London Urban Legends: The Corpse On The Tube And Other Stories

by Scott Wood

How long has a corpse been staring out at passengers on the tube? Was London Bridge really shipped abroad by an American thinking he'd bought Tower Bridge? Did the Queen really mix with the crowds as a princess on Ve Day? And did Hitler actually want to live in Balham? Urban Legends are the funny, frightening and fierce folklore people share. Just like the early folk tales that came before them, these tales are formed from reactions to spectacular events in the world, and reflect our current values. From royal rumours to subterranean legends, Scott Wood has researched and written about them with a sense of wonder, humour and a keen eye. He finds the truth, the myth and the lies amongst these tales.

Genres: Nonfiction, London Underground, London

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2013

Reviews

[Nandakishore Mridula · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was in the Middle East, there was this story trending about a preteen child (usually a girl) who suddenly disappears in a shopping mall. The frightened mother informs the mall staff - and immediately they down the shutters and start searching. After a frantic hour, the kid is discovered in a toilet, hair cut, dress changed, and drugged. An apparent attempt at daylight kidnapping has been averted at the last moment.

I think all of us across the globe can relate to such stories. They always happen to a "friend of a friend" (or foaf, in this age of abbreviations); just beyond one's reach of personal corroboration. The person who tell you the story will swear by it, however - he/she will only be lost when you ask for concrete evidence.

These are the famous "Urban Legends" - tales which are frightening, funny, disgusting, awe-inspiring... they apparently start spontaneously and spread like wildfire, and have amazing tenacity. The story I quoted above apparently had its beginning something like half a century or more ago in the US. It's still going great guns!

***

In this book, Scott Wood chronicles the legends that envelop and define the iconic city of London. Many of them are not really "urban", as they have been carried over from history; but their currency makes them a valid addition to the genre.

This book is a light read. The author does not delve deep into the psychological aspects of legend creation - rather, he is more interested in tracing how and why such a legend might have started. In the process, he gives us fascinating insights about London, a city I have visited four times in my life and would love to visit again, as it lies inundated in history and myth.

Some stories I loved:

1. Sculptors who commit suicide because they made a mistake
2. The devilish gargoyles of Cornhill
3. The ravens in the Tower of London
4. The London Stone
5. The creepy corpse in the tube
6. The plague pits scattered all over the place
7. All the creepy tales of criminals
8. Spring-heeled Jack and Jack the Ripper

A nice book to while away a lazy afternoon.

[Anastassia Dyubkova · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd probably give it 3.5 stars.
It's not actually a collection of legends as you may think according to the name of the book; it's more like a research dedicated to urban myths. The book is divided into 22 chapters, each of them tells us about some particular kind of urban legends. There are quite a lot of them, the legends about famous landmarks and people, about public transport (the Tube), about animals and much more. Scott Wood not only writes about the most popular urban myths of London, he also confirms if they are based on real facts or not. According to this book, not all of those legends are invented by people's sick imagination. Something strange really happens in London from time to time.
At first I thought there will be different short stories in this book, but the author himself says the following:
"Some urban legends are straight narratives: the 'Corpse on the Tube' and the "Accidental Theft' are stories that can be told, retold and remodelled according to their teller. Others are composed of ideas that float in the ether, waiting for an event to bring them all together again"
- and it explains everything perfectly. The legends are still nice and the book is informative enough. And a bit funny. The quotes which precede each chapter of "London Urban Legends" really suit the stories; I especially liked Charles O'Hegarty's song "The Body in the Bag", I couldn't help laughing while reading the text.
Scott Wood also says that it might be hard to read his book for the people who's never been to London, but personally I felt quite comfortable while reading; maybe it's because I'm familiar with the history of the city ("London: The Biography" by Peter Ackroyd helped me with that). I didn't feel lost or confused.
To sum up, it's a nice book for those who is interested in the history of London and urban mythology and for anyone who loves this place. It definitely wasn't a waste of time for me.

[Alex Margolies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting stories about London - the kind of thing that a friend of a friend had happen to them. Written by a local SE author as well so that's an extra bonus point...

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly good book ab out some fairly well known urban legends - some of them may apply to more cities then London - but it is easy reading to while away a couple of hours. Undemanding but fun.

[Stewart Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty fun and light look at some London centric urban legends and how those myths came to be.

[Drew Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Urban legends are fascinating; they say so much about our society and the stories that it runs on.

Scott Wood certainly loves urban legends. Scott ran the Southeast London Folklore Society, and it shows in this absorbing book. He doesn’t only write about those common urban legends that have been circulating for years—though they have their space here—but he has also dug deep and found some obscure items, including those that were a flash-in-the-pan in years ago. But what lifts this book above all those other volumes that merely list urban legends is that Scott Wood investigates and analyses each one himself, in person. He looks at the history and origins of each legend and how, many times, they were printed as the truth in newspapers. He also questions the sexism of some of the stories and why it is always a woman in peril in them.

This book also works as an alternative history of London because so many of these legends are rooted in the history of the city. They are intensely wrapped up in the urban life of London, and many of them are unique to London life.

Scott Wood’s writing style is very readable; for example, it was perfect reading for my daily commute to and from work on the London Tube. He does not talk down to the reader or try to be over-friendly. His aim is to inform us and discuss the urban legends with his audience.

The only downside of this book, for me, was that it ended too soon. Scott Wood knows his subject and took a refreshingly cynical look at these urban legends. I can always hope for a sequel.

[Virginia Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at urban legends surrounding London covering everything from plague pits to dead passengers on the tube to Jimi Hendrix's parakeets. Wood's definition of urban legend is a little loose at times, some just being rumors that lack the story element of a true urban myth, but his style is amusing and the "facts" about London are fun to know. Could have used a little tighter copy editing as there are some irritating typos.

[Jonathan Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book on the myths of London. Needed it for some research I am doing, but the rest of it certainly tickled the giggle glands.