmailing Sweeney Todd? — The highwaymen...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/11/20

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!This is a one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! In two parts, to-wit:PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 38:00:This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sweeney Todd, along with the more darksome, loathly, and horrifying tidbits of the week: Tales of horrid murders, public executions, disasters, brutal

en

01:09:36

4.07: The vampire victim's story is eerily familiar....

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/11/16

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!This is our main one-hour Sunday-night episode. Including, after the break, the "Sixpenny Spookies" segment. The first segment of the Sunday show contains a chapter of Varney the Vampire, along with sundry other tidbits of early-Victorian street literature — INCLUDING ...01:06: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 25:

en

01:09:23

4.06: Johanna's reckless plan to spy on Sweeney Todd!...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/11/13

A one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! In two parts, the first grim and dark, the second salty and spicy; to-wit:PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 34:50:This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sweeney Todd, along with the more darksome, loathly, and horrifying tidbits of the week: Tales of horrid murders, public executions, disasters, brutal crimes, and similar rays of sunshine — INCLUDING ...01:40: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: A tragic

en

01:09:39

4.05: The ghost in the iron cage. — The vampyre's...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/11/09

Our main one-hour Sunday-night episode! This first segment of the Sunday show contains a chapter of Varney the Vampire, along with what we think of as the more humourous, melodramatic, and high-campy tidbits from this week’s explorations of early-Victorian street literature — INCLUDING ...02:02: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 24: Admiral Bell, back from his meeting with Varney, confesses his plot to take the heat off Charles by usurping his role as duellist. Then a note comes

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01:14:23

4.04: The Child-flogger reaps what he sows. — The...

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian... ·

2025/10/30

NOTE — for a glossary of "flash" terms used in this episode, see pennydread.com/discord. (Flash was the slang lingo used by the criminal underworld of the Regency and early Victorian period.)A one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! In two parts, to-wit:PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 32:30:This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sweeney Todd, along with the more darksome, loathly, and horrifying tidbits of the week: Tales of horrid

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